Foundation Reviews
27 February 2006
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Becca Luminous Skin Color ($40) Shade I use: Sand I got this when it first came out back in 2002. Like all other Becca face products, this comes in a wide variety of shades including both yellow and pink undertones so everyone is bound to find their match. The coverage is very sheer and it feels almost like a tinted moisturizer. It gives a nice, radiant glow to my skin and stays on pretty well. I also really like the SPF 20 and the pump dispenser. The only downside is that it can feel greasy so if you are prone to breakouts, you might want to skip this. |
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Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick ($28) Shade I use: Sand The website said this is not recommended for very oily skin and I can totally see why. I have dry skin and this still feels oily and heavy on me. The color is also a little too yellow, even on my Asian skin. I ended up using it only as a concealer. |
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Chanel Teint Fluide Universel ($42) Shade I use: Clair This was one of my first foundations and definitely one of my favorites! The oil-free, vitamin-enriched formula gives me a very natural yet polished look. It comes with SPF 15 and the texture is very creamy. Blending this is like a dream and I also like that it does a good job evening out while moisturizing my skin at the same time. Highly recommended! * Updates:- This foundation has been discontinued – what a shame! |
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Chanel Vitalumiere Liquid Satin Smoothing Fluid Makeup SPF 15 ($50) Shade I use: Clair This is the liquid version of the Vitalumiere cream foundation. Despite the word liquid, this feels very rich and almost creamy on my skin. It is definitely great for the winter and it does deliver a glowy look. The coverage is medium to heavy and it can feel a little thick so remember to apply sparingly. |
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Chanel Pro Lumiere Professional Finish Makeup SPF15 ($50) Shade I use: Limpide 10 This foundation feels slightly thicker and stickier than most liquid foundations but the texture is highly blendable and it glides on very easily. Once applied, the foundation melts into my skin and looks like my skin but better. The coverage is medium to heavy but it never feels mask-like and I barely need any concealer on top. I apply this either with my fingers or my MAC foundation brush and one pump is enough for my entire face. Chanel also claims that the foundation will “form a curtain veil of light on the skin” and boy is that true! Despite the lack of shimmer, its high-tech radiance-emitting active ingredients left my skin looking radiant and healthy without any kind of grease. I wore this to my company’s Christmas party and my makeup stayed flawless for 9 hours straight. My skin was still glowing by the end of the night and my makeup looked as fresh as it did right after I applied it – now that IS something! My only rant would be the limited color range. There are only six shades available here in London (10 to 60) and pretty much all of them are yellow-based. The foundation also tends to run a little darker than other Chanel foundations. I normally use Clair 20 but I use Limpide 10, the lightest shade, for this one. All in all, Chanel has a winner here and I have not liked a foundation so much in a while. This has completely replaced my holy grail Laura Mercier Moisturizing Foundation and I will definitely repurchase. |
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Giorgio Armani Designer Shaping Cream Foundation ($65) Shade I use: #5 Compared to Armani’s Luminous Silk Foundation, this cream foundation feels so much richer and glides right onto my skin. Coverage-wise, it is definitely heavier than the LSF and a teeny bit goes a long way. Unlike what the product claims, it does not add any kind of contour/shaping to my face but it does impart a nice, luminous glow. This also tends to run a little lighter than the LSF. I am a #4 in LSF but I use #5 for this and with self-tanner on, I am a #6. All in all, I love the texture, coverage and of course, the SPF 20. My only rants would be the hefty price tag – this retails for £45 in London which is roughly US$90 – and the heavy jar packaging. I will admit that the jar is pretty and you do get a lot of product but in terms of hygiene and practicality, a pump dispenser would be much better. |
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Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation ($55) Shade I use: #4 Voted as one of the In Style Best Beauty Buys, this foundation has long been a favorite among makeup artists and beauty gurus. It feels very lightweight on the skin and the texture is uber silky just as the name suggested. It is also pretty hydrating and works beautifully on normal to dry skin. The coverage is on the sheer side but you can build it up. My skin just looks healthy and glowy when I wear this. |
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Laura Mercier Moisturizing Foundation ($40) Shade I use: Sunny Beige This used to be my holy grail. When I mix this with Laura Mercier’s foundation primer, it stays on and looks fresh all day. Since it offers medium to full coverage, one drop would suffice to even out my whole face. It is also super easy to blend and very moisturizing for dry skin without adding grease. I cannot say more about this foundation – I *love* it! |
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MAC Studio Finish Satin Foundation ($20) Shade I use: NC30 This was my first liquid foundation and it is now discontinued. It is water-based, emollient-rich and comes with a SPF value of 8. The ma told me this contains a derivative of Vitamin E and would be good for normal to dry skin but it accentuated my flakes and made my face look really dry. It is also supposed to deliver “a fresh, velvety finish with light to medium coverage” but it did not cover well for me either. Thumbs down for this one. |
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MAC Studio Tech ($27.50) Shade I use: NC30 I love applying this with my MAC #190 foundation brush. The texture is very creamy and it goes on smoothly and melts onto my skin. The finish is natural and semi-matte. The only thing I do not like is the color. I always use NC30 for MAC foundations/concealers but for some reason, this one seems to run darker and looks a lot more orange compared to the other products. It also does not oxidize well so at the end of the day, the foundation would turn darker – not hot! |
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MAC Select SPF 15 Foundation ($24) Shade I use: NC30 Like the MAC Studio Finish Satin Foundation, this is water-based and it is supposed to provide a “natural, matte finish”. I like that it has SPF 15 but again, I find it too dry for my skin and it accentuated my flakes. I would only recommend it to those with combination or oily skin. |
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MAC Face & Body Foundation ($30) Shade I use: NC30 This is a very popular product on the runway. It is water-based, water-resistant and provides a “long-lasting, natural coverage for your face and body”. The coverage is very sheer. In fact, it barely covered anything. I also did not like the texture. It felt really greasy on me despite its so-called water-based formula. It also comes in a huge bottle which makes it difficult to carry around. Blah! |
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MAC Full Coverage Foundation ($26) Shade I use: NC30 This foundation is “water-resistant, long-wearing and can cover most scars, blemishes and birthmarks”. The texture is very thick and the coverage is probably the heaviest I have ever seen (I can hardly imagine anyone using this all over as a foundation). As a concealer, however, it is awesome. It covers my undereye circles perfectly and never gets cakey or breaks me out. I also like that it has SPF 15. Thumbs up for this one! |
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MAC Studio Mist Foundation ($28.50) Shade I Use: Light Medium After ERA’s Face Spray Foundation and Dior’s Airflash, MAC has finally come out with its own version of spray makeup. This foundation comes in a sleek, portable aerosol can which is great for traveling. What is weird about this product, however, is that it is not meant to be sprayed directly onto your face – you are supposed to “spray onto hand or palette, then apply with a brush”. Having said that, I think this whole idea of putting a foundation into an aerosol can is kind of redundant. Despite that along with the limited color range, the foundation itself is not bad. When I first sprayed it onto the back of my hand, I thought it was kind of runny but it glides on easily and blends like heaven. The coverage is sheer and it imparts a dewy finish. The foundation is also suitable for all skin types. |
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Max Factor Pan-stik ($5) I used to use this as a concealer when I was in college. On my good skin days, I would just apply this under my eyes and around my nose and I would be good to go. The texture is very creamy and it provides light to medium coverage. I would recommend this if you are looking for something simple and cheap. |
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Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Foundation ($6) Shade I use: Classic Ivory and Sandy Beige I have always been skeptical about drugstore foundations but I have to say I really liked this one. It is very moisturizing and the texture feels super creamy and blendable. The coverage is medium to heavy and the SPF 18 is definitely a huge plus. It also contains caffeine to perk up your skin and micro-pearls to give your skin a more radiant look. The only downside would be the color range. I have to mix the two of them to get the right shade but despite that, I would still repurchase. |
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NARS Firming Foundation ($50) Shade I Use: Fiji This is definitely not your every day foundation. It contains a patented Polypeptide Firming Complex, Gatuline RP, brown algae, organic gotu kola, boswellia along with Vitamin C to reduce inflammation, relax facial muscles and promote collagen production meaning you can be wearing makeup and slowing down the aging process at the same time. The texture is really different from any other foundations I have used. It has a consistency similar to that of a cream foundation and it feels almost plasticy at first touch. For some reason, it tends to clump up really easily so you will need to lay off the foundation brush/sponge and use your fingers to warm up the foundation before you apply.Blending the foundation, however, was surprisingly easy. The medium to full coverage also evened out my skin beautifully without feeling mask-like. All I need is one pump for the whole face and no extra concealer (not even on those horrible undereye circles!) The foundation also dries really fast. It leaves behind a satiny finish on my dehydrated combination skin and I never get oily or flaky through out the day.Plus how can you not love the pump dispenser and non-glass bottle?! This is definitely one of the best high end liquid foundations I have used in a while. Good job NARS! |
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NARS Sheer Glow Foundation and Sheer Matte Foundation ($42) Shade I Use: Fiji The two foundations first made their debuts at New York Fall 2009 Fashion Week and will replace the existing NARS Oil-free Foundation and Balanced Foundation. Sheer Glow is a glowing, satin-finish foundation that is great for those with normal to dry skin while Sheer Matte provides a soft matte finish and helps to control oil and shine throughout the day. Both foundations have light coverage that is buildable and the texture is heaven-sent! They go on super smooth, blend effortlessly and do not feel like makeup at all! They also contain skincare benefits and an exclusive Complexion Brightening Formula to keep your skin hydrated, luminous and more even in the long run. Plus there are a total of 20 shades available to suit different skin tones. What is there not to love? |
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Redpoint Transformative Dual Foundation ($42) Shade I use: Medium Unlike most foundations you see in the market, this comes with two custom blendable shades that can mixed together or used separately for highlighting and contouring. It also contains anti-aging ingredients like Elastimide Amino AC and light diffusing pigments work to blend away fine lines, wrinkles and create a youthful look; and is made with an unique Liquacreme formula so that it would glide onto the skin and provide full coverage that feels “so weightless, it’s almost like you have nothing on at all!” Texture-wise, it is very similar to Redpoint’s NOC-Out Cover-Up Compact. It feels slightly waxy and goes on really smooth but dries almost immediately to a matte finish without leaving your skin all powdery. The coverage is medium and it does feel very lightweight. I have worn this as a concealer and all over as a foundation. The former worked beautifully while the latter was a disaster. With this all over my face, it looked really unnatural and cakey. I am going to save this as a concealer. |
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RMK Liquid Foundation ($45) Shade I use: 102 I swear everyone makeup artist and model in Asia owns this foundation. The texture is pretty thin and runny yet surprisingly, the coverage is medium and buildable. It blends like a dream and sinks right into my skin and I never look like I have makeup on at all. It also has SPF 14 and all the shades available are yellow-based and great for Asian skin. My only complaint would be the huge glass bottle and its limited availability. Other than that, this is a great foundation and I will definitely purchase it again. |
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Stila Illuminating Liquid Foundation ($35) Shade I use: 30 watts This contains “moisturizers infused with vitamins and whey protein to encourage supple, healthy skin”. The texture is a little thick for a liquid foundation and it does feel heavy, even on my dehydrated combination skin. The coverage is light to medium. It is also packed with tiny shimmer particles and I *love* the glow it creates! This is great for the winter but definitely too heavy for the summer. |
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Yves Saint Laurent Perfect Touch Radiant Brush Foundation ($52) Shade I use: #4 Sand The idea of having a brush attached to a liquid foundation is genius! Not only does it save you from getting your fingers dirty, it helps to achieve that airbrushed look in no time. The foundation itself is very creamy and dries super fast to a semi-matte finish without ever looking cakey. The result is super natural, just like real skin with a subtle glow. The wide color range is also another plus. Coverage is medium and the staying power is decent. Highly recommended! |
Check out the following entries for foundation tips:
Mineral Foundation Reviews
Tools For Applying Concealer And Foundation
Thank you soooo much. your site is great.
thank you for the post on more foundations! i love foundation topics ^_^. it was very informative and i’m definitely eyeing the laura one you mentioned, but they don’t have one in my area =T. you also mentioned the RMK and i’m eyeing that too because it’s yellow-based, butt i want to be able to try it on at the counters t0t, the joys of having sallow skin eh? i’m surprised that you haven’t used mac’s studio fix, it seems the most popular in that store for foundation-wise.
yah most of the foundations I have tried are either liquid or cream. My skin tends to be on the dry side so I try to stay away from powder foundations.
Between Laura Mercier moisturising foundation and its silk creme foundation, which do you think it’s better?
I’m using LM oil-free but eager to try Chanel ..
you got any mineral makeup foundation?
I have tried Bare Escentuals’ mineral foundation but I find it too dry for my skin.
hey! I love your site. Well I’m lazibratt at soompi and I’m wondering how did you find out what your color for foundation is? What do you think is better: liquid or those ones in the compact? Also, where do you go in Hong Kong to get all these good make up things. I’m planning to go there in the summer.
Hi Lisa, please refer to the following entries for the answers to your questions:
http://makeupforlife.blogspot.com/2006/02/foundation-101-part-ii.html
http://makeupforlife.blogspot.com/2006/02/foundation-101-part-i.html
what do you think about teint innocence from chanel
Hi Phyllis! MAC don’t seem to have the full coverage foundation anymore – or have they changed the name? Do you know what may have replaced it? I have sun spots on my cheeks I’m wanting to cover – any particular recomendations? Do you use a everyday ‘base’ eye shadow? If so what do you use? Thank you once again for a brilliant blog!!
PS. I have found that only specialised MAC stores carry the full coverage foundation. I’m wondering what you think – does it give the same coverage as a concealer compared to their studio fix concealer? Is it more long lasting? I’m looking forward to your Teint Innocence review – I hope its good because i bought it before i discovered your blog.
hi, i’ve been reading over your blog recently and i think it’s great!! it’s one of the first i’ve encountered that gives advice for asian make-up.
kudos to you.
just wondering… i myself am asian as well, and i’ve been thinking about purchasing maybelline instant age rewind foundation. what shade do you think is appropriate? or what shade did you use?
Hi Phyllis,
Can you post the colors you wear for these foundations and any new others you have discovered or recommend? I think we wear the same color (MAC NC25), I can use that info to shop on-line! Thanks!!
hey there!
i love ur blog and like u im in love with makeup…i like to try all kinds and love MAC makeup..
one ques…since my quest for the perfect foundation is still ongoing, can u post a review on chanel’s teint innocence?i was considering the cream to powder version…
thanx!
Hey Phyllis…. I love your weblog!!!
Could you please help me find a yellow-based foundation for my asian skitone and one that provides enough coverage to cover spider veins?
I love the examples you give but i really think you should include bare minerals. Bare minerals is excellent exspecially for skin that breaks out alot! Its all natural powder and is just great for your face. Some does have SPF in it but with some mineral veil, i`m set for the day!
I truly enjoyed checking out this site! Very helpful indeed:) I was wondering what you would suggest in my case: I’m middle eastern, and have a few blemishes which I’d say bother me:) I used to use Franche (got it from some spa -the liquid creme foundation) which was thick and although I want to change products, Im not sure what to try. I felt safer with the thick application and am used to it by now. Bare minerals seems interesting but its powder and i dont think it’ll work for me. Am considering it though -nothing decided as yet. Oh yeah I do tend to have oily skin as the day progresses.. oh that shine aka ‘glow’!
Do you recommend any foundation products please? I was leaning more towards smashbox hi def for some odd reason :/
Thanks
Hi Phyllis,
you must be an angel sent from the Make Up Heaven! This is so great that I have found you, because I always have problems with foundation and I only use Mac because I do not know which other colours of other brands can suit me. I am also an Asian Select NC 30!!!! Thank you for your foundation recommendations! As we do not have so many brands here in Germany I am going to try Chanel or YSL the next time!
I love your site! Can you please tell me what color you are in the RMK foundation? I’m planning on purchasing the creamy foundation online. I’m NC20 in mac. thanks!
Hi, have you tried the matte lumiere liquid foundation of chanel? it is also full coverage but same as pro lumiere, it is light on skin & looks natural. It mattifies the oily areas & makes your skin velvety, smooth & radiant : )
I wore #102 for the RMK foundation.
Hi Phyllis,
which Nr. did you choose for the RMK Foundation. I am between Mac NC 25 – 30, at the moment NC 25 Studiofixfluid suits me. Which colour is this for RMK Foundation?
Thanx,
Crystal
Have you ever tried M.A.C.’s Select Tint? If so, what did you think of it?
I don’t even remember how I came across your blog but I’ve been hooked ever since. I too have asian skin that dries and flakes easily so I know that what works for you will most likely work for me. Thanks so much for all your reviews.
Hi
Just wanted to say that i love your blog! I think your reviews are great!
The Mac Studio Tech is awful on my skin. Both the NC and the NW, one is too red and the other is too yellow! Is it the same with all Mac’s foundation colors?
Great review! many thanks~
After reading your review, I thought I’d try RMK foundation, though I’ve never tried the brand before, but can’t find any place that carries it.
Do you have any suggestions on where to get RMK foundation in New York? or an online website I can order it?
Thanks.
Hi
I have also heard about RMK foundation, Many of my friends like their products, they also recommended me to use. so i will try it at-least once.
Hi, quick question. If you were to use Estee Lauder Double Wear, which shade would you be wearing? I’m trying to find the perfect shade for me and my skin tone’s similar to yours. Thanks in advance!
Gotta try out the RMK now! thanks phyllis!
Have you tried Laura Mercier’s Silk Creme Foundation? I’m NC 30 as well, but I can’t find the right shade for me. If you tried it and found a match, can you let us know what shade you chose? thanks!
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