The single biggest challenge I face when shopping for a new foundation is getting the colour right. I have very fair skin – proper Celtic style no doubt passed down from my Irish descendents – and I feel like it’s only in recent years that brands have finally started to cater more for customers like me. If my foundation doesn’t match my neck then I get that tell-tale orange line around my jaw which I LOATHE, but fortunately for me I do now have some great options in my arsenal.
I’m not sure I can put my hand on my heart and say I’ve found my holy grail just yet as the perfect foundation needs the right shade AND the right formula but some of the ones below are pretty close to the mark.
Disclaimer: I have dry skin and, to be completely honest with you, I’m not 100% certain on whether I’m cool or warm toned so I try to go for neutral tones where possible. I am also using a skin treatment of Azelaic Acid and Niacinamide which makes my skin a bit more sensitive and dry. Whilst I may have issues with some of the below, these may not be the same for you. This truly is a case of needing to experiment to find YOUR holy grail.
NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation – Shade Oslo
I was surprised to see how pink this looks on my arm when I did the swatch. It’s actually one of my most frequently worn foundations, along with two other from the NARS collection in the same shade: Light Reflecting and Soft Matte. This particular one is medium to full coverage and is more than capable of hiding any imperfections. It goes on like a dream and doesn’t look at all cakey on me. I like to use Soft Matte if I am wanting full coverage, and Light Reflecting if I want something lighter. I’ve seen several pale people say that NARS don’t do a shade that’s right for them but I don’t think this is around paleness so much as that they haven’t quite got the undertone right. Mixing two different shades is always an option of course but I appreciate this makes things twice as costly.
Yves Saint Laurent All Hours Luminous Matte Foundation– Shade LN1
I was so excited to try this one as the reviews online were GLOWING. It makes the bold claim of providing a matte finish but whilst being hydrating, something which is important to me as a dry skinned gal. The finish is beautiful upon application but, for me at least, it unfortunately dries out and can look patchy. I wanted to include this foundation on my list however because I know it’s not working so well for my skin type right now BUT would be a dream on normal/oily skin. I also think I’d have tried LC1 as it looks lighter on the online swatches.
Shiseido Synchro Skin Radiant Lifting Foundation – Shade Alabaster
This is an interesting one. The shade is *chefs kiss* and it offers SPF 30 protection which is a nice bonus. It’s lovely and dewy so poses no problem at all for dry skin. My only complaint is that it’s quite watery. You can see even from the swatch that it wants to run off my skin! If this was to be a bit thicker then it would be a firm favourite. A setting powder does help keep it in place however. I’d say this is a must-try for anyone very pale as the tone really is very, very fair.
Estée Lauder Futurist Aqua Brilliance Foundation – Shade Porcelain
I get on really well with Estée Lauder foundations. Along with this one, I frequently use Double Wear and Futurist Hydra Rescue Moisturising Foundation. The shade isn’t perfect on me but it’s not so far off as to be overly noticeable. Double Wear is perfect for fuller coverage, but can lean towards being slightly drying. Futurist Aqua Brilliance is much more hydrating and can be built up to give medium to full coverage. It also contains SPF20. Futurist Hydra offers SPF45 so is a great one to pack for holidays!
Huda Beauty Faux Filter Foundation – Shade Milkshake
I reeeeally wanted to love this as the shade is brilliant and it’s very full coverage. Being so full coverage though, it did feel a bit ‘caked on’ and heavy on my skin. This could be down to my application – I tend to use a foundation brush rather than a beauty blender so I need to experiment more before writing this one off. I also bought the foundation stick version as I was intrigued but it’s not ideal for dry skin in my humble opinion. If you’re a different skin type though, this could blow you away! Also ideal for indoor shooting as it plays well with artifical lighting, it’s just not so great to wear out and about.
Urban Decay Stay Naked Hydromaniac Tinted Glow Hydrator – Shade 10 Ultra Fair
This is a great shade AND is very hydrating. You’d think it would be love…but this one really is more of a tint than fuller coverage foundation for me. If you have perfect skin that you just want to add a little pizazz to then this will feel beautifully light and glowy on you. Alas, I don’t fall into the perfect skin category.
I’m forever buying new foundations so expect another update at some point!
