My Top 5 Foundations

Hello again, 

I hope you all had a lovely (rainy) weekend. I am back today with my top 5 foundations. I always find that many of the ladies who attend my masterclasses always have the same problem; they can't seem to find the "PERFECT" foundation. It seems like most of us are always in search of something better when it comes to our base and that although we might like our current foundation, there is always something that it is missing. 

My biggest tip for anyone in search of the perfect foundation is to remember that your skin changes regularly, so what might have been working for you for the past few months, may all of a sudden not sit right on the skin and you may feel like you're back on the hunt for 'the one' again. This is why when I am asked what my favourite foundation is, I cannot give just one. I have compiled a list of my top 5 below, some old faves and some new to my collection. I change up my foundation depending on the condition of my skin at the time. 

1. Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat Le Teint

I think we are all familiar with the old classic Touche Éclat concealer and brightener from YSL so when this foundation launched I had high hopes for it. This is a foundation that I use on my skin when it is feeling a little flat and lacking that glow to it. It applies to the face beautifully, feeling lightweight and blending very easily. I would say this is a light coverage but can be built up to a medium coverage if needs be. For my skin, I would still need a good concealer to cover any acne scarring or breakouts and also under eye dark circles. I love using this as my daytime foundation as my skin still looks like skin (as opposed to a heavy layer of flawless coverage) It gives the skin a radiant glow without being shiny or oily looking. My only tip would be to stay away from this one if you have very oily skin. It comes in 17 shades and I wear BR20 on no false tan days, and B40 when I am wearing tan. You can pick this up from your nearest YSL counter.  

2. Chanel Vitalumière Aqua 

I first tried the Chanel Vitalumière Aqua foundation a few years ago now. I was desperate to embrace the more subtle, natural coverage of an "aqua" foundation, but unfortunately at the time my acne was pretty bad, so this lightweight foundation did nothing for me. However, since my skin has cleared up, this foundation has been a staple in my makeup collection. It has a light coverage that disappears into the skin. I find the best way to apply this is with your hands as it has a very liquid texture to it. A little goes a long way too, so each bottle lasts me a few months. I only ever wear this during the day when I want a minimal make up look. You will not get great coverage from this, however it leaves a beautiful satin finish to the skin. Unlike the YSL above, this one is for the opposite skin type, so if you have normal to oily skin, this is ideal. If you have dehydrated or dry skin, unfortunately it will sit into the creases and cause a flakey look to the skin. My skin type changes regularly, so when it is clear and hydrated, this is the one I go to for daytime. It also carries an SPF of 15 too. One last top tip with this one - apply a good moisturiser before applying. I wear shade 30 Beige and it is available from your nearest Chanel counter.

3. L'oreal True Match

I guess if you are makeup mad like myself, then you have probably heard all there is to know about this foundation by now. Considering that it costs just under €15, you certainly get more than you pay for from it. I know there have been split views on this one, but for me, I adore it. It is very similar to my most recent purchase, the Armani Luminous Silk foundation, but for a fraction of the price. There is a huge shade range to chose from so you are bound to find your true match!! This foundation is definitely a medium coverage at least. I need very little concealer with it, but it also feels light on the skin. I do not necessarily get a 'glow' from it so it definitely needs some added illuminator, but sure who cares when you love a highlighter as much as I do?! It lasts very well on the skin too, without the need for many touch ups. I think this will suit anyone with normal to combination skin. I currently wear D3/W3 shade, and you can get your hands on this from Boots or your local pharmacy. 

4. Stila Stay All Day 

If you have been following me for a while, then you will know this would probably stand out as my most loved foundation. Whenever I post a very flawless, full coverage make up look, this is the one I am most likely wearing. I wear it for photoshoots, nights out, or if I know my make up needs to be applied at 7am and has to last until the evening. I fell in love with this after using it at my first makeup masterclass for Stila last year, and I just can't go without it. It is a medium to full coverage foundation and is the heaviest one in my kit. At first I was a little scared of just how thick it was (it comes with a spatula instead of a pump) but it doesn't feel heavy on the skin at all. It blends easily and doesn't set as quickly as other full coverage foundations, allowing you time to work it into the skin. This covers all of my acne scars with ease, so the only place I have to apply the concealer (hidden in the lid) is under my eyes to cover the sleepless nights with a teething toddler. It dries to a matte finish so I always add a highlighter to the skin. The best thing about this is how long it lasts. I have applied this at 7am some mornings for a busy day of shoots etc and by bedtime it has barely budged, except for around my mouth from eating. If you like a very flawless, high coverage look then I suggest you try a sample of this. I wear shade 7 Buff and you can pick this up from Harvey Nichols Dundrum or Marks and Spencers on Mary Street Dublin. 

5. Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk 

One of the newest editions to my ever growing makeup collection is the famous Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk foundation. I honestly was happy with the 4 above, but felt compelled to give this a try to see what all the hype was about. I have been using it for about 2/3 weeks now and so far so good. I would put this somewhere in the range of a medium coverage, although it can certainly be worn as a lighter coverage as a small amount is very easy to blend and will give a more natural, sheer coverage. However, if you want something that can take you from daytime wear to full on glam nights out then this is your man. If you take the time to build this up, you can create a flawless coverage that will photograph beautifully in the evening (no SPF means no 'white face' camera flash back disasters!) This is suited to normal or oily/combination skin. I find if I have any dry patches it can cling to them so for anyone with very dry skin I would steer clear of this one, or make sure to apply lots of moisturiser before applying the foundation. I wear shade 4.5 and you can pick this up from the Giorgio Armani Counter in Brown Thomas. 

I hope this answers some of your questions regarding my make up base that I usually wear. I am still testing out the Nars Sheer Glow foundation and will report back to you all once I have made my mind  up on it. 

Have a lovely week everyone, 

Lots of Love,

Rosie x