Seeing as I shone the spotlight on every single fresh-finished ‘I woke up like ‘dis’ base that currently resides in my stash, I thought it was time to lavish the same attention on my fuller coverage formulas. If you asked me point blank which side of the spectrum I’m more likely to pick up on a daily basis I would immediately plump for the less covering formulas, but after riffling through the to-be-mentioned I was surprised by how many that I’d deem more ‘evening appropriate’ made it through the daytime net. So here you go my medium to full finish formulas; scored and reviewed…
CHANEL Perfection Lumiere Velvet Smooth Effect Makeup – £33 from Selfridges – I use 20. Think a matte version of CHANEL Vitalumiere Aqua with a little more coverage and you’ll end up here. It’s not as matte as you’d think – I’d dub it a ‘New Gen Matte’ if I was feeling fancy – as it’s much more malleable, non-drying and fresh looking that older formulas out there. If you find Vitalumiere a little too much in the dewiness stakes, then this is the one for one. My score: 7/10.
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation – £35.50 from Selfridges – I use 4 for winter and 6 for summer. I don’t think there’s anything new to add to the conversation with this one as I’ve spoken its praises for years, but I’ll attempt to cobble together a new ode to it. On the fuller end of things, this stuff can do some pretty serious covering with just a smidge of product. It’s a difficult finish to describe that’s dewy, yet matte at the same time making it just look very natural. It’s not something I reach for everyday, but for special occasions, filming, evenings out (no SPF, so it photographs ridiculously well), this is the one I go for. My score: 10/10.
L’Oreal True Match Foundation – £8.49 from FeelUnique – I use N1 for winter and N2 for summer. The best budget formula that I’ve tried. In terms of properties it’s most similar to that of the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk; matte but sorta dewy, medium to full coverage and it’s pretty long lasting stuff. The shade range is good and with brush or fingers it works equally well. A good one to throw on when I need coverage, but want things to look nice and fresh. My score: 8/10.
Kevyn Aucoin The Sensual Skin Enhancer – £37.50 from Cult Beauty – I use SX-05. A pot of full coverage goodness that has many guises: full-on foundation, concealer, cream contour, a tinted moisturiser (when sheered out with a mixing medium moisturiser), the list and uses are endless. I find that this works best mixed with a drop of tinted moisturiser to make it a little easier to work with and it only gets rolled out when my complexion in is dire states; a.k.a) once a month if you get my drift. My score: 7/10.
MAC Studio Fix Fluid – £21.50 from Debenhams – I use NW20. A blast from the past! I used up countless bottles of this when I first discovered foundation/MAC/makeup in general and thought it was the best thing since sliced bread. I’ve since discovered that although it has the tendency to oxidise (go a shade down, I should definitely purchase NW15 next time) and smells…well like nothing else on this world, it actually does a good job. It’s just a classic full-ish coverage foundation that gets the job done without too many bells and whistles; lasting well, evening everything out and providing a good base of the rest. My score: 7/10.
Make Up For Ever HD Foundation – $42 from Sephora – I use 125. If my skin is looking pretty alright in videos, then have a scroll down to the description box and 9 times out of 10 I’d take a bet that this is what is noted as on my face. Full coverage and a concentrated formula that manages to cover-up with just two pumps I find this a little drying to don everyday, but when filming is involved it’s now the one I reach for by default. My score: 8/10.
NARS Sheer Glow Foundation – £31.50 from Space NK – I use Deauville. Just the right mix of coverage and dewiness this is one that I reach for when things are looking a little dull and spotty and I’m telling you – this stuff is good skin in a bottle. I used this stuff years ago, recently rediscovered it and I’m not letting this one out of my makeup drawers again. It’s a staple of mine that gets me out of many bad skin day. My score: 9/10.
Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation – £6.99 from FeelUnique – I use Ivory. A medium coverage, good all-rounder that won’t break the bank. It’s natural in finish and sits slap bang in the middle of the spectrum in terms of concealing capabilities. With a light finish it blends in ridiculously easy with fingers or a brush and is one of those formulas that you can slap on without having to think about too much, making it a nice every-dayer. My score: 7/10.
Tom Ford Traceless Foundation Stick – £62 from Selfridges – I use Pale Dune. I’m not the biggest fan of stick or compact foundations, but this one has managed to get through the net. My main bugbear is that I find them to sometimes to come off a bit greasy, but this one – though dewy in finish – has just the right balance in formula meaning that you don’t look like a greaseball after you’ve striped it on. I apply in a warrior-like way, concentrating it in places that need it most, then blending in with a buffing brush. And if you want coverage? Here. It. Is. My score: 7/10.
YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat Foundation – £30.50 from Selfridges – I use B20 in the winter and B40 in the summer. In terms of the foundation spectrum, I would put this as a step up from CHANEL Vitalumiere Aqua; still with that ‘glowy, barely there, completely undetectable’ thing, but a level up in the covering stakes. I prefer to smooth this in with my fingers as I get the most natural looking finish that way and for such a radiant finished foundation I still find the longevity to be there. A great everyday choice. My score: 9/10.
YSL Youth Liberator Serum Foundation – £36 from Selfridges – I use B10 in the winter and B30 in the summer. A slightly beefier formula than their other offerings, this one ramps up the coverage while still preserving that dewy, healthy finish that YSL are known for. It’s a bottle I reach for when my skin is not behaving, but I still want things to look fresh. It just melts into the skin with fingers or can be built up to a pretty full coverage finish with a brush; one for drier skinned gals I reckon. My score: 8/10.
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