ROAD TEST: I tried the new IT Cosmetics Matte CC Cream. Here's how it compares to the original.

If you’ve been on the internet, or scrolled Instagram, or talked to your girlfriends about makeup in the past year or two you’ll have at least heard of IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream.

It’s the beauty product that genuinely lives up to the hype (and there’s been a hellava lot of hype). I’ve written about my love for the original CC Cream in the past, but to recap, it’s a heavily pigmented base cream that has anti-ageing properties and offers SPF 50 sun protection. Basically it’s a serum, foundation and sunscreen in one. It’s $61, so it’s not cheap, but in my eyes it’s worth every one of those dollars.

Up until very recently it came in two variants – the original, for ‘normal’ skin, and an illuminating option for dry skin.

I’m an oily/combo girl (shiny down the t-zone, dry from the cheeks outwards) and I use the original formula (in shade Light in winter and Medium in summer, in case you we’re wondering).

It’s super dewy but I actually find it works really well on me – I apply it after my morning skincare and then use a combo of bronzer (all over) and translucent powder (on my shiny bits) to set it.

Then the news came that my beloved base product would be available in an oil-free matte version and I actually felt…conflicted.

On one hand, a matte formula, in theory, should be better suited to my skin type. On the other I immediately wondered, ‘can you improve on perfect?’

 

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Let’s take a good look at the new variant. The main difference I immediately noted was that the matte version is SPF 40 (titanium dioxide at 7.4 per cent and zinc oxide at 6.3 per cent) whereas the others are SPF 50 (titanium dioxide at 9.0 per cent and zinc oxide 6.3 per cent).

I’m not a chemist (hard to believe, I know) but my guess as to why would be that titanium dioxide is notoriously greasy, hence the lesser percent. Still, SPF 40 is decent.

The first day I trialled the new matte formula I did a silly thing. I added an extra hydrating serum to my skincare routine, because I guess I was frightened of a really matte finish (because although I’m oily I still like glow). That extra serum was a mistake, because as I soon realised, the matte variant is till quite dewy.

The next day I didn’t alter my skincare routine at all and just used the matte in place of the regular one. Again, I was surprised at how dewy it was – only ever so slightly less dewy than the original.

I also noted that it seemed to have a tiny bit less coverage (which you might be able to spot in the above pic – it’s an odd side-selfie because I was trying to show both the coverage and glow).

Fast forward to 3pm and the most noticeable difference was the shine factor. With the regular formula I am usually a bit shiny down the t-zone come mid-afternoon (despite the translucent powder application in the morning). With the matte that didn’t happen – my t-zone remained as I’d set it that morning.

It's important to note though that the finish is still glowy - it is a hydrating serum after all - just not as glowy as the original. For that reason I reckon it'd be great on dry or normal skins that prefer a slightly more matte finish - it's not just for oily girls.

If you're going to make me pick a favourite I'd have to say I prefer the original formula, purely for the teeny tiny bit of extra coverage I think it has.

Still, I'd happily use either, as the difference between the two (for me) is minimal. I'm thinking the original will remain my day-to-day base and the matte will became my 'going out' base, because it feels a little more like a traditional foundation.

They are both total winners.

So where can you get it? It's currently available in-store and also at Sephora online.