Another thing that impressed me was how well the app worked in conjunction with the device. As a product reviewer, I’ve had a few bad experiences with companion apps (as have many of my coworkers). The BoldHue app and device work well together. The device is quick to respond to app commands, and I always felt like I knew what was going on.
The app has support for unlimited user profiles, so your friends can get a match too, and you can also reorder color cartridges as needed. (For example, my foundation used a healthy spurt of red and yellow but very little blue.) The app will prompt you when a certain color is running low. Replacement cartridges cost $20, or you can save a bit of money by buying them in a bundle. BoldHue says most customers replace one to two cartridges per month, though obviously this will depend on how frequently you use it. The cartridges have a shelf life of one year.
The only real caveat that I have is the fact that devices that rely on a companion app like this for operation can go the way of defunct robots. If BoldHue as a company ever folds, there’s a chance that the devices will stop working. It’s not a guarantee, but it is a thing to keep in mind when weighing pros and cons.
Three hundred dollars is a lot to invest in foundation, but considering how easy it is to waste money on bottles that may or may not match at any given time, I think BoldHue makes a lot of sense if you frequently wear foundation—especially high-end foundation. If you wear drugstore foundation, you have a skin tone that‘s easy to match, or you wear your foundation very sparingly, BoldHue might not make as much sense. But if your skin tone varies seasonally or you wear foundation every single day, I think investing in BoldHue is smart.
Wearing BoldHue’s custom foundation every single day, with the same refill pace as its average customers, you’re looking at $20 to $40 a month. If you wear high-end foundation every day, or you go through foundation quickly, or your shade changes often, BoldHue could save you money in the long run. (As one example, the Nars foundation I referenced earlier costs $49 per bottle, and it doesn’t match my skin in the summer.)
Using BoldHue is fast and simple, and you’ll never run the risk of a bad match again. It would also come in handy for professional makeup artists—BoldHue has a program called BoldHue Pro that’s meant for exactly this type of work, and members get discounts on the products as well as access to some other benefits.
Overall, BoldHue is one of the coolest intersections of beauty and tech that I’ve ever experienced. Unlike some other smart printers for things like lipstick, I feel like foundation is the hardest part of makeup and makes the most sense for technology like this to be involved. If you can stomach the initial investment, I think it’s worthwhile.
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