When it comes to makeup must-haves, plenty of people swear they can’t leave the house without lip liner, brow gel, or a quick coat of mascara. Me? As a self-proclaimed makeup maximalist, I won’t step outside without a full-coverage base—it blurs every imperfection daylight threatens to expose and instantly makes me feel 100% more confident. Lately, especially for nights out or back-to-back work events, I’ve been reaching for Tom Ford’s Architecture Soft Matte Blurring Foundation. It’s lightweight and airy while still providing fuller coverage, it actually stays put for an eight-hour day, and, no surprise here, is a 2025 Allure Best of Beauty winner in the splurges category.
First Impressions
Tom Ford was one of the first luxury makeup brands I ever tried as a teen, so getting my hands on this 2024 launch had me genuinely excited to see how its base products have evolved. Sure, a $100 foundation isn’t exactly easy spending money, but Tom Ford makes a very convincing case. This full-coverage foundation comes with a list of benefits straight out of a beauty lover’s dream: lightweight yet full-coverage, oil-controlling but still hydrating, softly matte, 24-hour wear, non-creasing, non-caking, and fade-resistant—you get the picture. This all sounds wonderful, but for me, oil control surpasses everything. With my combination skin, shine always creeps in after a few hours. So, if a foundation can cover my hyperpigmentation and breakouts and keep those afternoon oils at bay, I know it’ll earn a permanent spot in my routine.
Before the formula even touched my face, I could tell I’d nailed the shade match just from swatching it onto the back of my hand. I also felt how lightweight and airy the formula was. Unlike the heavy, hard-to-blend mattes I’ve tried in the past, it melted into my skin the second I started rubbing. I requested Ivory and Fawn, and Fawn turned out to be the perfect fit—it has an olive undertone that matches my skin, while Ivory leans a little peachier. If I were tanner, I’d probably need to bump up to Cool Beige or Cool Almond, but Fawn is spot-on for my everyday base. Allure editorial assistant Jennet Jusu, who opted for shade Warm Honey, agrees that the shade matching was effortless. “The references on the models were so spot on that it made finding a shade to fit my golden undertone a breeze,” Jusu says.
The Formula
The serum-like texture of this foundation is boosted by skin-care actives such as hyaluronic acid and glycerin to draw moisture into the skin, antioxidants like caffeine, vitamin E, and milk thistle extract to help defend against free radicals and reduce puffiness, and acetyl hexapeptide-8, a peptide often dubbed “Botox in a bottle” for its collagen-supporting, smoothing effects. It also has soft-focus microsphere powders that diffuse light and help control oil.
I found that the soft-matte finish isn’t the dreaded chalky kind—it has more of a blurring lens effect. Makeup artist Lauren D’Amelio Ventre backs me up, noting that it’s rare to find this type of finish in a full-coverage foundation. I found that it has just a hint of radiance to keep the skin looking dimensional instead of flat, but it still grips the skin and resists breakdown in the T-zone for all-day control.
So…are the long-wearing claims actually true? While most of us aren’t testing foundation for 24 hours straight, Ventre says this one doesn’t budge on her clients throughout long event days. “It’s sweat- and humidity-resistant, so I like to use it for high-stakes settings, be it outdoor weddings or under hot stage lights.” Allure contributor Jailynn Taylor adds that once she applies it in the morning, she never has to worry about touching up shine throughout the day. “What I love most is how it keeps my skin from turning oily hours into the day while still looking smooth and blurred,” she says.
How I Use It
I’ve been testing this luxurious formula for a few weeks now, and I’m impressed by the staying power, full-coverage finish, lightweight feel, and (actually) transfer-proof abilities. Something to note: Architecture definitely reads more matte than satin on first application. I did have to blend it in a bit longer with my brush (shoutout to my tried-and-true Hourglass Vanish Foundation Brush) than my usual radiant-finish formulas to make sure it didn’t cake up. Taylor also prefers “a dense foundation brush to really buff it into the skin” and using a damp sponge to sheer it out if needed. “One layer is all it takes to cover my hyperpigmentation and under-eye discoloration, leaving a smooth, even canvas that plays well with both my liquid and powder products.”
We also tapped the pros for advice. To build coverage, D’Amelio Ventre recommends “applying this foundation in light layers and buffing with a dense brush, and then pressing in with a dry sponge to smooth texture and lock down coverage.” She emphasizes setting only the high-shine zones of the face with a micro-fine setting powder.