5 Tried & Tested Foundations
I thought it's time that I told you guys about the foundations that I've tried out and which ones I thought were good/bad and worth their money. So I'm gonna tell you in order starting with the first foundation I ever tried to the most recent. I have normal/oily skin so 4 out of 5 of these are oil free foundations; hopefully after reading my views you can make a decision on whether you want to purchase these babies. I think you should always try before you buy when it comes to foundations because they look different after they oxidise and it never hurts consultants on counters to give you a little sample! Never think trying them on your hand is enough, always find a mirror and try a little on your jaw line. ;)
RRP £24 - I use shade NC44
High points:
I've been using this foundation for around 3years and I find it has low - medium coverage. The best thing about it is that it actually is quite natural looking so if that's the look that you're going for; then you're winning. It's a mineral foundation so it has ingredients like Vitamins A,C & E in it which help condition the skin. The dewy finish will be beneficial to you if you have dry skin which looks a bit dull but not if you have tend to get shiny in areas. Finally Mac do many different shades to cater for very fair or very dark skin so finding a match is made easier for you.
Low downs:
The only down side to this foundation is that if you have very blemished skin then this amount of coverage it too little for you - because I definitely have to go over my blemishes with a concealer after this. Maybe look for a foundation with more coverage if you have blemished skin. Finally, the shade I find is perfect for me in the summer but in the winter I have to mix it with a lighter shade foundation which is a bit annoying!
RRP £14 - I use the shade Almond
High Points: So if you have oily skin then this is the answer to your prayers because it's an oil free foundation and has oil balancing ingredients that actually work! The matte finish gets rid of all your shiny areas and you don't even need to reapply foundation during the day. Furthermore, it has very good coverage that manages to cover redness/blemishes/spots effectively. The price is amazing compared to the other 4 foundations in this blog so if you find this product suits your skin then you've hit a bargain!
Low Downs:
The shade that I use means that the shade is perfect for me in the winter but if I get a tan in the summer then I definitely have to mix with a darker foundation because the colour Almond is a little too light for my tanned skin. Unfortunately this foundation only goes up to almond (the darkest shade) which means those who are darker than my skin colour won't be able to find a perfect colour match. To be perfectly honest there is an unpleasant but bearable smell in this foundation which is probably because of its unique hypo-allergenic formula but that goes within seconds of applying it.
3. CLARINS Ever Matte SPF 15
RRP £24 - I use the shade Chestnut
High Points: This is another oil free foundation that works wonders if you have shiny areas and blemishes (like most people with oily skin). I actually felt like my skin felt less oily and very flawless after applying this foundation. The finish is very matte (like it should be) and it provides the perfect base for foundation. It also gives good coverage and I think this foundation gave me the perfect colour match for my summer skin tone and I would definitely purchase again!
Low Downs:
It comes in 10 shades, however I think the shade that I use (Chestnut) is the darkest shade for them which means those with a darker skin tone than me again are losing out again. :(
4. ELIZABETH ARDEN Flawless Finish Bare Perfection SPF 8
RRP £24 - I used number 48, Toasty Beige
High Points: It gave me a 'flawless finish' and it had medium coverage which is enough for a day to day usage for me. It has an oil free formula which should benefit you if you have oily skin.
Low Downs:
The first thing I noticed was that it had a lower SPF than most other foundations which put me off because SPF 8 is hardly any sun protection, especially when you have oily areas like me and you desperately need anything that will help your make up stay on. Furthermore the shade that I used was too orangey for me and made me look a lot darker than I am which meant it didn't match the colour of my neck or the back of my ears etc. The finish was average and the foundation didn't feel extraordinary on my skin either. So unfortunately I would not go and purchase this again or even recommend it.
5. BENEFIT Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow!
RRP £24.50 - I tried the shade Amber (but realised I should maybe have tried Toasted Beige)
High Points: SPF 25! What a good spf to have in a foundation. It is also 'brightening make up' which works well for tired, dull skin. Furthermore the oil free formula means it will balance your oiliness and shiny areas should be well taken care of. The formula is very very light on your skin so you hardly notice you have it on but if you do want a natural looking foundation then definitely go for this one.
Low Downs: I felt it didn't have as much coverage as I would like, it's supposed to be light-medium coverage but I thought it was extremely light for me. If your skin is quite clear anyway then this is ok but for blemished skin it won't really do a lot. Also I don't think it 'brightened' my skin at all either which I regarded as a bit of a false claim.
P.S. All these foundations are liquid and they all come in a 30ml bottle which lasts you a very long time which is why I haven't put the price as a low down for any of them. Foundation is really a long term investment to achieve an even skin tone and an effective base for the rest of your make up. Hope this helps!
In conclusion my ranking of these 5 foundations would be
1. CLARINS
2. NO7
3. MAC
4. BENEFIT
5. ELIZABETH ARDEN
Below is a picture of my skin tone for you to get a better idea of these shades.
Priya.B. x
No comments:
Post a Comment