I was not blessed with even, redness-free skin. As you may remember from my other post on skincare, I suffer from melasma and also occasional breakouts – as you do. So, just like most of the stuff I buy, I’m on the constant lookout for the perfect foundation, the base Holy Grail, the oh-so-poreless result.
While I suggest you stay tuned for the next post on my updated skincare routine, I decided to stop my investigation for now and share my top foundations. Bear in mind that I won’t be able to talk about foundations that are outside my scope because, hey, I’m very specific in what I want. If you share these conditions
– medium to high coverage
– light to fair tones
– liquid foundations
– high SPF
– mainly luminous yet matte effect (I hate looking dewy)
then this post is for you! I also love powder foundations and this is my next goal as both products I have been using for years (La Mer compact powder and Shu Uemura podwer foundation) have now been sadly discontinued. Over the past year, many new options have come out and I wanted to test the hype for myself. Also: I always apply these with my beauty blender.
My shortlist – in random order – is down to these 8:
- Chanel Ultra Tenue in 20: the second one in my ranking. I find this long-lasting, with a great texture that becomes dry and powdery quickly so it’s good even for skins with a tendency to shine and it’s Chanel 🙂 Perfect tone as usual – 20 for me – and a compact bottle. Best for: everyday life and travel.
- Armani Power Fabric in 4: this is the KING of my list. Armani is good quality by default but while everyone was raving about the luminous silk or the Maestro, this came out and for me it’s a winner. Reviews by one of my favourite bloggers, Marianna of LifeWithMe and LA-based makeup artist Nikki Deroest did inspire me to try it – and by far, it’s the best in terms of:
– delivery of promised result
– long-lasting application
– medium to high coverage
– tone matching
– fluid texture
– matte effect without killing your undertone.
My star of the moment!
- Kat Von D Lock-It 24 hrs in Light Medium 48 : ideal for thick coverage – may not be the best if you’re having a shiny phase. Best for: when I need to have long-lasting effect – tends to get cakey so I never apply it in too many layers.
- Marc Jacobs in Ivory Medium 14 : the applicator is a nightmare, matter of fact mine is completely gone i.e. doesn’t stay closed much and I can’t travel with this bottle any longer as I may splash all my clothes with it accidentally (again)… the shade I ended up with is somewhat too yellow for me but it still can work for some occasions. Best for: for super high coverage and when you’re tanned a little more than usual.
- Chanel Le Blanc in 20: lighter than the Ultra Tenue counterpart, the trick here is the light reflecting effect. It does do that! You may need more coverage for redness or other imperfections Best for: natural, luminous look. And the texture is loooovely.
- The Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation of La Mer in Ivory 02: far too light coverage for my purposes but still good; luminous effect and lovely ivory tone. I love La Mer products because they are always infused with amazing ingredients. Best for: beach days with SPF cover, gym or natural look.
- Les Merveilleuses de Laduree Fluid Foundation in 10: Very similar to La Mer, this is a special product I bought in Japan (love x 1,000) and the smell is divine and the packaging is the cutest. Best for: very light skin and porcelain effect look – very manga.
- Kevin Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer: this blew my mind in so many ways. I initially wanted to use it as a simple concealer, but hey this is much more: try to dab a little as foundation and it’ll cover the heck out of you. Pimples? Redness? Dark circles? Nah, this will cover it all like you’re reborn. Best for: covering up any blemish. It’s got a tendency to be very rich so don’t over apply if you have oily skin issues.
Of course, there is a world to still try out… this by no means is an exhaustive list! I’ve only so far tried these ones based on my favourite brand preferences.
Any you want to share with me?
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