Who do you trust to buy the perfect foundation-type stuff from?

[tobee]

Would you trust a brand for always delivering the right shade and level of base for you? (Foundation, concealer, tinted moisturiser whatever looks best) Would you always trust the sales assistants to be well trained and not flogging you stuff? Or do you trust yourself? In other words I need some good but natural coverage - especially for this time of year. How do I go about it? I would consider anything; high end, Boots own, supermarket whatever.

I've booked a make up lesson at MAC, it's £20 but that's redeemable against purchases. I've asked them to help me with foundation and eye make up, and by booking a lesson there'll definitely be someone to help me and I should get some tips too! I've heard good things about MAC foundation so fingers crossed...

I'm a bit picky and will admit that I check out sales assistant's own makeup before speaking to them for advice.

Generally I find Estee Lauder and Chanel the best for foundation matches; I used MAC and what I came home with looked just yellow in natural light. It's trial and error; a lot of places offer trials and samples, I'd get a few different ones and play about with them at home til you find 'the one'.

Double Wear is my winter foundation, but I have to use Pore Minimiser underneath or it accentuates my large pores, so the outlay of £32 for foundation (which isn't the most expensive I own) is compounded by the need for a £60 bottle of primer. Which makes DH a little sick when he hears me admit to it.

I've just got some nice Clinique stuff, I'm quite pale and struggle with shades but this is ok

If it's an impartial review your after check YouTube or the MakeUpAlley website.
I find most counter staff to be trustworthy, they are hoping you will return .
The spacenk staff have the benefit of being able to recommend a foundation for a selection of brands according to your particular needs.
Another thing is to ask for samples.
I recently tried a creme de la Mer sample that saving me making an expensive mistake.

I find Bobbi Brown reliable. lots of different types of foundation so a SA can recommend the right one for you and still make a sale (I mean, you don't have to wry they'll flog you something unsuitable just for the sake of selling an item).

Not sure how wide their shade ranges are on the whole spectrum of skin colours but I know there's about 4 very similar ones around my own skin tone so it was easy to get a precise match.

I like the SAs as well, they usually have good make up and they seem well trained.

I would give Bare Minerals a try. I used them for a while but I didn't quite get the coverage I wanted (I use Estee Lauder doublewear now). BUT BM has a wide range for colours and it left my skin looking really, really lovely.

I used the Bareskin Foundation as a base followed by the powder foundation then the finishing powder (still use the finishing powder). If it had more of a matt finish, I would still be using it as I never had a breakout once using it, whereas I am more prone to breakouts using EL. You can get a little starter kit of the powder foundations from Bare Minerals (not sure if they do over the counter samples, but it might be worth asking if you have a counter nearby).

24601, I'm concerned about pores too . Can I ask which primer you're using ?

I don't think one company does everything perfectly and to my specific preferences.

I don't trust sales people generally - they're there to sell, and they'll usually try to sell a product of theirs, rather than recommend one at the competitor even if the competitor's product is better.

I ask for samples, try it at home and then buy.
Sometimes I can get a good idea of how a product will be in store and buy it without getting a sample, but it's pretty rare.

I don't know what your skin type is like, but I have had good experiences generally with the staff and products from Guerlain, Laura Mercier, Clinique and Estee Lauder. I've always been able to get some good advice on products that might suit me as well as a few samples, so I could try products at home before buying.

Mac is also good, but they don't do samples, and I do think their foundations are either too yellow or too pink for me.

Bobbi Brown is always way too yellow for me (she doesn't do pink toned/cool toned foundations as she believes that everyone has yellow/warm undertones in their skin).

Hmm, thanks, lots to ponder here. Always happy to have an excuse to go into spacenk. Sometimes I find in department stores the sa can seem a bit bored, especially if you're not in your first flush of youth, or maybe it's just me?! Often I've had surprisingly good help from people who look like they went to the Donald Trump School of Beauty but it's a worry.

JackieO (awesome name btw) I use Estee Lauder's Idealist. It's extortionate and makes me silently weep when I buy it, but lasts a lifetime and genuinely is the best thing I've ever used for pores. It actually reduces them over time, too.

www.johnlewis.com/estee-lauder-idealist-pore-minimizing-skin-refinisher/p94844?navAction=jump&_requestid=2116123

Ah ha !
Thank you Whoooo , I have a little sample bottle of that in my makeup mountain, I will look it out and try.
Bye bye pores

Chanel for me.

I have a drawer, full of unloved foundations, bought in an excess of enthusiasm. I have learned NEVER to buy on the day. Unless the counter provides a sample (enough for three attempts) to take away for home trial in different lights without the SA/make up artist's expertise, I will no longer consider buying anything that costs more than £10. Too often they oxidise after 20 minutes and turn orange on my skin.

FWIW, my best success is the MAC Skin finish tinted mineral powder matched over my nose (applied with a big kabuki brush) which evens out the uneven colouration over my face. I do have decent skin, even at 60, without major problems (just wrinkly bits). The older I have got, the less foundation I wear. It doesn't necessarily photograph well, but looks natural in real life which is more important for me,

OSock - I have that drawer too!!!

Glad it's not me out there alone, Cool.

Dior and Chanel

Mac for me. I use their studio Fix fluid and apply with a strippling brush. I also use the studio Fix foundation powder to set it. I need quite a lot of coverage to cover my Melasma. I love Mac make up generally although buy L'Oréal mascara. I work in a theatre and all the stage make up we use is Mac.

Bobbi Brown all the way. They specialise in a 'natural look', their make up lessons are free and the make up artists are never pushy about buying products afterwards. Both my mum and I use it and we like different levels of coverage. It's not the cheapest but I don't buy replacements more than once or twice a year and I wear makeup daily.

I like no 7 foundation. If you ask at the counter they put this scanner thing on your skin to get a good match. I am currently using beautifully matt which is a good natural coverage.

I like Bourjois foundation, I think it's just as good as more expensive makes.

I also really like Mac face and body makeup (only sold in Mac shops, not in department stores), I don't like their other foundations as much as this one.

It really depends on your skin type IMO. I bought MAC foundation once and it wrecked my face in a very short period of time, was just way to strong/heavy/formulated for my skin. Luckily they refunded me even though I bought the product when I was on holiday in the U.S.

I've tried lots of different brands and I'm now using Laura Mercier tinted moisturiser which gives a light coverage. I stopped using loads of different skin care lotions and potions and kept it simple and my skin is now nice enough to get away with no actual foundation.

I had a bad reaction to Liz Earle skin care products too. Which surprised me. My face was prone to dryness but also sensitive with breakouts. Now using a very basic Superdrug cleanser and the Nip Fab Glycolic Pads. Skin calm and clear and hydrated. At last. Never get breakouts anymore.

I have friends who get on brilliantly with MAC, Clinique, EL etc. It's subjective.

Double wear light! 🙌🏻
I'm pretty much a too faced convert at the moment

Are you a member of mrsgloss&thegoss on Facebook? They've got about 30000 members and they'll be able to give you loads of pointers

Lancome idole . they give samples that last at least a week and a massive range of colours. It's like magic, makes your skin look radiant.I used to think I needed " full coverage " as I have a lot of sun damage, so tried a few heavier ones (Liquid Veil by Pur is supposed to be invisible, but should be called Beige Grout) but now realise that of the product gives "radience", as the lancome does, light coverage of fine.

I have noticed that the SA in the flagship department stores in London seem to be better than my more local ones but I've not been that often so could be coincidence!