Shopping for foundation was a miserable experience.

[Nepenthe]

I'm not used to wearing foundation, if I'm going to wear make up at all, it's usually just eyeshadow in subtle browns and greys, black eyeliner and mascara, and sometime a neutral lip colour. I'm starting to feel like it's sometimes not enough, and when I want to make a special I could do with something more. So I went looking for a foundation and a concealer today. I ended up feeling stupid and overwhelmed, and came home with nothing.

There is not a lot of choice locally (a medium-sized Boots, and a small Superdrug), so I went to Boots and looked at nyx. Found a couple of shades that looked like they might be worth trying but those shades had no testers available. Found a tester for one, the colour looked good, but there were none in stock. Out of ten or twelve shades, only about half had testers available. One of them was super runny and splurged out all over my hand. I had to find a member of staff and ask for a tissue, because there were none nearby.

I tried a different brand, not sure which one, might have been L'Oreal. There were some testers available, so I opened one up and it had all separated in the tube, so loads of oily liquid came out, and no colour. I thought it didn't bode well, so moved on.

I tried a third brand, this one was in a bottle, but the nozzle was blocked and the stuff exploded all over my clothes. I had to zip my coat up, even though I was already too hot, and I can't cope with being too hot, so I figured that the foundation gods were not smiling on me today, and gave it up as a bad job. I didn't want to risk looking for a concealer.

I'm not great at talking to people, it was hard enough asking for a tissue, so I don't really want to approach one of the counter assistants. Besides, they all work for particular brands, so they won't necessarily help me find the one that's right for me.

So, when you have no idea where to start, how do you go about choosing a foundation? Just keep buying them at £10-£20 a pop until you find the right one? Or can you order samples anywhere? I'm not really familiar enough with any one brand to have a preference, so I can't even use that as a starting point.

I don't want to look heavily made up, I just want to look in the mirror and not think I look rough AF. Maybe that I even look nice!

I've always found actual foundation to be a waste of money, never look natural, always too thick, Ive been using BB or CC creams, or very lightly tinted moisturiser - I don't understand the need to completely cover your skin in a thick layer, if I have a particular red bit or spot I use a concealer stick just on that bit, but I think most women look better with just a bit of colour and sheen rather than a gloopy coating

Clarins is great for fair skin. I have sensitive skin and it's fine for me. I've found buy cheap, buy twice. You can request samples on the website. Double check but I think you can also return foundations to clarins if you buy directly from their website if you're unhappy.

I recently bought the Lisa Eldridge foundation after years in tinted moisturiser. It's bloody good!

You could be shade 1 or 5, maybe?

www.lisaeldridge.com/collections/the-foundation-shade-finder/#

Oh no, the Lisa Eldridge sample cards are out of stock again.

@ChardonnaysPetDragon

Oh no, the Lisa Eldridge sample cards are out of stock again.

There's often someone selling samples on ebay. Not sure if the LE one is available.

@LadyNell

I bought No7 hydraluminous foundation and uts really good, great colour match, I got colour matched in Boots and its spot on. Nice light texture, build able coverage and a nice fresh dewy finish

@Nepenthe I also recommend this foundation. It sounds like you have similar fair colouring to me. You could start with the shade called Calico in this range, it's pale but not pinky.

Honestly, try il makiage it's online test and amazing!

Thanks again everyone!

@crazyjinglist That looks like it might be the one that splattered all over my top - in which case, I'm impressed by its staying power - it hasn't washed out after two full wash cycles! I might go back in wearing one of those plastic rain poncho things, and try it again

@RampantIvy Ah yes, I could indeed take a friend. You'd think an idea so simple would have occurred to me, wouldn't you? Good plan.

@Blueberrycreampie No Home Bargains here either. I promise I do live in a real place with actual shops. (Just not any decent ones.)

@Bertiebiscuit I agree - I don't want my face rendering, I just want to take things up a notch, make myself look a bit better.

I have looked up some of the recommendations online, so I'm feeling more confident about going in search of them, or samples.

If you are going along with the Boots Foundation and don't really like interaction with people (totally get it), No.7 intelligent foundation is the best foundation ever. It only comes in light or medium (I think) it adjusts to the colour of your own skin. I have used it for years, it gives the most healthy glow and doesn't look like you are wearing foundation. I'm 48 and always get mistaken for being much younger when wearing it! Good luck.

Thanks @Idontcareboutthestateofmyhair, that sounds worth investigating!

No probs 👍 😊