Foundation help please!

[givememarmite]

My skin is pretty bad at the moment, I'm 44 and have bad hormonal spots but also quite dehydrated skin in parts. I'm trying to sort that out with skincare but I really need a foundation with good coverage that makes my skin look better!

I'm not expecting flawless (but that would be a bonus!) but everything I have tried either doesn't last long, says Matt finish but I end up looking shiny after a couple of hours, sits in my pores or just doesn't look like I have anything on my face!
I don't want a caked on look but I want to look "finished" if that makes sense?
Any recommendations for me please?

Marks and Spencer Luminosity primer is fab, I use that with CC cream for a finish that lasts all day.

I also have Armani Luminous Silk foundation which doesn’t stay as long as Garnier CC.

I have been using doublewear for years as it’s the only thing I’ve found that covers my bad skin and doesn’t make me shiny. However I think it doesn’t suit my skin so well anymore (age related probably!). I’ve been recommended Charlotte tilbury airbrush flawless foundation so I’m keen to give that a try but might wait until I can get to a store to try and get the right shade.

So I've been using the smashbox primer for 10 days or so and it's definitely a game changer! Thank you to everyone for the suggestion, I would never have thought of primer before. It's working really well with the L'Oréal 24hr foundation I already had and that looks much better.
I'm not so keen on the smashbox foundation I ordered but I'm not sure the colour is quite right which also doesn't help.

I am hoping to get to my nearest city next week which has a Sephora so will go try some more foundations out there now I have a nice list!

Glad to hear it! Really makes such a difference!

I use 'face studio prime' (illuminating) in a pinky colour. It's by Maybelline (think I got it from Tesco). I generally use a Typology foundation, but I do change foundations depending on circumstance, eg seasons, etc. But I don't put the primer on first. I squeeze the primer and the foundation onto my hand and blend them together. My skin is fairly elderly and this really works for me. I also use an oil on my skin first, rather than a moisturiser.

Don't hate me but just to see if there's anything food or drink th as t can be changed too? As in more water, less sugar? Just because I tried loads of different things and when I eased off sugar and drank more water it was life changing (used cetaphil face wash which was a game changer too)

@stayathomer

Don't hate me but just to see if there's anything food or drink th as t can be changed too? As in more water, less sugar? Just because I tried loads of different things and when I eased off sugar and drank more water it was life changing (used cetaphil face wash which was a game changer too)

Thanks for the suggestion! I am trying to cut down on sugar. Have stopped taking it in tea now and am slowly cutting down my Coca Cola habit and upping my water intake. I think it's definitely a problem that needs a number of changes!

givememarmite phew thanks for understanding, I used to hate people saying maybe if you drank more water then my friend got me alpha h gift set and my skin was amazing for a while then went to shit when it ran out. I went back to my cheaper routine cetaphil and cerave and realised it had been a bit of a mad month sugar wise so started cutting down on fizzy drinks and drinking water (I know!) and suddenly my skin was quite close to during alpha h days!! (Not quite quite as amazing but less red, less spots and softer!)

I'm old than you but my holy grail that I come back to time and again is The Ordinary serum foundation, one pump buffed well into the skin with one of those flat toothbrush brushes and then a light dusting of Laura Geller either balance n brighten, or nalence and glow. It's super thin but highly pigmented.

Don't know if I'm too late, but the ByTerry hyaluronic foundation is supposedly good for dehydrated skin.

It's currently on sale with Feel Unique with a hefty discount and free delivery - https://www.feelunique.com/p/BY-TERRY-Hyaluronic-Hydra-Foundation-SPF30-30ml-FR?curr=GBP&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlamZjd6u8wIVV-7tCh2eKAceEAYYASABEgJoLfDBwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&cffchlcaptchaatk=pmddVV353NQtZ5kyPHOJWEBBthPLIFMKrwwWOQ2TUqaqEfo-1633281075-0-gqNtZGzNA6WjcnBszQeR
I've just ordered one, so can't tell you if it's any good yet, but reviews look good.

I’ve been using Smashbox primer and foundation for years and recently took a bit of a risk on Il Mikiage and I am really liking it! They colour match you by doing a quiz which I was a bit hmm at first and mine might be a tad too light but overall it’s a really nice foundation and the colour is better than my smashbox one! I’m still using my smashbox primer. I also got a free eyeliner pen with it and it’s really nice.

I wouldn’t wait for dermatology, I’d see the dr for topicals and if that doesn’t work then oral antibiotics. You might only need a course of lymecycline to be free of it.

All acne’s hormonal, the cause doesn’t matter. Skin makes food for bacteria.