Finding a good foundation? Is it possible? Please recommend some to me!

[toastfiend]

Just that, really.

I have a long-running battle with foundation (whole of my adult life, really, around the time that I started caring about my face being the same colour as my neck). Every foundation I have ever tried has oxidised on my face to some degree and turned me orange. I don't know what it is, I've tried all different moisturisers etc. but within 20 minutes I range in shade from peach to oompa loompa. It's a disaster and I'm really sick of it now.

I've tried Estee Lauder Double Wear, Dior (every kind I could buy, all dreadful), Mac Pro Longwear (I have this at the moment, it's OK ish, but a bit orangey and so thick it makes my face look like a wax dummy. Might have been OK when I was 20, but I don't like the heavy make up look these days and it enhances the fine lines on my forehead), L'Oréal (best of the bunch, weirdly), Rimmel (OK), Benefit (dreadful), Chanel (same results as L'Oréal). What am I missing? I've had them professionally matched at the counter (usually the lightest shade there is), been happy, left the store, and realised I've gone orange again, or that they're cakey, or that my combination skin looks terribly dry under them etc. I think part of it is that my face is a bit weatherbeaten (always outdoors) so looks darker than the very pale skin on my neck anyway, which doesn't help.

I have the Glossier Skin Tint atm, which doesn't go orange and looks lovely initially, but it's not great coverage and my skin has some old blemishes, and it does go a bit patchy throughout the day, so it's only really good for casual wear.

Anyway, this is an exceptionally long-winded way to say that I basically want something that won't go orange, won't make me feel like I've plastered my face but does cover blemishes. I'm after that glowy, dewy, healthy, natural look really. Can anyone help? What would you recommend? I've spent so much money on my quest by this point that I'm happy to pay out a bit more if it's good.

No expert at all (no knowledge as to why foundations oxidise but haven't had too many issues with this) but have you ever tried bare minerals? I used to use it a lot when early 20s as it's supposed to be kind to skin and actually help with blemishes. It's quite nice I think, and very buildable so if you want a less heavy looking finish it would be good. It never oxidised on me at all, and doesn't feel heavy or cakey. They sell it on QVC so you could always return if you didn't like it.

Chanel vitalumiere and armani luminous silk are both good. Not super high coverage but definitely don't give that flat look

I second bare minerals powder foundation. It gives such a natural polished look, and great coverage without looking heavy or caked.

I can highly recommend La Prarie Foundation, it is second to none, a tiny amount creates flawless skin and feels like the gentlest moisturiser.
For me it stops the irritation and sensitivity to heat and cold, my skin used to be so dehydrated all the time.

BUT it is expensive, £190, although mine lasts me a year. I ask for vouchers over the year for birthday/christmas etc.
I would rather have good skinthan most else...
Also a top notch beautician once told me that a superior foundation is the only make up it is neccessary to spend on, so other than this, l buy Rimmel make up

This would be a nice set to try it OP, and you get a 30 day money back guarantee if you don't like it:

www.qvcuk.com/Bareminerals-Nothing-Beats-The-Original-4-Piece-Collection.product.235254.html?sc=NAVLIST

Flower Beauty Light Illusion by Drew Barrymore.

I've pretty much tried everything on the market and am currently alternating between Tropic Beauty Boost, IT Your Skin But Better, and EL Double Wear Nude Water Fresh.

It was absolutely worth my while to save up a bit and visit https://www.cosmeticsalacarte.com/bespoke-foundation.html

Personalised blend of colour and texture / level of coverage. Needs an initial visit and then can be reordered online. Just brilliant.

Probably not available until the restrictions on non-essential retail in London are lifted. One of the few shops I shall continue to visit in person instead of just online.

Too faced born this way and make up forever ultra hd foundation work well for me. I prefer the stick hd over the liquid one but both are really good.

Urban Decay stay naked foundation has been a game changer for me, after spending years and years looking for my holy grail.

IT Cosmetics CC Cream is lovely. However, worth noting even the oil-free one is not super matte and does have a slightly luminous finish, though setting with powder takes this down. So depending on your preference of finish it might not work for you.

Try Bobbi Brown. If you can get to an open counter (tier allowing) they’ll give you a seven day trial pot of a few different types. Even in the website, I think you can return it if it’s no good.

I'm about as pale as they come and need heavy coverage and I love Max Factor Lasting Performance. I still look very pale with it on but I've no idea if it will do the oxidising thing if your skin is unusual in that way. You have my sympathy though - it must be very frustrating!

No 7 hydra luminous - I really rate it after years of searching from prescriptives to Chanel, estee Lauder, Bobbi brown yadda yadda - anyway i bought it on an offer after the person there recommended it - it was one of those double deals - now love it!

No 7 Hydraluminous for me too. Makes my skin more like really good skin. It smells lovely, feels lovely and doesn’t settle in fine lines.

I always use a biore spf underneath which is like a primer on my skin.

I used to work as a freelance makeup artist and the products I'd recommend are:

• MAC studio fix fluid (they go right down to NC10 which is very light) (high coverage, matte, long wearing, less pink toned than pro longwear)
• IT Cosmetics CC cream, small note on this one though it's not safe in pregnancy. But looks amazing on with some matte transparent powder if you don't like glowy skin
• L'Oréal True Match
• Armani luminous silk
• NARS sheer glow

If you have difficulty accessing counters at the moment there is a website called findation which can find your match based on others you've liked, I find it very accurate.

You can also ask counters for samples if you'd rather not make the investment before trying. A lot of people find counter staff intimidating but they should do this for you! You can also ask for them to apply it, and leave it on for a while whilst shopping to see if it oxidises then go back and buy or purchase online.

It also might be worth seeing if there is a particular common ingredient in your foundations which is causing the oxidisation. Unfortunately it sounds like a reaction to your skin and not a combination of products :( This could also be potentially due to your skincare or primer so maybe google those products to see if anyone else has had the same reaction.

Hope that helps in some way

Potentially a stupid question but are you wearing the right undertone for you. If it is the right shade but wrong undertone it will look like it has oxidised

I love vichy mineralveil
Its lightweight buildable and doesn't oxidise. It also has "skincare ingredients" in the foundation which is probably a load of crap but it does make it go on nicely and sit very well on the skin.
I have vitiligo and it covers it without looking caked on if I build it up. Or I can use a few dots and it just looks natural and glowy
But its a really limited shade range and also the lightest clay is still maybe mac nc20.
But it is honestly the only foundation I've ever made friends try on because I love it so much and its rarely talked about.
Its about £18 but I've often seen it on offer on lookfantastic for around £13
Also @Dragongirl10 one of the reviews I read for the vichy compared it very positively to the la prarie.. but I've never tried yours to compare

Have you thought about looking at your skincare rather than the foundation? Any foundation looks good on smooth, hydrated skin and no foundation looks good if you have dry patches/texture.
Best foundations I've tried are Face Atelier Ultra or Clinique Anti Blemish BB Cream. If you have redness then you could try Erborian Red CC Correct and then use a concealer on any blemishes that still show. I am liking this combination at the moment, it looks much more skin-like and natural than a proper foundation - and fresher.

Sorry I don't have an answer, but what I noticed is that suddenly quite a few products I bought had a yellow undertone. I looked AWFUL after having purchased a one from Bare Minerals (matched at the counter by the MUA), then decided to go for MAC and had the same result. I am in my 40s, so not really new to foundation and make up, and my skin hasn't changed color!
After those experiences I tried also some cheaper products, but still not really great.
Eventually I read something about Chanel CC and bought it with high expectations. Somehow it's amazing on me, I am so happy! Incredibly natural and just the perfect shade.

I'm the same. The only one I've found that doesn't oxidise on me is Clinique

Have a look at Phoera - been a lifesaver for me. Covers my rosaceA for most of the dat

This is fab, thanks so much everyone, I didn't expect so many replies!

Thank you very much for all the recommendations. I've taken note of them and will try to get some tester pots when I can. There are lots mentioned here that I've not tried/even considered, so I'm looking forward to giving them a go.

@StrawberryLipstickStateOfMind thanks for the link to the Bare Minerals set. Looks like a bargain, and I'll definitely be purchasing as have been meaning to give them a go.

@strawberryjelly21 thank you, the L'Oréal True Match is the best of any that I've tried so far. Very good point re: looking at ingredients. I'll do that tomorrow to see if I can find any commonality.

I've heard great things about the No7 Hydraluminous from friends, but sadly their skincare brings me out in spots. I've got quite sensitive skin so would be worried it might react the same to the foundation. It's a shame, though, as those I know who use it always look great.

@Dancerinthemoonlight not a stupid question at all. I don't generally wear anything under my foundation, other than a bit of moisturiser. Perhaps that's the problem, though? I used to wear primer but I felt like the oxidisation was worse when I did, so I stopped. Perhaps that's something I should be looking into, too, though. As I say, I'm a bit weatherbeaten much of the time, so perhaps I need something to cool the ruddiness I'm prone to down a bit!

@emsyj37 good point. My skincare regime has always been a bit haphazard (and cheap) up until now, but I noticed more prominent lines and started taking better care a while ago. I go for a dermaplane facial every 6 weeks, and buy (and use religiously) decent skincare these days. My skin is much, much better than it used to be, but, whilst the foundation sits better, it hasn't improved the oxidisation/cakiness of some brands. My skin does get a bit dry if I've been out walking or riding for a long time in very cold/windy weather, but I do take steps to fix it, and generally these days it's ok. I'll definitely try to Erborian Red CC Correct, thank you, as I do have redness.

@user1471523870 it's interesting, isn't it? I've found the same thing, although the oxidisation has always happened for me. I'll take a look at the Chanel CC cream, thank you.

Op I've stuck with YSL touché eclait foundation for years now.

So many different shades and I love the finish.

I'd tried just about every type you had

I've tried lots. I have very sensitive and oily skin and the best one for me has been Charlotte tilbury light wonder. Makes my skin look flawless but also doesn't make my skin feel caked in make up, I don't feel like I have foundation on.