Trinny London is a brand I have wanted to try for some time now. So I am chuffed to have the opportunity to review the Trinny London BFF De-Stress, the brand’s tinted moisturiser. Let’s dive in!
Trinny London, founded by Trinny Woodhall, is a brand designed to provide “effortless, personalised beauty to people of all ages.”- Trinny London
The brand is known for its innovative “stack”, a beauty stacking system, designed to make application and travel a breeze.
They have a range of base makeup, cream eye and lip products and have recently ventured into skincare. The brand is cruelty-free.
AD Info: This post contains Press Samples (PR) for review purposes. Opinions are always my own. Posts are not affiliate driven. Please see my ‘disclaimer‘ for more information.
Trinny London BFF De-Stress
The Trinny London BFF De-Stress is a lightweight tinted moisturiser with light-medium-ish (buildable) coverage. It has a radiant finish.
It is available in 12 shades, which span over 29. There is 30ml of product in each tube.
Trinny London states it is perfect for normal to dry skin.
For reference:
My skin type is oily/combination, dehydrated, and definitely suffers from stress (ongoing chronic illness with constant hives flares). I like a radiant finish with a lightweight feel and a light to medium coverage to my base makeup.
I did request this base in particular from Trinny London, despite having oily skin, as I was really interested in the “De-Stress” tech and liked the sound of the finish – all that was left was to see if it suited my skin after all!
The Formula
Trinny London BFF De-Stress is marketed as a formula that will “defend and manage the appearance of stress on your skin for a fresh, energised complexion.” – Trinny London
It is their innovative NP-TriOX™ Technology (including stress-busting Neurophroline) that helps to manage the effects of stress on the skin.
Neurophroline is extracted from the seeds of native Indian plants Tephrosia purpurea and wild indigo. When used in skincare it can break down the cortisol produced by skin cells when stressed and promote the release of neuropeptides in the skin. This allows the skin to manage stress better and regenerate. Clever eh?
When you consider that 80% of ageing is caused by environmental and UV damage1 (shocking I know!!) and can be prevented by using proper SPF protection and consistent antioxidant protection, then surely there can only be benefits from the addition of products like this in our routine.
Alongside this stress-busting tech, the formula contains Hyaluronic acid and glycerin to provide instant hydration and a plumping effect on the skin. It certainly feels comfortable and hydrating to wear.
BFF De-Stress utilises (cocoa) seed butter and Caesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Extract both powerful antioxidants which help protect the skin from environmental aggressors (eg. Pollution).
As you can see this truly is a makeup-skincare hybrid, both caring for the skin and providing coverage at the same time.
The brand suggests that the Trinny London De-Stress is best suited to normal or dry skin types and the BFF Rebalance is most suited to oily, combination and blemish-prone skins as that provides a shine control and matte finish.
I technically fall into the latter category skin type-wise, however, my skin is dehydrated (it’s an ongoing battle at present), it is under constant stress from within (my chronic illnesses are having a field day!) and while I prefer my t-zone to be mattified, I definitely prefer a satin-dewy finish to my makeup overall.
Packaging
The BFF De-Stress packaging is a simple, silver-toned, airtight pump bearing the Trinny London logo. It is minimalist and appealing. The product dispenses well with little waste.
Price wise the Trinny London BFF De-Stress 30ml £39.00 other comparable products:
Nars Tinted Moisturiser 50ml £37.00
Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser 50ml £37-40
Estée Lauder DayWear Sheer Tint 50ml £41.65
bareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Moisturiser 35ml £30.00
Bobbi Brown Nude Finish Tinted Moisturiser 50ml £36.00
While I do think that Trinny London is on the pricier side, especially for 30ml, Trinny London’s foundation ‘BFF Rebalance’ is priced at £39.00 for 30ml, as is the BFF SPF30, so prices are in line across the brand.
Shade
It is available in 12 shades, which span over 29. So while 12 shades do not seem enough in today’s beauty space, the shade range claims to be adaptable.
Jemina – Neutral Vanilla for Fair Skin
I have the shade, Jemima. I think this is more of a warm neutral than a true neutral. I have to say, I was concerned when I first swatched it! It pulls quite warm, with strong yellow undertones when swatched on my hand. Indeed, a first application I thought it might be the same on my face, however, it really seemed to even out and suit my complexion well – which I found most intriguing!
Application
I have to say this applies like a dream! Like many, I have watched Trinny apply her makeup, on screen, on the go and the whole aesthetic is one of ease. Of being able to throw on your makeup when you’re in a rush, while the kids are screaming, when you’ve got 5mins to run out of the door, or as Trinny often does, in the back of a cab: and it looks great. You know what? So far, I have to hand it to them, this is a breeze to apply, dare I say foolproof? While I haven’t tried applying it in the back of a moving vehicle just yet, I do think I could apply this with fingers and without a mirror and it would look great.
It blends easily without being streaky and provides enough coverage to even out my skin and rid my face of any redness.
Coverage
Now this is a tinted moisturiser, this isn’t going to cover blemishes. I still reach for my sturdy pot concealer to conceal any thread veins and of course, correct and conceal my panda-style eye bag bags. This does a great job of evening my skin out and leaves a lovely, fresh appearance.
I’m left with a natural but radiant glow. I don’t look too ‘done up’, but my skin is perfected. Thanks to the hydrating humectants, my skin also feels plump and hydrated.
Having an oilier skin type, my t-zone does need mattifying. A simple powder application does this nicely. I do expect that this will have better longevity on normal-dry skin than on those with similar skin types as myself.
As my skin is quite dehydrated at present, sometimes certain bases can cling to areas of dehydrated skin. The Trinny London BFF De- Stress doesn’t do this.
Longevity
As mentioned above, I believe this will have the most longevity on those with normal-dry skin types. However, even with my oily-combination skin, this does wear quite well indeed!
I find I can go at least 6-7 hours without feeling it is wearing too much, and that is quite impressive for a tinted moisturiser – it isn’t a foundation after all. It does require attention, however, with powder top-ups for the t-zone – this is fully expected for my skin type and choice of product.
Final Thoughts
Well, I am very impressed. The Trinny London BFF De-Stress has quickly become my most reached-for base! There is an ease to its application and the knowledge that it will just ‘look good’. I enjoy that it is a skincare-makeup hybrid, and I appreciate the science behind it. While I haven’t had long enough to notice any of those skincare benefits just yet, I hope to reap them over time.
At this price point, it is of course a considered purchase.
This has been a pleasant discovery, a perfect ‘everyday’ base and I’m certainly looking forward to trying more from the brand!
Have you tried Trinny London yet?
Keep an eye on my Instagram, TikTok and Facebook feeds for videos of Trinny London BFF De-Stress in action!
1 Amaro-Ortiz A, Yan B, D’Orazio JA. Ultraviolet radiation, aging and the skin: prevention of damage by topical cAMP manipulation. Molecules. 2014 May 15;19(5):6202-19. doi: 10.3390/molecules19056202. PMID: 24838074; PMCID: PMC4344124.
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