I Tried the Foundation That Doesn’t Exist Until You Order it – But Did AI Get My Shade Right?
Main image – Courtesy of writer
Blink for a second at the moment and it feels like there’s some new area of our lives AI has taken over.
But instead of threatening to steal our jobs, write our debut novels or generally propel us towards some otherwise of dystopian future, this time artificial intelligence has come for something we can probably all agree is a complete pain in the arse: finding the right foundation shade.
Enter DCYPHER, a British brand that promises to use a scan of your face to create a foundation shade specifically for you – not pick the closest match from an existing range, but actually make one to order.
As someone who actively avoids foundation purely because I’m terrible at shade matching, the prospect of sending a quick snap of my face and having the perfect match chosen for me feels like an answer to my beauty prayers. I can even choose my preferred finish – Matte, Natural or Radiant – all for under £40. Sounds impressive, right?
Well, I put it to the test and have some thoughts.
AT A GLANCE
DCYPHER Natural Custom Foundation
- The promise: Your own AI-created foundation shade, made to order
- The reality: Gorgeous, glowy, skin-like coverage – but our shade match wasn’t quite perfect
- Best bit: It wore beautifully all day without pilling, creasing or turning greasy
- Good to know: £39, vegan and fragrance-free, with a free shade adjustment or refund if the AI gets it wrong
The product details
I won’t lie, one of the most fun parts of the process was feeling like I was creating my own foundation. Which, in a way, I was – minus the in-lab logistics.
When ordering, you’re taken through a simple face scan and a few basic questions about your skin before AI technology generates your unique Skintone ID and shade recommendation.
Image – Courtesy of writer
Rather than matching that scan to a predetermined shade range, DCYPHER says its Beauty AI analyses factors including your skin tone, undertone, vibrancy and depth, which are then used to create an individual shade in the brand’s North West England lab. The foundation itself is available in Sheer, Medium or Full coverage, as well as a choice of finish.
As someone who doesn’t reach for foundation all that often, I decided to put the Natural finish (promising a “second-skin” look) to the test.
AI shade matching aside, this foundation also promises to deliver with its formula. It features an active blend of ingredients including hyaluronic acid, glycerin and panthenol, offering additional skincare benefits in your everyday makeup routine.
The vegan, fragrance-free formula also uses amino acid technology to coat the foundation’s pigments, too, designed to minimise the colour changes caused by oxidation throughout the day.
Interestingly, there’s no SPF included and I personally would have liked to see some sun protection built into a foundation this skin-focused, so you will need to make sure the formula plays nicely with your SPF underneath.
Foundation isn’t the only product getting DCYPHER’s custom treatment, either. The brand also offers personalised concealer, a glow booster and tinted drops (designed to be mixed in with your skincare), all using its shade-matching technology.
How I tested it
I applied the foundation post-skincare, over a layer of SPF, using a flat-top kabuki brush.
I dispensed a small amount onto the back of my hand before working it into the brush and buffing gently onto the skin. (My favourite technique for achieving a natural finish, and a tip borrowed from celebrity makeup artist Katie Jane Hughes.)
First impressions
The question I know you’re dying for me to answer: did the shade match? Yes, but I wouldn’t say perfectly.
I found the shade formulated for me was slightly lighter than my current summer skin tone, and if I went in too heavily, it could leave me looking a little washed out.
Image – Courtesy of writer
It was nothing a touch of bronzer couldn’t warm up, and I suspect it’ll be a great match for me come winter. But if I were choosing a foundation solely for my skin right now, I’d probably want to go a bit warmer.
Shade aside, I found the formula applied seamlessly, offering just enough coverage to create a soft, blurring effect without ever looking or feeling cakey. A little also goes a long way, but again, I was applying it fairly sparingly.
My results
To its credit, this foundation wears absolutely beautifully. I experienced no pilling, creasing or strange texture throughout the day, just natural-looking coverage with the perfect amount of glow. (Radiant enough to make skin look healthy, without veering into oily territory.)
Image – Courtesy of writer
In fact, the glow surprised me. Considering I chose the natural rather than radiant finish, I was expecting something much more understated. Instead, the result on my skin was noticeably luminous, particularly where the light hit the high points of my face. If you tend to associate a ‘natural’ foundation with something closer to satin or semi-matte, this is definitely glowier than that.
The coverage still allowed my skin to look like skin, though, rather than masking it completely, which is ultimately what I want from a foundation. And despite that luminosity, I didn’t find that the finish became greasy-looking as the day went on.
What other users are saying
I’m not the only one to have found DCYPHER’s AI shade matching a little hit and miss. Across Reddit, experiences range from impressively accurate matches to shades that took a second attempt – or never quite worked at all.
On Reddit, user shimmerchanga initially received a foundation that was “too dark and a touch too orange”, but had much better luck after using DCYPHER’s colour-match guarantee. The replacement, they say, was “bang-on!”
Others have had success straight away. Over on PaleMUA, Twinklegirl36 says, “the colour match for me was spot on and the ‘natural’ formula went on really nicely.” Another user was equally impressed with the shade but less convinced by the formula, describing their match as “spot on” while finding the finish chalky.
There is reassurance here though that if the AI doesn’t get your shade quite right first time, DCYPHER offers a free adjustment or refund. This feels particularly important for a product you’re buying without being able to swatch the finished colour beforehand.
Overall value for money
You can pick up this foundation for £39.00 through the brand website, and, as of July 2026, in-store at John Lewis, where you’re promised “a fully personalised product created in under two minutes, with 99.4% accuracy.”
DCYPHER also ships internationally, so the custom service isn’t limited to UK shoppers.
Do I think some of the price point comes down to the ‘fun’ factor of having a foundation created specifically for you? Sure, maybe. But fundamentally, the formula performs incredibly well and, I’d argue, holds its own against foundations at an even more luxury price point.
The counterargument is that you could likely find a foundation that performs just as well for less, with a more precise shade match. (In my case at least.)
The takeaway
The only thing holding me back from giving this a near-perfect score is the slight miss on shade matching. While AI is all well and good for ease and convenience, it does take away the ability to really get hands-on with a product: swatching it in person, trying a few different shades and finding that perfect fit. As I’ve said, it’s a process I dislike, but perhaps one that, for now, still works best.
That said, I am just one person, and plenty of reviews online rave about DCYPHER’s shade-matching technology. What I think we can all agree on is that technology like this represents an exciting step forward for inclusivity in foundation, particularly in an industry that has historically underserved so many skin tones.
