Hey beauty friends! So I’ve been testing the COVERGIRL & Olay Simply Ageless 3-in-1 Liquid Foundation in Soft Sable for a few weeks now, and I’ve also gone through HUNDREDS of real customer reviews to give you the complete picture. Let’s get real about whether this foundation is worth your money!
Quick Facts
Price: Around $10-17 (varies by retailer)
Shade: Soft Sable (one of the darker shades in the range)
Finish: Matte with a natural look
Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid and vitamin C
Claims: Anti-aging benefits, hydration, smooth coverage
The AWESOME Stuff
1. Great for Mature Skin (Mostly)
This foundation is SERIOUSLY good for those with mature skin! So many reviewers in their 50s, 60s, 70s, and even 80s(!) are completely obsessed with how it doesn’t settle into fine lines like most foundations do.
One 81-year-old reviewer said: “I’ll never look really OLD! I’M 81 YEARS OLD!” Another user wrote: “Doesn’t crease or show wrinkles – I am pushing 60 and I most definitely will be purchasing this again.”
A makeup artist even chimed in: “I’ve been trying several foundations out, high end and drugstore, and this one is simply wonderful. Especially for someone who is 40 and older. It never settled into any dry patches or fine lines.”
2. The Formula Actually FEELS Good
For a drugstore foundation, the texture is surprisingly luxurious! It’s:
- Creamy without being thick
- Lightweight on the skin
- Smooth to apply
- Blendable without much effort
One reviewer who hadn’t worn foundation in 20 years tried this and was “blown out of the water” by how good it felt and looked. Another said: “This feels so lightweight and makes my skin feel smooth after it dries quickly.”
3. The Skincare Ingredients Actually WORK
The Olay partnership isn’t just marketing hype – this foundation genuinely contains beneficial skincare ingredients that make a difference! The hyaluronic acid and vitamin C help improve your skin while you wear it.
“I love that it has ingredients that are good for my skin… I’ve had no problems with skin irritation or break-outs,” shared one happy customer.
Another noted: “Whenever I wear this foundation, my skin actually gets smoother and softer! I’ve noticed the more I wear it, the better my skin looks without makeup at all!”
4. Natural-Looking Coverage
Even though it provides solid medium coverage, it somehow manages to look like REAL SKIN rather than a makeup mask. It covers imperfections without looking heavy or cakey.
“The most amazing coverage it doesn’t even look like I’m wearing make up,” raved one reviewer.
Another wrote: “It only takes a small amount, and the finished product still looks like skin, only more even. It feels like I’m not wearing anything on my face.”
5. Great for Specific Skin Concerns
This foundation is a HERO for certain skin issues:
- Rosacea: “Just a little bit hides my rosacea and that makes me happy.”
- Hyperpigmentation: “I have really bad pigmentation on my cheeks and the side of my face… This is light. I love it.”
- Sun damage: “I noticed that aging has caused my longterm, stupid expensive foundation to become too drying… This foundation is light enough to not do that but yet it still covers my freckles.”
The NOT-SO-GREAT Stuff
1. Shade Range Issues for Deeper Skin Tones
Even though Soft Sable is supposed to be one of the deeper shades, MANY reviewers with darker skin tones were disappointed.
“This is apparently the darkest shade available, and it still does not match my complexion. I will stick with brands made for me from now on,” one customer shared.
Another wrote: “I am dark skin and the darkest shade was sable which is too light for my tone. I like that it is very smooth and glides easy just doesn’t work for dark skin.”
Several users mentioned having to mix it with other products to make it work: “I brought the darkest shade they have. Because of the white swirls added to the makeup it’s 4 shades lighter than I am. I have to use very little and add to a darker makeup to use it.”
2. The Fragrance Is STRONG
This foundation definitely has a noticeable scent, and it’s a deal-breaker for some people.
“The first thing I noticed about this foundation was its fragrance. Why so strong??!! I don’t need perfume on my face, and my skin doesn’t like it,” one reviewer complained.
Another described it as: “Flowery musty old perfume. 🤢😵💫 0/5 would never recommend.”
If you’re sensitive to fragrances, you might want to skip this one!
3. SERIOUS Online Shipping/Packaging Issues
This is by far the most common complaint I saw. When ordered online, many people received bottles with:
- Missing caps
- No security seals
- Leaking product
- Broken pumps
- Signs of previously being used
“I like this foundation but you sent it without the lid. How sloppy you are?? Pay attention to your merchandise before shipping it, please!” wrote one frustrated customer.
Another said: “I received the bottle unsealed, took cap off and looked like this. I would return but would hate for it to be shipped to someone else. I just trashed it.”
This seems to be primarily an issue when ordering online rather than a problem with the product itself.
4. Inconsistent Performance on Different Skin Types
While this foundation works wonders for normal to dry and mature skin, those with very oily skin or certain skin conditions had more mixed results.
One reviewer noted: “After using the cover girl primer and the foundation (I had to use a bronzing powder over it to darken it a bit) my face broke out, it felt heavy and sticky without the powder. I probably will not buy this again because of the heaviness and the break out. It did make my wrinkles a little more pronounced.”
Another said: “It did leave my skin feeling dryer than when I put it on.”
5. Some Found It Lacked Substantial Coverage
A few users expected more coverage than what they got:
“Overall, I am not impressed with it for what I was hoping it would function as. I was hoping it would offer actual coverage but it doesn’t really… so i put my mineral makeup on top of it and that looks pretty great. So, like I saw a couple other reviews indicate, this is a great primer.”
Another reviewer noted: “This is not a full coverage foundation.”
Who Should Buy This Foundation?
THIS IS GREAT FOR YOU IF:
- You have mature skin with fine lines or wrinkles
- Your skin is normal to dry
- You want a natural, skin-like finish
- You prefer foundations with actual skincare benefits
- You’re looking for a foundation that feels lightweight
MAYBE SKIP IT IF:
- You have very deep skin (unfortunately, Soft Sable might not be dark enough)
- You’re sensitive to fragrances
- You have very oily skin or are prone to breakouts
- You need extremely full coverage
- You’re concerned about online shipping/packaging issues
Pro Tips for Best Results
Based on all the customer feedback, here are some tricks to getting the most out of this foundation:
- Prep is key: Many users recommend using a good moisturizer first. One reviewer noted: “I figured that since there is so much humidity where I live (Texas) that I didn’t need to moisturize” and had issues with the foundation enhancing fine lines.
- A little goes a LONG way: Start with a small amount – a single pump is often enough for full-face coverage.
- Application method matters: A damp beauty sponge seems to give the most natural finish. One 63-year-old reviewer with beautiful results said: “I pat it on with fingertips, then give it a once-over with a damp makeup sponge.”
- Consider a primer: Some users found it works even better with a primer underneath. One makeup artist recommended pairing it with “Maybelline’s Master Prime Blur + Smooth.”
- Mix it up: For those who found Soft Sable too light, mixing with a darker foundation helped. Others mixed it with moisturizer for a more sheer finish: “I add some Olay moisturizer to make a tinted moisturizer.”
- For mature skin: One creative 75-year-old user shared this brilliant tip: “Some days when my skin seems dryer than other days I’ll put a little foundation on the back of my hand & a tiny pump of face lotion or face cream & mix them together w/a q’tip & apply to my face w/a makeup sponge.”
Value for Money
At around $10-17, this foundation performs SHOCKINGLY well for its price point. It outperforms many high-end foundations costing 3-5 times more!
One reviewer who previously used $100 foundations said: “This is the BEST foundation I’ve ever used in my life!! It’s so smooth, sheer, and blends beautifully without highlighting my pores. I will never buy anything else!!!!!”
Another wrote: “I have some far more expensive foundations (like $50) and really, there’s very little improvement (if any sometimes) to this product.”
Bottom Line
The COVERGIRL & Olay Simply Ageless 3-in-1 Liquid Foundation in Soft Sable is a FANTASTIC option for many people, especially those with mature skin looking for a natural finish with skincare benefits.
The biggest drawbacks are the limited shade range for deeper skin tones, the strong fragrance, and the potential shipping/packaging issues when ordering online.
If you can find your shade match and don’t mind the scent, this foundation delivers impressive quality at a drugstore price point. It’s particularly exceptional for mature skin, earning rave reviews from users in their 60s, 70s, and beyond!
Final Rating: 4/5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The only thing keeping it from a perfect score is the limited shade range and fragrance issues. If COVERGIRL would address those concerns, this would easily be a 5-star product!
Have you tried this foundation? What did YOU think? Let me know in the comments!
Buy on Amazon: Here
