Best coverage if you don't like foundation?

[LackingCommonSense]

Just that really. I've never been a fan of foundation as it feels too cakey.

I used to prefer tinted moisturiser but I've suffered a really bad breakout recently and I'm MOH at my sisters wedding in two weeks and panicking about covering my spots! Any suggestions?

I've just ordered the Witch primer, and have been using Bourjois CC Cream but I'm still needing loads of concealer and I feel a bit orange tbh (I'm very pale).

Am on my way to Boots at lunchtime for some Pwoar Paint and La Roche Effacler Duo that I've seen recommended on here...but do any of you mumsnetters have any tips/suggestions that will help on the day? Help!!

I "discovered" l'Oreal BB cream recently and it is like a tinted moisturiser coverage-wise. It is a strange colour out of the tube, but it changes colour on your skin to blend it. It is wonderful stuff.

L'oreal True Match is good for colour match, Maybelline Fit Me foundation is great too for light glowy coverage

Concentrate on a good concealer to cover imperfections.

Bourjois Healthy Mix serum in the palest shade works for me and I have similar requirements. The serum version is very light in texture and moisturising at the same time, use a tiny amount and it just evens skin tone, no oranginess. I layer it over Soap and Glory sheer BB cream which is SPF25.

Revlon colour stay foundations are fantastic and not orangey at all.

I love Laura geller balance& brighten, it's no a liquid but a baked powder, it gives great coverage but is so easy to apply. Get it in the UK from qvc.com

I really like the original Garnier BB cream, but if I get it too near my eyes than they stream for ages!!!

Boots No 7 tinted moisturiser is great, its gives a very sheer veil of cover, that makes you look polished/alive/awake without being cakey.

However my favourite regime is a hint of face self tanner before I go to bed, meaning I wake up with a glow, rather than deathly palour - if I've got a little colour, then I don't need much else. But do try Boots No 7 Airbrush Primer, it gives an even, polished look without colour or coverage.

Chanel vital Lumiere aqua is amazing, feels so light, also try Armani Maesto fusion, slightly heavier coverage than the Chanel, but you won't be conscious of it on your skin. The Armani concealer works perfectly with the foundation, perfect colour match but slightly heavier formula.

Petal what tanner are you using? That's an interesting idea to take the edge off my whiteness!

I'm writing all these down so I can look at lunch time!

I'm using Clarins Radiance Plus Golden Glow (however this version has been discontinued and they have a new version on sale, which I haven't tested yet). But if I'm hard up I use Dove Facial Self Tanner, or Simple do a 'sensitive' version. However whichever one you use, the slight tanning effect is enough to negate the need for much coverage the following day.

But if I forget or can't be bothered to do this in the evening, I wake up looking very pale the next day, and then I need to use the Boots No 7 tinted moisturiser. But 'colour' rather than 'coverage' definitely seems to be the thing that works for me.

GOSH CC cream (Superdrug) is good.

I'd get a long wearing foundation that sets on the skin, such as Estee Lauder Double Wear Light. It's a light coverage foundation, but it lasts really well and looks fine in pictures - loads of makeup artists use it for bridal makeup.
I'd recommend getting a sample before buying to make sure the colour is okay and that you're happy with how it looks and wears on your skin.

Then I'd get a good concealer for the areas that need more coverage - I like Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage, as well as a powder to dust on top to set the concealer - Laura Mercier sells one, but I've never wanted to spend the money on it, so instead I've used Mac Select Sheer Pressed Powder or any other powder I've had at home - but you can use whatever you already have and like (just avoid silica powders/HD powders as they cause flashback).
I haven't used a lot of concealers as they never seem to work for me, but the Secret Camouflage works well for me. Mac also has good concealers.

Double Wear Light doesn't give loads of coverage, but it gives more than a tinted moisturiser/BB/CC cream.
If you're not covering all of your skin up in a heavy coverage foundation, but only use concealer on the areas that need it, it will look like your skin is generally much better than if you have heavy coverage foundation all over.

Thanks everyone! I've just used my La Roche Duo set which says 'visible results in 24hrs' so I have high hopes! I also got the L'oreal cream, some Pwoar paint and translucent powder. Carpaccio you're not the first person to recommend Estee Lauder foundation so I think I'll look to get that if I don't see any improvements..I have two weeks!! Petal I think once my skin has cleared I'd definitely going to give your idea a go!

Max Factor face finity for everyday.
I can't stand the feeling of foundation but can use this.

Chose suitable concealer to cover imperfections… that is the only way I think

You should look into mineral foundation. I'm like you, I hate using foundation because I felt like I had face paint on my face. Also I used to have breakouts after breakouts because my skin is sensitive to all the chemicals in certain brands. I found my skin reacted to No7 and Estee Lauder Double Wear, even the Lighter version.

But I've been introduced to mineral foundation powder by Mica Beauty - it changed everything for me. My skin has cleared up completely. My face regime only consists of a thin layer of foundation powder, a bit of blush and another light layer of foundation to blend the blush in. My skin looks so good, I feel confident enough to go out without makeup to the corner shop in the morning (which is a big deal for me).

The only downside is that Mica is quite expensive although you can find it at cheaper prices on Amazon. You can find a similar and more affordable solution at Bare Minerals. They're great, you can go to their counter in Boots and they'll match the foundation to your skin tone. You can get away with their starter kit for £50 and I think it includes the powder foundation, blush, primer and brushes which is a bargain.
I got a free makeup session the other day and the girl showed me their new liquid foundation and honestly it looks great too. It gives you great coverage and it feels like you have no makeup on. You can find vouchers on the Bare Minerals facebook page to get a free sample, so check it out.

I hope this helps.

Sorry to sound dense, but what's the difference between mineral foundation and 'normal' foundation?

Yes mineral makeup although they can vary greatly. Really good for your skin, great coverage and is so natural. Go slow first and you can add more layers if you need to.

I use Urban Decay but buy online so you need to know your shade beforehand, they have the liquid in some of the bigger Boots (same shades).

Loreal used to be good but it's been a while since I used it, might've worth giving it a go. A good mineral makeup should last all day.

Mineral makeup is a very fine powder that you brush over your face, as opposed to a fluid or cream.

This is interesting.. for some reason I thought mineral makeup was more suited to mature skin? no idea where I got that from though.. will it look ok in photos? I might go see the bare minerals counter next week..

Am v impressed with the La Roche stuff btw - 36hrs in and I can already see some improvements!

I have ahem mature skin and, while I find that mineral makeup is OK, I prefer l'Oreal BB cream or Boots no7 Intelligent Colour foundation.

Other, heavier foundations are very ageing on me.

Yes, mineral foundation will look great in pictures and more importantly it'll look natural. @LionWings is perfectly right, a little goes a long way so go slow and build coverage in your problem areas.

Be careful with La Roche Posay products though. I bought them when I had my breakouts and I used them for too long thinking they would keep the spots away but they stripped my skin of its natural oil, so it went into overdrive and made things worse. So use with caution as a temporary treatment. Once your skin is back to normal maybe you should think about switching to organic products like Botanics.

Thanks for all the feedback everyone.. will be visiting boots to try both Estee Lauder and Bare Minerals this week I think!

LRP products did the same to me unfortunately

How long is too long with LRP in your experiences ladies? it's only been a few days so I think I'm ok so far!