What are the top three characteristics you want in a foundation?
Medium, buildable coverage with a natural finish that doesn’t emphasize dryness!
— Christine
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For my oily skin with enlarged pores, I need something with medium, buildable coverage and a very natural finish so it won’t end up actually emphasizing my problem areas rather than hiding them 🙂 Full-coverage foundations tend to emphasize pores, so I don’t really use them unless mixed with a day cream or something. I’ve found that mixing foundation with day cream for light-medium coverage and then finishing with a light-medium coverage powder like the NYX Stay Matte powder foundation gives as much coverage and much less texture than almost any fuller-coverage foundation.
I also like a well-rounded shade range from light to dark, because 50 shades of beige is not enough. It speaks volumes of a brand’s commitment to accurate representation, and I try to steer clear of Lauder and L’Oréal brands, too.
Light but even coverage that doesn’t emphasize texture or grab on to dry spots, some dewyness and natural wear down.
Everything about Estée Lauder Double Wear is everything I want in a foundation. I’ve tried so many others, from drugstore to high end, but nothing comes close to ELDW on my skin. It has a perfect amount of coverage; it doesn’t flake, congeal, or clump; and the color stays true until I take it off, which is 14 hours later on a work day.
I’m also on the Estee Lauder Double Wear team. 😀 I find that foundation so versatile, depending on the method of application and the quantity applied I can get a broad range of coverage (from sheer-barely-there-but-concealer, to full coverage glam).
I’m not ashamed to admit that when I acne in college I have worn it sheer applied during some runs and mud races (I wore just foundation, no other make-up). 😆 And it stayed put! I wouldn’t recommend anyone to do this, but applied lightly it meshes well with the skin and doesn’t get patchy in humid/wet situations.
I want my foundation to perform miracles! Seriously, my ideal foundation is also medium to buildable full coverage, comes in my exact shade, natural matte finish, long-wearing, free of parabens and other things not good for the skin, and can look nice in any season and weather. So far the Lancome Teint Idole is the one that comes closest to meeting all of those.
I actually only tried (and loved) the Idole Ultra Wear Camouflage Concealer, and although expensive, I had the epiphany that I would actually spend more money on a foundation or concealer that hits all the spots and has the perfect shade match for me; especially for me who only get one foundation at a time. Need to give the foundation a try as well, seem we have similar tastes in foundations.
Nowadays I kind of understand people who buy even more expensive stuff, like La Mer. 😆
Awesome. I might try that concealer. I don’t like full coverage concealers because I find them too drying. The one I am using right now is Maybelline Age Rewind, and I actually think it’s better than Tarte Shape Tape and Too Faced Born this Way.
I don’t know how much you’ll like it then, I actually liked the Born This Way (as a formula, not packaging) and never managed to make Age Rewind work for me. 😀
A good color match; while I may seem to fall into the myriad of “beige” shades, I often have a difficult time finding a match that doesn’t require mixing.
Light to medium coverage; again, shade range is often an issue, and a fuller coverage formula has to be more accurate.
A formula that doesn’t oxidize, and turn orange.
A large range of colors, which includes olive tones! Also, something that will control oil but has a more natural finish. I prefer something buildable over something super high coverage.
Longevity, medium to full comfortable coverage, and natural satin-matte finish.
1. SHADE MATCH (this is notoriously difficult for me, I have strong green undertones and fair skin, super annoying)
2. Doesn’t break me out
3. Wear time
In that order
I’ve experimented with many foundations and for my 50+ mature skin I prefer good medium buildable coverage (one that will actually adhere to my ruddy cheeks and red nose) soft satin finish which doesn’t emphasize lines, blurring technology is appreciated, and a healthy range of foundation shades with various undertones to accommodate all ethnicities. I’m increasingly less impressed by HE offerings due to lack of shade range and negligible to non-existent differences between HE and medium range to DS offerings.
Dewy foundations start off looking great, but typically do not have the best wear time on me and also tend to gravitate into lines I didn’t know I had. For dewy, I just go casually and slap on a BB or CC without the expectation it will hold like a foundation.
Matte foundations also start off looking great, have fantastic wear time, but inevitably end up making my dry skin look like parchment. Matte full cover foundations are great mixers, though if wanting to bump up coverage on a medium for a full makeup look for a special evening occasion. I do not prefer the look of full coverage in broad daylight.
I’m actually opposite with HE vs. DS. I have an yellow warm undertone and I find most HE brand have decent options for me in the light-medium spectrum. But DS foundations either offer only neutral/pink/cool options, either have too yellow shades (oxidize almost orange on me). Some DS foundations have launched +30-40 shades, with a couple of yellow warm shades, but it’s so frustrating when there is a huge gap/jump between the yellow/warm light and medium shades.
Yes yes yes to everything you wrote, Ana Maria!
Double yes to what you’re saying, Ana. I’ve never found a yellow-enough DS foundation that didn’t turn orange on me — much more success with mid-priced non-drugstore options (can’t truly say I’ve tried HE).
Long wearing, blurs pores and skin like finish.
a natural finish, good shade match, medium coverage and should last and look good for ~8-10 hours.
Actually the same as you! Remind me to buy that estee lauder double wear! I love a sheer finish though that just slightly improves the complexion
The way that my oil and acne works, I need every trick that can be given. I need medium to full coverage to hide any blemishes and hyperpigmentation, controls oil/won’t break down from my natural oils, and something that will not settle into my smile lines.
#1 is Something high coverage that actually matches my yellow toned but almost paper white complexion. I’ve tried about 40 of the lightest (yellow toned) shades of foundation and they’re usually too frakking dark or pink!
#2 it has to work with my dry skin
#3 And I want it to last 10 hours.
I have the same problem! I wouldn’t call myself paper white, but I usually go for the lightest shade in most ranges, and they’re generally noticeably pink. The only ones I’ve found that are light enough and yellow enough have textures and finishes that don’t work for me (KvD has a good match, but the texture is all wrong on my skin).
* Buildable/versatile coverage – I prefer my foundations to have medium to full coverage, but I like formulas that can also be sheered down for a natural look.
* Long wearing – I want a foundation that I can wear all day long (+10 hours on a work day) without retouching or foundation wearing off bad. I also wear glasses at work (for computer screen protection) and when I’m concentrating I’m touching my jar a lot; I want a foundation that stays put and doesn’t wear of my haw or looks patchy where the glasses hit.
* Matte / Satin (but not flat) finish – I’m not into dewy or luminous finishes, I like the base (foundation) to be matte / satin, but still look somewhat natural (not flat and dull).
**My take on shade range: Shade matching is definitely a must for foundation, but personally I don’t see necessary a direct correlation between shade count and the success with my match. I have found perfect matches in foundations/concealers/BB creams with 3-6 shades, but failed to find a decent match in ones with 40+ shades. But with so many foundations in the market, I’ll find a match somewhere… it’s not like I’m `forced` to buy a specific one…
1.) Evens out my skintone and gives my skin a smoother appearance without looking “masky”. I have some freckes, and I don’t want them totally hidden. In other words, I love a more natural satiny finish with a formula that can be built up or sheered out without issues.
2.) No scent. No comedagenic (sp?) ingredients or anything else that is a known irritant.
3.) It needs to be able to withstand the ferociously hot, and eventually humid climate conditions here. Especially since I get around mostly via public transit and walking. The last thing I need is a foundation quitting on me! Running, streaking, melting off, pooling to an unattractive degree into expression lines and pores are all deal-breakers.
1. A shade and undertone match, which is a challenge for me.
2. No strong fragrances (they make my skin itch like crazy).
3. Doesn’t oxidize or melt off of oily skin.
1. Medium to full coverage.
2. Applies without caking up or breaking up.
3. At least a satin or glowy finish. I have such dry skin that I like the more dewy formula’s but most are not particularly dewy.
1. Doesn’t break me out (way too many do, and that is very much against the point!)
2. Medium coverage with natural(ish) finish
3. Does not sink into or emphasize lines (not so easy the older ya get!)
Shade match is of course essential but as someone else said, having a lot of shades doesn’t necessarily correlate with finding a dead-on match. I have found surprising undertone matches with companies that (sadly) only provide 5 shades and no great match with companies that provide dozens. That said, far better to provide a diverse range of shades than not. The more options out there for everyone, the better.
A natural looking finish – one that looks like “my skin but better”; long wear that doesn’t break down and go all patchy or separated looking; something that doesn’t emphasize dry patches or settle into that sort of “polka dot pores” look.
You explain it perfectly, patchy and “polka dot pores” look. Ugh! I am keeping my fingers crossed my new foundation won’t do this!
Buildable coverage, natural skin like finish, lasts all day!
Easy!
I always look for a light to medium coverage with a natural or Demi-matte finish. I have dry skin so I like coverage that does not sink into fine lines and emphasize texture. I also prefer a shade that doesn’t oxidize and turn yellow and orange.
I’d ideally like a full coverage foundation, with a dewy finish, that doesn’t move around and settle into fine lines/stays perfect. I wish it existed!
Light coverage, natural finish. My current HG in terms of liquid foundation is Clinique Perfectly Real Makeup (shade 01N). It is discontinued unfortunately.
Lately I have gravitated towards less layers in terms of makeup. I love the above mentioned Clinique foundation because it has a satin finish, the shade 01N is a perfect match for my skin, it is excellent for my dry/dehydrated skin and I don’t need to set it with powder. I have purchased the CoverFx Drops in P20 and I match a drop of them with my sunscreen, in lieu of foundation. The shade is a good match for my skin during the winter, but I intend to add a drop of either DE D-Bronzi or CoverFx Custom Enhancer Drops in Sunkissed, in order to get a shade a tad darker for the summer.
No chemical sunscreen or fragrance modifier: significant allergy, also prefer GRAS (generally recognized as safe/FDA) which usually means also fragrance free. light, buildable. Shade match. You never think your under or over tones are difficult; you think common, average, until you really start to analyze, when shopping for one. Suddenly, you fall through every crack in the ranges!
The three characteristics I want in a foundation is:
1. Porcelain shade with pink undertones.
2. Medium coverage with a semi matte finish
3. A pump that works right to the very end of the foundation in the bottle!
Doesn’t rub off everywhere. Doesn’t get greasy. Gives me a healthy glow.
I’m actually ok with just about any coverage level.
Doesn’t break down with oil/sit in pools in my pores like ugly little ben day dots.
Yellow enough to not make my face look like I’m wearing calamine lotion as a primer.
Natural finish without any sheen or shine.
No silicones, a shade pale enough to work on my skin AND yellow-based to cancel out the redness, buildable coverage without being heavy or matte on my dry skin.
Similar :
Light-medium, buildable
Natural feel & slightly dewy-look
Not emphasize my lines
Shade match (and a wide range of tones and undertones), medium-to-full coverage, and good wear time.