It's been a while! But I'm back with a post that's taken a lot of research. Just before I get started, I'd like to make the disclaimer that these are all my opinions and personal relationships with these foundations. Though I do highly recommend them, everyone skin is different. In saying that, I do hope this post helps you, even just to get a good feel what kinds of foundations you can use. These are all the foundations I have tried so far, as time goes on and I test more foundation, I may do an updated post.
Revlon ColorStay Liquid Foundation
Longevity: This foundation has wonderful longevity. Almost as good as the double wear. In fact, it's a great dupe for the double wear, in that sense and more. It will last you all day. Depending how oily your skin is will depend whether you need to powder/top-up or not.
Shade Range: The shade range is okay. Again, primarily light skin tones, with only one truly dark skin tone there. For very pale people though, they do have a shade that will suit you, especially if you are cool toned.
Finish: The finish will depend on whether you get the dry/combination skin foundation or the oily/combination skin foundation. For the dry, it will be more dewy and luminous. For the oily, it will be more matte. The finish is lovely but it may seperate, because of that you may need to be careful with moisturisers and primers you wear. As it is a water based foundation, I would recommend making sure you use a water based primer and moisturiser as to prevent separation.
Coverage: Colorstay wins top marks along side the double wear for full coverage. You shouldn't need to build much, if not at all. It will cover all redness, blemishes and hyper pigmentation and that coverage should last you all day.
Price: For a drugstore product, this foundation is a little pricey. I have watched the price over the years rise as it's become more popular. If anything, that's a good sign though, as it shows it's well loved and reliable. Though a little pricey, €17.50 seems worth it for the product at hand.
Effect on the skin: I find this depends a lot on the person. For me, this foundation broke me out, which is why I stopped using it. For some, it doesn't break them out at all.
Summary
With the many pluses outweighing the cons, this foundation is a great choice for those with acne. It will last you all day and cover any imperfections. While not being as dear as a high end foundation, the price is still a little steep for a drug store product, but if you find that it doesn't break you out, as it does for some and your shade is available, it is definitely worth the price.
Finish: The finish will depend on whether you get the dry/combination skin foundation or the oily/combination skin foundation. For the dry, it will be more dewy and luminous. For the oily, it will be more matte. The finish is lovely but it may seperate, because of that you may need to be careful with moisturisers and primers you wear. As it is a water based foundation, I would recommend making sure you use a water based primer and moisturiser as to prevent separation.
Coverage: Colorstay wins top marks along side the double wear for full coverage. You shouldn't need to build much, if not at all. It will cover all redness, blemishes and hyper pigmentation and that coverage should last you all day.
Price: For a drugstore product, this foundation is a little pricey. I have watched the price over the years rise as it's become more popular. If anything, that's a good sign though, as it shows it's well loved and reliable. Though a little pricey, €17.50 seems worth it for the product at hand.
Effect on the skin: I find this depends a lot on the person. For me, this foundation broke me out, which is why I stopped using it. For some, it doesn't break them out at all.
Summary
With the many pluses outweighing the cons, this foundation is a great choice for those with acne. It will last you all day and cover any imperfections. While not being as dear as a high end foundation, the price is still a little steep for a drug store product, but if you find that it doesn't break you out, as it does for some and your shade is available, it is definitely worth the price.
Bare Minerals Matte Powder Foundation
Longevity: Because this is a mineral foundation, the longevity will not be the best. It may not last you the longest, but as a powder foundation, it's very easy to reapply and/or touch up.
Shade Range: The shade range for this particular foundation is much better than previous. It has
20 shades. Ranging from light skinned to dark skinned. Speaking as a pale person, they didn't have a shade pale enough for me, but the fact that have such a range is still impressive, so unless you're massively pale, you will more than likely find one for you.
Finish: As expected, the finish of this foundation is matte. And if that's not to your liking, they have the same foundation without the matte finish too. I choose to put the matte version here because matte foundations cover acne and texture better.
Coverage: This foundation has quite good coverage but it does take a bit of building. Which may also be a plus, depending on the person. If you're having one of those days where you want a sheer, low maintenance foundation, this guy can do that for you. At the same time, if you're having one of those days where you want a lot of coverage but with an easy application, this guy can also do that for you! Quite the chameleon when it comes to coverage.
Price: At €29 this foundation is smack dab in the middle of pricing. Though, for a high end brand, it's quite affordable and considering the mineral ingredients and quality, it's not too much of a stretch.
Effect on the skin: The fact that this foundation is a mineral foundation, means that it will treat your skin with care. What you lose in longevity, you gain in guarantees of natural and pure ingredients which improve skin clarity. Not only does it benefit the look of the skin, it also benefits the condition!
Summary
This foundation has very buildable coverage. It may not last very long throughout the day but re-application is as easy as pie. The mineral ingredients in this foundation are all-natural and will treat your skin very nicely.
Finish: As expected, the finish of this foundation is matte. And if that's not to your liking, they have the same foundation without the matte finish too. I choose to put the matte version here because matte foundations cover acne and texture better.
Coverage: This foundation has quite good coverage but it does take a bit of building. Which may also be a plus, depending on the person. If you're having one of those days where you want a sheer, low maintenance foundation, this guy can do that for you. At the same time, if you're having one of those days where you want a lot of coverage but with an easy application, this guy can also do that for you! Quite the chameleon when it comes to coverage.
Price: At €29 this foundation is smack dab in the middle of pricing. Though, for a high end brand, it's quite affordable and considering the mineral ingredients and quality, it's not too much of a stretch.
Effect on the skin: The fact that this foundation is a mineral foundation, means that it will treat your skin with care. What you lose in longevity, you gain in guarantees of natural and pure ingredients which improve skin clarity. Not only does it benefit the look of the skin, it also benefits the condition!
Summary
This foundation has very buildable coverage. It may not last very long throughout the day but re-application is as easy as pie. The mineral ingredients in this foundation are all-natural and will treat your skin very nicely.
L'Oreal Paris Infallible Matte Foundation
Longevity: One of the top runners for longevity is this foundation. It will last you all day. If you would like to keep the foundation matte all day, powder is advisable, but without, it will still last.
Shade Range: And as the longevity of this foundation is impressive, the shade range is not. Very disappointing numbers in shades, with a mere 6 different tones. Though I will say, for pale people, you're in luck, because this foundations palest shade is VERY pale. As someone who knows the struggle of finding a pale foundation that suits my skin tone and that isn't overly pink, I was very pleased to find how well this foundation fit my shamefully Irish translucent skin.
Finish: The finish of this foundation is unmistakably matte. It is matte matte matte, even on oily skin. Powder for longevity but there's no need if you're wanting to matte-ify. The finish of this foundation is great for textured skin, mid-break out because it will draw the eye to the face as whole, as opposed the texture and shadows of break-outs. You may want to use a good moisturiser with this one if you have dry skin, but I don't imagine it would cause many problems.
Coverage: The coverage of this foundation is gorgeous. It doesn't look cakey. It will cover hyper pigmentation, redness and spots. The only case in which you may need concealer, is if you have a very red or dark spot, but other than that, this foundation builds very nicely and should cover what you need covered.
Price: This is the most affordable foundation of the bunch with bumps it up on my list of loves immediately. For the price, it's abilities and finish are very beautiful and reliable. It is absolutely worth the price of €12.29.
Effect on the skin: Surprisingly enough, though this foundation is long lasting and very matte, it won't dry your skin out. It shouldn't break you out either, as it is easy to wash off and reviews plus personal experience prove it as trustworthy for treating the skin well.
Summary
This is a great foundation that won't look cakey while also keeping your face matte throughout the day. It will last all day and there will not much need for top up. The coverage is wonderful and will suit acne prone skin really well. Especially good for oily skin.
Finish: The finish of this foundation is unmistakably matte. It is matte matte matte, even on oily skin. Powder for longevity but there's no need if you're wanting to matte-ify. The finish of this foundation is great for textured skin, mid-break out because it will draw the eye to the face as whole, as opposed the texture and shadows of break-outs. You may want to use a good moisturiser with this one if you have dry skin, but I don't imagine it would cause many problems.
Coverage: The coverage of this foundation is gorgeous. It doesn't look cakey. It will cover hyper pigmentation, redness and spots. The only case in which you may need concealer, is if you have a very red or dark spot, but other than that, this foundation builds very nicely and should cover what you need covered.
Price: This is the most affordable foundation of the bunch with bumps it up on my list of loves immediately. For the price, it's abilities and finish are very beautiful and reliable. It is absolutely worth the price of €12.29.
Effect on the skin: Surprisingly enough, though this foundation is long lasting and very matte, it won't dry your skin out. It shouldn't break you out either, as it is easy to wash off and reviews plus personal experience prove it as trustworthy for treating the skin well.
Summary
This is a great foundation that won't look cakey while also keeping your face matte throughout the day. It will last all day and there will not much need for top up. The coverage is wonderful and will suit acne prone skin really well. Especially good for oily skin.
Chanel VitaLumiére Aqua
Longevity: Plain and simple, this foundation will not last you all day. You will need to top it up half way through your day and you will need to powder as well. To go without powder with this foundation will mean it will only last you a few hours as it is an aqua foundation.
Shade Range: The shade range is disappointing. If you are a woman of colour you will not be able to use this foundation as their shade range is predominantly caucasian based, which is ridiculous but, that's how it is.
Finish: The finish of this foundation is dewy. It has a beautiful finish, but if your skin has a lot of texture, a dewy finish may not work well.
Coverage: I would call this foundation low to medium coverage. It is buildable but if you're wanting to cover spots or hyper pigmentation, you will need a concealer. This might seem a bit odd since I've included it in this list for acne prone skin, but the reason I have is because while it may not cover dark spots, it will make your skin look very healthy, radiant and potentially flawless, which I understand is something a lot of us acne sisters can crave.
Price: The most expensive foundation out of this list at €40, it is up there on price range. In saying that, I would call this a luxury item. It's very beautiful, and especially for this good skin days, it's quite the treat to show off your skin.
Effect on the skin: As this foundation is quite light and dewy, it won't effect your skin at all. It doesn't quite soak into the skin enough to have an effect and it's quite easy to remove also.
Summary
While this foundation may not be the best for coverage, it's great if you're looking for a flawless and luminous effect. I would recommend this foundation for those acne prone people who are on the road to clear skin/are on good skin days/have a nice concealer. Especially good for people with dry skin.
Finish: The finish of this foundation is dewy. It has a beautiful finish, but if your skin has a lot of texture, a dewy finish may not work well.
Coverage: I would call this foundation low to medium coverage. It is buildable but if you're wanting to cover spots or hyper pigmentation, you will need a concealer. This might seem a bit odd since I've included it in this list for acne prone skin, but the reason I have is because while it may not cover dark spots, it will make your skin look very healthy, radiant and potentially flawless, which I understand is something a lot of us acne sisters can crave.
Price: The most expensive foundation out of this list at €40, it is up there on price range. In saying that, I would call this a luxury item. It's very beautiful, and especially for this good skin days, it's quite the treat to show off your skin.
Effect on the skin: As this foundation is quite light and dewy, it won't effect your skin at all. It doesn't quite soak into the skin enough to have an effect and it's quite easy to remove also.
Summary
While this foundation may not be the best for coverage, it's great if you're looking for a flawless and luminous effect. I would recommend this foundation for those acne prone people who are on the road to clear skin/are on good skin days/have a nice concealer. Especially good for people with dry skin.
Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Liquid Foundation
Longevity: Hands down this foundation wins the award for best longevity. It lasts for an incredibly long time without top up and even without powdering, especially if you have normal skin. If you have oily skin you may need to powder once throughout a full day, if even.
Shade Range: The shade range is also quite good for this foundation as it comes with cool, neutral and warm tones, marked with 'C', 'N' and 'W'. The only downfall about the shade range is that if you're either far end of the scale, very pale or very dark, you may have trouble getting a match. Even still, their shade range for darker skin tones is still a lot better than some of the other foundations out there.
Finish: The finish of this foundation is demi-matte. You may choose not to powder and the foundation with stay. If you do powder, the foundation will be matte.
Coverage: This foundation is golden when it comes to coverage. You'll have a hard time finding a foundation that will cover your blemishes, uneven skin tone and scars better than this one. This is my number one foundation for covering any break-outs, scars redness, etc. Not only this, but it doesn't oxidise, ever.
Price: One of the only downfalls of this foundation is it's price. It's not the worst, but it's neither cheap. It will cost you €38 (not including a pump).
Effect on the skin: This foundation will not improve the condition of your skin and being honest, if you don't remove it properly at the end of the night, it may cause break outs. As it's quite hard to remove, having a good skincare routine and removal method is important. I would recommend an oil based make-up remover. So long as you remove properly, it shouldn't break you out.
Summary
This is a fantastic foundation. It's my holy grail. It's almost faultless and I would recommend it to anyone needing a foundation to cover up problematic skin, or anyone who wants a foundation that will last them all day long and keep their skin looking flawless.
Finish: The finish of this foundation is demi-matte. You may choose not to powder and the foundation with stay. If you do powder, the foundation will be matte.
Coverage: This foundation is golden when it comes to coverage. You'll have a hard time finding a foundation that will cover your blemishes, uneven skin tone and scars better than this one. This is my number one foundation for covering any break-outs, scars redness, etc. Not only this, but it doesn't oxidise, ever.
Price: One of the only downfalls of this foundation is it's price. It's not the worst, but it's neither cheap. It will cost you €38 (not including a pump).
Effect on the skin: This foundation will not improve the condition of your skin and being honest, if you don't remove it properly at the end of the night, it may cause break outs. As it's quite hard to remove, having a good skincare routine and removal method is important. I would recommend an oil based make-up remover. So long as you remove properly, it shouldn't break you out.
Summary
This is a fantastic foundation. It's my holy grail. It's almost faultless and I would recommend it to anyone needing a foundation to cover up problematic skin, or anyone who wants a foundation that will last them all day long and keep their skin looking flawless.
Clinique Anti-Blemish Liquid Foundation
(A.K.A in the U.S; Acne-Solutions Foundation)
Longevity: This foundation will not stay flawless all day without topping up. But if you use a powder, a primer and reapply the powder every so often, it shouldn't cause you any problems.
Shade Range: One of the downfalls of this foundation is the shade range. There's 16 shades, which isn't as bad as some, but the real problem arises when you consider the fact that not every person wanting to use this foundation is white. Women of colour will have trouble finding a shade for their skin in this foundation. But on the other end, very pale women will also have trouble. Especially if you have a warm undertone.
Finish: This foundation has a satin finish but can be further mattified with powder.
Coverage: Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of this foundation is the coverage. I found it didn't really cover any blemishes. Although it did even out my skin tone and cancel out redness nicely, it let me down on the blemish stand point. As an 'acne solutions' foundation, I assumed it would be manufactured towards those with acne, in the sense that while treating it, it would also cover it. At least this issue is easily treat if you use concealer. For those trying to cover mere redness and possibly some light hyper pigmentation or if you have acne prone skin but no current break-outs, this foundation will work great for you.
Price: For a high-end foundation, the price for this isn't cheap nor expensive. It's right smack dab on your expected price range for a high end foundation €34
Effect on the skin: Out of all these foundation, this is the foundation that will help your skin the most. I found this foundation even improved my skin. It definitely didn't agitate it or cause break outs. As long as you wash your foundation off each night, you shouldn't have any problems at all with this foundations. There's nothing like finding a foundation that looks good and gets along with your skin at the same time.
Summary
This is a great foundation that will treat your skin gently and won't anger it. The finish is beautiful, although there is a lacking in full converge.
If you're someone with sensitive skin, redness and you want a foundation that evens out your skin while also treating it well, this is a good foundation for you.
