Face Off: Dior Airflash Spray Foundation vs. Sephora Perfection Mist Airbrush Foundation

I use the word dupe with utmost caution and in my six years or so of active blogging about makeups,  I have not really encountered an exact, blow-by-blow similarity amongst all the products being promoted or claimed as dupe. For the most part, a dupe does not only translate to "cheaper" alternative. A legit one has to perform just as good as the product being compared to in terms of longevity, ingredients, formula, texture, color, even the way it is packaged. Dupe by definition is deception or trick. Now the big question, is Sephora Perfection Mist Airbrush Foundation ($28, 2.5 oz) a dupe for luxury brand Dior Airflash Spray Foundation ($62, 2.3 oz)? Scroll down for the juice and scoop!

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I love comparing ingredients because it educates me (and hopefully you as well) as to what goes in to the product I purchase with my own hard-earned money. I have underlined similarities for your better reference and judgment. I have tackled the active ingredients mainly to shed light on certain grey areas. I will devote another post to discuss common cosmetic ingredients so stay tuned for that.

Dior Airflash Spray Foundation: Butane, Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Propane, Nylon-12, Cocoglycerides, Sodium Lactate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Glycerin, Caprylyl Dimethicone Ethoxy Glucoside, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Aluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide Stearate, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Silica, Sodium Chloride, Zinc Stearate, Methylparaben, Potassium Sorbate, Propylparaben, Fragrance, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate, Limonene, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone

Sephora Perfection Mist Airbrush Foundation: Isobutane, Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Butane, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Peg/Ppg-20/15 Dimethicone, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Peg/Ppg-18/18 Dimethicone, Dimethicone, Sodium Chloride, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Iron Oxides (Ci 77492), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyglyceryl-4-Isostearate, Cetyl Peg/Ppg 10/1 Dimethicone, Hexyl Laurate, Phenoxyethanol, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Dimethiconol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Propylene Carbonate, Iron Oxide (Ci 77491), Hexylene Glycol, Iron Oxides (Ci 77499), Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile) Flower Extract, Corallina Officinalis (Red Seaweed) Extract, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Tocopherol, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7.

Butane or Isobutane: don't squeal in horror but this is typically used as propellant in aerosol products. Butane, isobutane, propane are colorless gases classified as LPG (liquefied petroleum gas). While it sounds scary, these three have been classified as generally safe for cosmetic use by FDA and reviewed by the CIR (cosmetic ingredient review) panel. However, they are highly flammable so keep away your bottles away from heat, open flame, direct sunlight or any room with temperature above 120 degrees fahrenheit (50 degrees centigrade).

Cyclopentasiloxane: generally use in makeup and skincare because it makes the skin look and feel softer. It's a colorless silicone derivative which is synthetically-manufactured, it's cheap or more "cost-effective" from a manufacturer's standpoint. It's a bummer to see it in most high-end or designer brands. 

Color selection: Dior has 11 shades, Sephora has 13 shades. I have 300 Medium Beige for Dior (a close match) and Medium for Sephora (one shade darker than I would normally wear for my face).

Packaging: Both are canister-type. Dior has "something inside" probably a small ball which helps to mix the product. It is advised that you shake it then spray. Sephora is frill-free.
Type of mist: Dior propels fine mist which scatters very nicely on the skin. Done correctly, it doesn't even require blending (but of course I do). Sephora's spray mechanism dispenses more mist which deposits concentrated pigment on the center and diffused outward which requires blending.
Fragrance: Dior has a sweet synthetic smell while Sephora has faint chemical smell.
Amount of product: Dior has 2.3 fl oz, Sephora has 2.5 fl oz
Finish: Dior has a soft silky and luxurious finish. Sephora feels and looks more like creamy matte.
Oxidization: Dior did not oxidize on my combination skin, Sephora slightly did.
Wear time: Dior melds into the skin (layered with moisturizer and serum) nicely giving me a dewy glow 4 hours into wearing it. It has minimal fade or budge on the 8th hour. Sephora made my skin look oily in about 3 hours with noticeable fade or budge on the 8th hour.

So how do you really use this type of foundation then? if you like light coverage, spray few inches away from the face (6-8 inches); for medium coverage, spray into your brush then apply as you normally would with a liquid foundation.

Final verdict: No, Sephora is not  a dupe for Dior as clearly pointed out above. Sephora is an okay spray foundation, it's not the worst but it isn't revolutionary either. Dior is admittedly expensive so while I love it over Sephora, I reserve it for special or fancy occasions. Or let's be honest, in days I want to feel fancy, haha!

This is me feeling fancy in Dior Airflash. Yes my FOTD for a quick Target grocery shopping, because why not! Let's not forget Tom Ford bronzer (from Soleil palette afternooner) and Stila liquid lipstick (dolce) for full throttle fancy schmancy.