Foundation, you are my one true friend in life. You are able to look upon my naked face every morning without any judgement or exclamations of horror. And you primer, can you ever forgive me for originally overlooking you as a fad? I’m sorry, truly I am. Not forgetting mister concealer, the stand-out hero in the fight against blemishes and evidence of sleep deprivation. Good sirs, I salute you.
So here it is, a very quick list of my current favourites in what beauty experts (and indeed myself) would call base products i.e. for the skin on your face. Here goes…
Primers
Smashbox Photo Finish Colour Correcting Foundation Primer in Adjust
Whenever I put this on, I could touch my face all day long. Yep, I’m fully aware of how weird and slightly fetish-like that sounds, but it’s true. It makes your skin feel super smooth, with a velvety soft texture once applied on le visage. I have combination skin so foundation tends to drag across my dryer cheeks and disappear into an oily mess on my t-zone. Not with this. It’s a game changer and made me kick myself for previously dismissing all primers as unnecessary. Loads on the market are a load of twaddle by the way, just not this little baby. Oh, and the green tint actually does help to combat redness. Really, I’m not lying.
By the way the packaging for this has since changed from the pump as pictured above to a squeezy tube like this. I personally didn't have a problem with the pump but the fact that I can cut the new tube in half and scoop out the remnants when it begins to run out makes me ever so happy. Yeah yeah yeah I know this will oxidise the product and make it less effective, but being frugal is a tough habit to break.
Philosophy The Present Clear Makeup
Philosophy says this ‘can be used under makeup to help create a smoother finish’ and hey ho, that’s pretty much what it does. A little goes a long way, but I have to say that the texture does remind me just a little bit of PVA glue. It’s a bit sticky at first then you smooth it out and it dries matte. This probably wouldn’t tempt you to touch your face all day long (and let’s be honest, that’s probably a good thing) but it definitely makes my foundation hold up longer and pores are less offensive looking after application. I think of this as a ‘t-shirt bra’ primer: really not that exciting, but gets the job done.
Foundations
Myface Mymix Foundation
This stuff is quite simply, to quote Tina Turner, the best. I first bought a bottle almost three years ago in 2009 and loved it. Yet, being the makeup whore that I am, did not feel compelled to swear undying loyalty and never repurchased once the bottle emptied. Fool I was! I stumbled upon it again a few months ago and I feel like I have met my foundation soul-mate (well, one of them at least). It delivers a dewy finish that looks radiant rather than greasy and can be layered for a heavier result if preferred. Full review to come because I love it thiiiiiiisss *holds arms wide open* much!
Vichy Dermablend Corrective Foundation
This stuff is really very thick. As such, I don’t use it as a foundation per say in that I apply it all over my face. Instead this is what I refer to as my reinforcement foundation. If my face were a nightclub and the acne/blemishes that enjoy ruining my chin area every once in a while were some drunken revellers causing trouble, then this would be that nightclub’s security guard who escorts them off the premises. Did I really just compare my face to a nightclub? Oh dear lord... Anyway, I either mix this with whatever foundation I’m using to beef it up in terms of coverage when my skin is misbehaving, or apply a layer over problem areas and blend in with the rest of my foundation. Actually, this may also need a full review to claw back it’s dignity from being compared to a bouncer…
Concealers
Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Concealer
I bought this on a whim when my MAC Select Moisturecover concealer ran out. Oh look, I thought to myself in Boots one day, that concealer looks sort of the same as my MAC one. Ooooh, I then thought, it’s so cheap! I wonder if it will be as good? As if, my internal monologue continued. It costs less than half price. Going to buy it anyway though, just to see.
Well lo and behold, not only is this stuff good, it’s equal to if not better than the MAC one. Especially good for under eye circles, it also covers any blemishes or discolouration that foundation may have neglected. And the price! Amazingly good value. Go forth and try it yourselves, I dare you.
Smashbox Second Skin Long Wear Concealer
This stuff does not budge once it has set. It is excellent for covering spots when applied with a concealer brush in addition to masking the unsightly (oh, the irony) eye area during the painful early morning starts. The latter is a pretty slapdash job considering that there is often no natural light outside yet but it still manages to look pretty faultless. Idiot-proof.
So there we have it folks, the tricks I am using at this moment in time to fool people into thinking my skin is somewhat decent looking.
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