I was actually about to do, "The Perfect Foundation Tag" which after some research I found was started by Sinead and you can (see her post here), she had taken, "The Perfect Palette Tag" and adjusted it for foundation. However although it's a great tag I realized it didn't cover all the things I would have like to cover when it comes to foundation. Therefore here is my 12 category top foundations post!
Continue below for the overview!
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| My Top Foundations Overview (2014) |
My skin background!
Things to keep in mind while reading this post. I am of a light yellow toned asian complexion of around Mac NC 20-25. My skin type is normal to combination and I love matte finishes to my face. I do not have very oily skin or skin that eats away foundation. In Singapore's humid weather I always powder on top of foundations and so there are not many foundations I have worn without setting them. I also have never owned any Mac foundations and have not tried almost any from the brands found in Sephora (Nars, Bare Minerals, Tarte, MUFE) So do not expect any of these brands to be in this post.
Most of my foundations/bases are from drugstores in Singapore (Gaurdian/Watsons), Sasa or purchased online from website like dolltodoll, shopping district, qoo10, asos, beautybay. The majority of my foundations are considered drugstore in Asia although the prices of most reflect departmental store to high-end in the US. Lastly, I will be including BB creams in this post as the ones I own and use are just like or even better than some foundations I've tried.
1. Best coverage (liquid, cream, BB) |
| My bare face on an average day! I usually have some eye puffiness and darkness and have a bit of discoloration around the nose/mouth area that I really want evened out! |
For liquid L'oreal True Match wins hands down. I mean there are plenty of foundations with great coverage but this one just has the best skin like matches and the coverage is seriously naturally flawless.
I haven't tried too many cream/mousse foundations but Rimmel Stay Matte Mousse really is amazing. The shade range is decent and the finish looks airbrushed. I love the medium-full coverage without being heavy despite the mousse texture!
When I think BB with amazing coverage I immediately think of Lioele Triple the Solution. It comes in one shade though but the coverage is full, cancels out all discoloration/redness/darkness and it lasts forever.
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| Best Coverage: L'oreal True Match R2, Rimmel Stay Matte mousse 103 True Ivory, Lioele Triple the Solution |
L'oreal True Match. Again, this foundation is great. You can use a small amount with a stipple brush to get a natural light finish that's totally correcting but yet you can use more and get that air brushed full coverage flawless look!
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| Most versatile: L'oreal True Match R2 |
For light textured I love Kate Powderless Liquid for Cover as it has a lovely more thin consistency, great coverage, finish but yet it feels like nothings on the skin.
The winner for the heavier texture category is Rimmel Stay Matte. When you first apply it, it seems like a paste but once you've got it blended out, besides look amazing it feels lightweight and yet isn't cakey!
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| Best Texture: Kate powderless Liquid for Cover OC-C, Rimmel Stay Matte Mousse 103 True Ivory |
This is hard. I have to name a few that go in this category. Firstly, L'oreal True Match, Bourjois 123 Perfect, Lioele Triple the Solution BB cream and my holy grail ZA Perfect Fit two way foundation powder!
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| Most Long wearing: L'oreal True Match, Bourjois 123 Perfect, Lioele triple the solution, ZA perfect fit two way foundation powder |
No surprise, my most used ever foundation is my powder foundation from ZA! Next is probably L'oreal Lucent Magique and I love Peripera BB cream.
(I use almost a different base every time I do my make up so I don't often use one for more than 2-3 days)
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| Most Used: ZA perfect fit two way foundation powder in OC 00, L'oreal Lucent Magique N2, Peripera I love BB cream |
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| Least Used: Catrice Photo Finish in 010 Sand Beige |
6. Best and worst scent
I love scented things. The most sweet floral scent was surprising from Catrice, the Photo finish foundation. Next has to be Bourjois Healthy Mix and its serum version. They both smell like a creamy sweet fruit!
For BB creams 3CE Back to Baby smells like a sweet fruity powder and Lioele Triple the Solution is like a sweet talcum powder! Really soothing to be honest.
I don't really have a foundation that smells awful that I won't use it. I haven't been unfortunate enough to come across one I can remember to be bad.
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| Best Scent: Bourjois Healthy mix/serum foundation, 3CE Back to Baby, Lioele Triple the solution |
This is cruelly hard to answer. Pretty much 90% of my bases are considered 'drugstore' here in Singapore, price point between $15-35 SGD ($11.60-$27 USD).
My favorites from the drugstore include Bourjois Healthy Mix for a natural, medium finish. ZA perfect fit two way powder for a medium-full coverage powder and Shiseido Aqual Label White up foundation for a brightening light weight medium long lasting foundation.
I've never owned any foundations considered 'high end'. No Chanel, Dior, Bobbi Brown, Estee Lauder...nothing! I have a couple down on my wish list but I have never owned any yet!
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| Best drugstore: Shiseido aqua label white liquid foundation BO10, Bourjois Healthy Mix 52, ZA perfect fit two way foundation powder OC 00 |
I never leave the house with a dewy finish base but if you're keen on one I'd say L'oreal Lucent Magique and ZA True White have a really pretty dewy finish.
For a natural glowing semi matte finish Bourjois Healthy Mix, L'oreal true match and Urban Decay Naked Skin foundations give you that gorgeous 'lit from within' glow leaving the skin look natural and yet not matte and not dewy.
For a matte finish I love Kate powderless, Bourjois 123, ZA perfect fit two way powder! I actually use the ZA powder to set all my other bases that are dewy.
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| Best dewy finish: L'oreal Lucent Magique, ZA True white Best natural finish: Urban Decay Naked skin, L'oreal true match Best Matte finish: Kate powderless liquid, Bourjois 123 Perfect, ZA perfect fit two way powder |
9. Favorite Western/ Asian brand
For western brand foundations I love Bourjois and L'oreal...they make such great color matches and their formulas look natural, flawless and they are long lasting.
For Asian brands I love Shiseido brands like Aqua Label's White Up foundation and ZA perfect fit powder. Also Missha, Lioele and Etude House make amazing BB creams!
10. Wishlist
Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet + Matifying Foundation, Mac Studio Fix Power Plus Foundation, L'oreal Magic Nude Liquid Powder Bare Skin Perfecting Makeup, Lancome Tient Miracle Foundation, Shiseido Stick Foundation, Dior Forever Flawless Perfection Fusion Wear Makeup SPF 25, Paul & Joe Light Cream Foundation, Jill Stuart Moist Silk Jelly Foundation
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| Foundation wish list: Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet + Matifying Foundation, Lancome Tient Miracle Foundation, Mac Studio Fix Power Plus Foundation, L'oreal Magic Nude Liquid Powder Bare Skin Perfecting Makeup, , Shiseido Stick Foundation, , Paul & Joe Light Cream Foundation, Dior Forever Flawless Perfection Fusion Wear Makeup SPF 25 |
If you need medium-full coverage and want something long lasting then for a foundation you should reach for Bourjois 123 or L'oreal True Match. Lioele BB creams are also amazing for oil control, high coverage and being very long lasting!
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| Best for combination skin: Bourjois 123 Perfect, L'oreal True Match, Lioele Triple the Solution |
12. All time favorites
The ones I reach for again and again are Bourjois Healthy Mix, Bourjois 123, L'oreal Lucent Magique, Rimmel Stay matte mousse and Peripera I love BB cream!
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| My all time favorite foundations: Bourjois Healthy Mix, Bourjois 123 Perfect, L'oreal Lucent Magique, Rimmel Stay Matte mousse 103 True Ivory, Peripera I love BB cream |
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| My favorite tools for foundation application: My fingers, Real Techniques Expert Face, Zoeva Silk Finish and Stippling brushes! (I love Real Techniques stippling brush too but mine has broken!) |
To celebrate my 600th blogpost and the end of the year I will be holding an international giveaway with a bunch of make up goodies soon! Do stay tune and check back on my blog!
What are some of your favorite foundations?
Do you use any of the ones I featured?
Let me know!
Feel free to comment!
Thank you!
Wow! very informative, thanks!
ReplyDeleteI really want to try Bourjois foundations, but there's no way for me to get them without spending a fortune. I have tried True Match, but I feel like the US version is different than the rest of the world because the colors were off and finish looked really weird on me. Maybe I just need to try it again since it's a lot of people's holy grail foundation!
ReplyDeleteOh this is a perfect tag for foundation junkie! xD
ReplyDeleteI love the way you answer every question in details , so much effort from you.. I've been very busy lately but I'll bookmark this post and will do it once I get more spare time ^^
Whatba nice idea for your 600st post :) I didn't try a lot of foundations because in the past my skin became worse while using them. I switched to BB creams and my skin is in such a better condition sinxe then. I do have the L'Oreal True Match Foundation though which I use on special occasions like weddings etc. And I agree that it is really great. I remember that I tried a sample of the lioele BB cream too and I liked it. Never bought the fullsize because it seems I have a never ending stash of BB and CC creams :D
ReplyDeleteWow, it's a great post for foundation lovers. Well written and detailed about these foundations. I would love try Bourjois and Loreal foundations, i have been using Lancome Tient Miracle Foundation Ellis Faas foundation for a long time and loving both but now I want to try some others and you have given me lot of option to try. Thanks honey for this useful post. Wish you a happy Friday and congrats for 600th blogpost. Kisses <3
ReplyDeleteCongrats for the 600th post Sharlynn! :)
ReplyDeleteI got the Za two way foundation today. Excited to try it. My current favorite is L'oreal Paris Nude magic foundation.
Wow 600 posts! That's a LOT haha. Must try the L'oreal True Match, have heard such great things about it.
ReplyDeleteSheri | Behind The Frames
i think we're a skin match!!! this is amazing!! lol it basically means your assessment of foundations is going to get way more attention from me that if another blogger did it. finding someone who matches your shade, skin and preferences is SO KEY when reading about foundations.
ReplyDeletewhich UD number do you use?
Jenn
A Beautiful Zen
Woah, such a great detailed post going through ALL of your foundations! :D I need to get the Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation, I have the serum one and I love it SO much! Congrats again for hitting 600 posts! :D
ReplyDelete<3 Pauline, Addicted to Makeup
Haha so cute how you included your fingers in as one of your favourite foundation tools! You really must try the Lancome Teint foundation - it's worth it!! Not super thick coverage, but feels so natural. I think I may have to try that Rimmel Stay Matte. When you say it's kind of like a paste at first, does that mean it's hard to spread?
ReplyDeleteNope, it's not hard to spread at all. It's smooth, soft and easily spreadable but it comes out looking like a toothpaste!
DeleteI am keen to try the Urban Decay Naked foundation ^^ I also just realized that I am been buying loads and loads of foundations lately, a bit of an obsessed haha my absolutely favourite foundation is MAC Pro Longwear!
ReplyDeleteGood information!!! Now I use L'oreal Lucent Magique. After using that foundation, we need to apply the loose powder / press powder or no need to apply the anything?
ReplyDeleteFor me, I ALWAYS put powder after my liquid foundations because in singapore it's so humid you are sweating all the time even sometimes when you're indoors and rushing to go somewhere. If you have oilier skin I'd definitely say to add at least a thin layer of powder. It will help!
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