Typology Review: Read Before You Buy This Trendy French Makeup Brand

I’m a pale redhead with freckles, so the heavy makeup looks of circa 2016 were never my thing. I love a good tinted serum and leans more natural. So, when I saw the new French makeup brand, Typology, blow up online, I had to try it out.

After using this makeup for a week, I’m have a totally honest Typology review for you and breaking down if this Parisian beauty brand is worth the buy, or if it’s just a regular makeup brand with good marketing. 

Typology Makeup Is B Corp, Vegan And Made In France 

Typology is not just a makeup brand, but a holistic skincare company with many products ranging from concealers to serums that target different skin types, all with various skin shade ranges.

What makes Typology stand out a bit in the makeup industry is how its B Corp certified, entirely vegan and formulated in France. It’s important to note that not all the ingredients are sourced from France, though. 

According to their website “whether in France, around Europe or further afield in search of exotic extracts, they must be sourced from sustainable farms using gentle extraction techniques.”. 

They use naturally derived ingredients that are functional and safe for humans to be putting on our skin every day. Many skincare and makeup brands use chemicals that might help treat a skincare issue in the short term but often have lingering, lasting impacts and aren’t always friendly to those with sensitive skin. 

Typology is different. Everything is sensitive skin friendly and totally vegan. 

How I Tested Typology Makeup For This Honest Review

To get this makeup test rolling, I ordered makeup products from Typology and then wore only their makeup products for a week to test it over various climates (rainy days, sunny days) and activities (work from home, happy hour, walks in the city, etc). 

Also, whenever I sit down to write one of my brand reviews, I spend a few hours researching the brand, the founders, public information about the company, and any past customer reviews I can find to formulate an honest review backed by sources, on top of my own opinions. 

What I Bought From Typology: Tinted Trio Review

To give this a proper test, I bought the Typology Tinted Trio bundle which includes three of their most iconic skincare products.

1. Typology Tinted Serum 
2. Typology Tinted Lip Oil
3. Typology Tinted Concealer

The Typology website claims these products are “Enriched with active ingredients, instantly blur dark circles and puffiness, even out your complexion, and delicately color your lips in just a few minutes. They simultaneously work long-term on your skin for lasting results.”

Promising, right? Let’s do a deep dive to see if they actually work. 

1. Typology Tinted Serum Reviews: Dries Matte And Looks Just Like Regular Skin

I’m pale so I bought the skin tone shade Type 1 Fair. The T10 Typology Tinted Serum has Vitamin C and Aloe Vera to help provide light coverage with a natural finish. 

I’ll be transparent and tell you that I usually wear Saie Beauty and Tarte products lately, which are much more in the realm of that dewy skin look, while this particular tinted serum dries matte. 

The product is liquid at first, but as applied, feels initially slightly tacky then quickly transforms into a smooth, matte finish.Application is best with fingers or a dense buffing brush. I found that a makeup blender sponge absorbed too much product.

When I first realized that it dries matte, I was thrown off since I’m so used to moisturizing, glowy sort of makeup products but after a few minutes of wearing it, I really loved it. They claim this looks like your normal skin, and it really does. As a freckly girl, you could still see my freckles shine through but the Typology Tinted Serum did a great job at evening out skin tone and skin texture and just provide a more even look to my face. 

I have normal to dry skin, and right now since we’re still in the dead of winter where I’m slathering on Nivea and doing slugging routines, my skin is pretty hydrated but I am a little concerned that this matte serum wouldn’t dry week on someone’s face if they struggle with dry skin. 

Note: they do offer products like Glow Drops and skincare like Radiance Serum to help add back in that dewy, glowy look if that’s what your looking for but I didn’t try these. 

2. Typology Tinted Lip Oil Review: Good For A Pinch Of Color But Fades Quickly

I’m one of those women who always feels put together when I have a good lipstick on, so I was the most excited to try the Tinted Lip Oil since the website made it look magical and bold. Orange and coral tones are my favorite to rock, so I bought the Coral Orange Lip Oil with Vitamin E and Squalane. 

I swiped it on my lips and… was disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great lipgloss. It’s hydrating thanks to the squalane, has a little bit of color and shine, but it quickly faded off once I started taking sips of water. Within an hour, I barely had any color left on my lips. 

Personally I prefer lip color that lasts longer and isn’t something I need to reapply 10 times a day. Additionally, the square shape looks really cute but doesn’t fit into my purses the same way as the classic lipstick shape. 

But, if you are someone who likes a more natural look and don’t mind reapplying it throughout the day, I think you’ll be happy. The lip oil does a really good at leaving my lips hydrated instead of dry after use. 

Plus, it doubles as blush! For blush application, I found dabbing a small amount onto the apples of my cheeks and blending with my fingers gave a natural flush. It blends easily and doesn’t leave a greasy residue. However, if you’re looking for a bold, long-wearing lip color, this oil might not be enough. 

3. Typology Tinted Concealer Review: A Little Cakey But Fantastic Coverage

Lastly, I also spent a week testing out the Typology Tinted Concealer in Type 1 Fair skin shade. This special concealer has caffeine to help stimulate the blood flow around your eyes and thus reduce dark circles. The doe-foot applicator allows for precise application under the eyes and on blemishes. It blends easily with a sponge or a small concealer brush, but I found that tapping motions worked best to avoid moving too much product away from my dark circles. 

This concealer did the thing most makeup does where it looks far too light at first but quickly blends out into a even shade that looks just like my skin. I was very impressed by how quickly this little addition of Typology Tinted Concealer under my eyes instantly transformed my face to look more awake. I had a night during this trial where I didn’t get a lot of sleep (I blame it on the full moon eclipse or something, I don’t know) and I woke up with huge bags under my eyes. 

One application of this magic caffeine Tinted Concealer and suddenly it was like I was extremely rested. 

My only beef with this product is that it gets cakey around the corners of my eyes, especially around the interior corners of my eyes. I find myself spending extra time blending that out and getting it to look natural, which ends up removing more products than I like. 

But, I did really like this and I would buy it again when it runs out, despite the cakey corners problem. 

Typology Was Founded By A Male Serial Entrepreneur

Now that we’ve talked about the products, let’s dive into the history and foundations of this company. We are no longer in an era where a brand/ leadership team and their product can be separated, so I always like to look into the operational side of businesses to give my readers a holistic view of the brand. 

Ning Li, the Typology Founder, is a serial entrepreneur and who moved to France when he was 16 and then lived in the UK where he founded his first company. Made.com. The origin lore according to one article is that Li became “A conscientious parent” and “he began to question the products he and his wife were putting on their baby daughter.”

The connection there is a little lost on me and I find it weird a father immediately looked at his infant daughter and said “in 15 years when you start wearing makeup, I want that makeup to be clean beauty and I’m going to start that company for you!” 

As a woman who has researched many, many trendy companies, it feels like this is probably the more likely origin story: Li is a serial entrepreneur coming from a retail background who was on the hunt for a new venture. From his time living in France, Li understood that people in the United States are obsessed with the idea of anything French. I don’t know why my people get all hot and bothered for the French aesthetic, but it’s true. We’ll buy anything if we think it can get us one step closer to being a cool girl living in Paris.

Li thought he could do a female-driven industry better than women themselves, and, despite never working in the beauty industry or using makeup products himself, launched Typology. He decided to create a Paris makeup brand rooted in natural/clean beauty, which has been trendy the past decade, assuming that it would sell like hot cakes, especailly in the US. 

Before I lose you on my cynicism, I do want to stress that after testing Typology for a week, I do think this is a quality makeup brand. But in my pursuit of decentering men and pointing out places where the Patriarchy is at work, I feel like it’s my duty to question the Why of Li’s choice to start Typology. 

Female Founded Makeup Brands To Try Instead Of Typology 

If you did want to support beauty brands that are founded by women and made for female-identifying folks, these are the ones I reach for constantly: 

• Saie Beauty: Founded by Laney Crowell. I love their Slip Tint and Glowy Super Gel.
• Tarte: Founded by Maureen Kelly. I adore their eyeshadows, concealer and juicy lips. 
• Rare Beauty: Founded by Selena Gomez. Their highlighter is my all-time favorite. 
• Merit Beauty: Founded by Katherine Power. Our team loves their foundation sticks.
• Charlotte Tilbury: Founded by Charlotte Tilbury herself, we love their wands and setting spray. 

Typology Review Before And After: Is This Trendy Paris Brand Worth It?

So, it Typology worth it? I think the makeup gets a 8/10 stars, and does the perfect job at creating an extremely natural makeup look. But, the heavy contouring era of 2016 has been out for some time and other makeup brands have also stepped up to the plate and started offering makeup to address the market’s desire for natural looking makeup that’s also clean. 

To me, Typology created a fantastic makeup brand but the market is crowded and I’m not sure it’s different enough for me to recommend you throw your entire makeup bag out the window and only shop from them. 

I realize that’s a little muddled of an answer. If you want to shop Typology, you’ll be happy with the product. I know since I’m happy using their products. They’re at a price point that’s competitive with other makeup brands such as Tarte and Merit Beauty, so if you aren’t happy with those classic brands, sure: give Typology a try. 

Personally, I think I’ll be reaching for Typology the most during winter when I’m just working from home and want an easy makeup routine that makes me look presentable on Zoom calls. In the summer I always opt for glowy makeup looks since that helps me look more ethereal when I’m sweating profusely and I don’t know if a matte foundation would accomplish the same goal, but I’ll keep you updated in a few months once summer rolls around and I can test it out. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Typology Paris Makeup

Is Typology Medical Grade

No, Typology is not medical grade despite being Peta approved and using all naturally derived ingredients. Consult your dermatologist before applying this makeup to any rashes and skin concerns. 

Typology vs Saie Beauty For Dewy Skin

Both of these skincare and makeup brands are trendy but have widely different brands. Saie Beauty is all about speaking to the gal who wants to look like an ethereal glowing goddess and have clean makeup products to get her there. Typology is about the gal who wants to secretly be Parisian and wear super minimal, mate makeup looks that are understated and also rooted in clean beauty. 

I didn’t try the T31 Glow Drops with 5% Vitamin C + Aloe Vera, which acts a lot like the Saie Beauty Glowy Gel but personally, I think Typology thrives in the matte makeup aesthetic and only created their own glow drops to be competitive to Saie. 

In terms of my Typology makeup review, I prefer using Saie Beauty. I think it just looks better for my makeup goals. 

Typology vs The Ordinary: Price & Value

On top of makeup, Typology offers vegan skincare products that target blemishes and skin texture. Some of their popular products are: 

• A31 – Hydrating Serum with 3% Hyaluronic Acid + 2% B5
• L36 – Even-Complexion Serum with 12% Niacinamide
• D41 – 9-Ingredient Face Moisturizer

Look, I have not tried Typology skincare but I can tell you just by looking at their skincare line that is everything is way overpriced. With items ranging from $30-$60, I can’t recommend purching these when there are other products that are cheaper and work just as well.

I will die on this hill: you should never be paying more for skincare than your makeup. 

There are tons of legacy brands, like Nivea and Cetaphil out there, that are dermatologist-approved and get fantastic results and best part? Usually under $10. 

The Ordinary is one of those brands. Their Hyaluronic Acid? $9.90. Their Niacinamide? $6. Heck you can even get the Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA for $14 for a 3 oz container, while Typology is selling you their clean moisturizer at 1.69 oz and a whopping $38.50. 

I don’t see this even being a question: the Ordinary is a better place to make your money go further. 

Is Typology Sold At Sephora?

Typology skincare is only available for purchase on their own site in a direct to consumer module. Minus one physical store in France, you can’t shop for this anywhere else, not even Sephora. 

Can You Return Typology If You Don’t Like It?

Not really. You have 14 days from receipt of your order to request the return of your Typology makeup, but you can’t return it if you open the product. So, there’s no easy way to test out this product in a risk free model. If you open, let’s say, a tinted serum and realize it’s all the wrong shade for you: sorry. You’re stuck with it, they won’t give you a refund. 

But, if you accidentally ordered products you don’t want, you can return them within that 14 day window as long as they aren’t opened or used, and expect to pay $5.90 for the shipping label. 

Overall, I do like this brand and I’ll happily use the rest of my Tinted Trio but I’m not sure it’s special enough to totally overall my entire makeup routine. But, I would love to hear your thoughts. Let’s crowd source this! 

Got your own Typology Paris review to add? Drop a comment below so everyone can see.