What kind of wear and longevity do you look for in a foundation? What's most/least important?

The majority of it should last 8-9 hours without touchups, but it needs to wear down evenly and not look patchy for the next few hours after that. I don’t want to see heavy settling/creasing into lines or emphasis/gathering around dryness or skin texture.

— Christine

16 Comments

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Seraphine Avatar

My perfect foundation should go on well with a brush because I don’t like sponges. It should last 10-12 hours without touchups, and stay true to color all day. My perfect foundation should provide good coverage without looking cakey, patchy, or dry. (Estée Lauder Double Wear is my perfect foundation.)

Blanca Avatar

I’m with you, Seraphine.

Double Wear is my trusted companion for events and important days. I’ve been looking for something slightly more natural for every day but never find something I really like. Now I’m trying to finish an armani silk foundation that really emphasizes my pores and that ends up sliding around my skin by the end of the day 🙁

Leslie Avatar

I look for something that will plump or lift my skin. I had been using Lancome Renergie Lift foundation for years but I’m looking for something with a little more coverage because Renergie is pretty sheer. I won’t wear anything with too much moisture because we live in a very humid climate and the last thing I need is more moisture on my skin….it will just be way too oily, especially in the summer months.

Penny Avatar

I guess I want the impossible…..long lasting but not too drying (reasonable amount of hours)..does not oxidize…does not collect in fine lines as it wears. Also applies well over most skin care….Good coverage without being too heavy……

Celesta Avatar

I like if a foundation lasts well enough for 8 hours and when it breaks down, and it inevitably does, that it breaks down gracefully. If it looks weird on my nose, especially, by the end of the day, it’s not good for me. If it applies nicely from the get-go and stays nice, its a bonus. If it looks a little dry at first application but sort of settles in as the day goes on, I’m fine with that.

BrandiD Avatar

I want something with good longevity, 8-12 hours, because I’m often working or running around town and can not stop to retouch. I also want something that wears off evenly and doesn’t sink into the deep crease lines on my forehead — but isn’t too light for coverage. It’s a tall order! I have several favorite foundations, but many of them do emphasize my forehead 11s, which I’m not thrilled with. At this point, I’m just calling them my WTF lines and saying they’re an essential part of my face.

Pearl Avatar

Giorgio Armani Lasting Silk UV foundation was my perfect foundation. Loved the color match, the medium coverage, the natural but slightly radiant finish and the even fade-away during wear. It lasted about eight-ish hours on me.

Neo Nude tinted moisturizer is a close second as well as Pat McGrath’s foundation. I love how thin both formulas are.

Nancy T Avatar

For it to hang in there for as long as I have it on, preferably! With ZERO gathering around my nasolabial folds and smile lines or going patchy and uneven looking. Has to be able to stand up to our ridiculous summer monsoon heat (105-118°F) and the accompanying high humidity, too. This is especially necessary whenever I need to take public transit under those horrid weather conditions.

Genevieve Avatar

What is most important to me when looking at foundations is:
The shade colour must match my complexion – porcelain, with pink undertones
Medium coverage – in that it lasts on my face a good 8-9 hours or so and more with a primer on underneath
A matte finish – nothing dewy or illuminating as I end up looking too shiny.
Easily available to me and at a reasonable price because I use foundation every single day and go through a lot of foundation.
A pump on the foundation that works – I’ve had a few where the pump didn’t work and that was so annoying.
What’s least important? – Hmm – nothing is least important when dealing with foundation – the stars have to align!

WildDove Avatar

I want very dewy look with foundation that lasts through the wearing, but the foundation does not need to be 24 hour, and does not need to hold up in hot sun during weather or sports. I don’t have a problem with foundations lasting — they just seem to somewhat fade away gradually over many hours. I also don’t want a foundation to make my skin look crepey or to settle into fine lines. Exfoliation before applying moisturizer and foundation is a must, and for this I have used Clinique Clarifying #3 since forever. MAC Face & Body, blended with Clinique DDML moisturizer and EL Advanced Night Repair serum, gives me the look I want, and I’ve gotten many compliments on it.

adonna Avatar

In order
Ingredients (Allergens = Aloe & Jojoba, and all synonyms…)
Color Match flawless (this is The most rare)
Budge proof
Sweat proof
Transfer proof
Melts in to skin seamlessly
Slightly lighter coverage than tinted moisturizer
Buildable
Healthy Natural Glow – no disco face (disco dance, all night long!)

LK Avatar

My t-zone gets oily but as I live in cold and dry climate, I also have dry patches on my cheeks, chin and just under/around my nostrils. I want my foundation to last 12-14 hours, but don’t mind blotting in the afternoon. The foundation should give a natural finish that will give a little a life to the drier parts but not turn greasy in the oilier parts. And a good color match is important! I was looking for a new foundation last autumn and after testing a few, I settled with Shiseido synchro skin self-refreshing foundation. I have been happy with it, it comes very close to fulfilling my very demanding needs (just occasionally wears off on the tip of my oily nose a little sooner than I would like it to but overall, but no gathering and the color is perfect match).

Jane Avatar

Much like yourself and everyone has said, all-day wear, no touch ups, luminous without accentuating every line or crease (which is difficult for liquid luminous foundations). Like a few others, though I’ve found foundations that work very well (PML, Estée Lauder Water Fresh-discontinued, Clinique Serum), none are particularly “luminous” so I add Charlotte Tilbury’s Hollywood Filter, which then changes the formula a bit, but works.

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