Make up doesn’t suit me at all it makes me look awful

[CantLookGood]

I have tried so many different base products and every single one makes me look worse not better.
My skin is actually really good and I regularly get told I look much much younger than I am but I wanted to wear make up just to feel and look better.

Everything I try makes me look terrible !!! At first I thought I was picking the wrong shades as I looked ill and dull but even with a good shade match products either highlight open pores or fine lines making me look terrible , or my skin gets irritated, or I took too shiny or too matte. Just everything is wrong.

Im starting to think I should just forget the foundation / concealer and just use eye make up and lipgloss. Am I being silly trying to find a base when my skin is pretty good?? Every time I try a tinted moisturiser or foundation I feel so relieved when I take it off as instantly look ‘myself’ again !

i just wanted to look more polished but it makes me look horrible it’s weird it’s almost as if my face can’t take much make up it really even when lightly done/natural make up makes me look quite horrible ???? Then I feel upset as I want to make an effort !!!

Ive tried glossier (skin tint and stretch concealer), multiple no7 foundations and tinted moisturisers, bare minerals foundations and tinted moisturisers, L’Oréal foundation drops and a couple of rimmel ones. I don’t have a massive budget and can’t keep buying them to try as so many have been fails so I feel like giving up. I just wanted to look more polished and not a mess 😭

I went to see thr Number 7 lady in my local Boots and she was amazing. You tried that?

Yes i tried the Hydraluminous I actually had to try 2 colours as the one the recommended went too orange once on but the lighter colour although a good shade match made me look wrinkled it just sat in fine lines that I can’t even see usually !!! I then tried the tinted moisturiser and also a serum foundation .

I’ve tried the ordinary foundation too but no shades matched the pink was too pink the neutral was too yellow (and they actually do a yellow one !!!) so had to bin those.

even the excellent shade match with Bareminerals just sat in pores , I tried a primer underneath and then i looked flat and fine lines again it just highlighted everything.

maybe I should try a light powder and mist afterwards? Would that work ? I have a glossier wowder I haven’t tried yet as a last resort

I'm a recent Lancome foundation convert - maybe give that a try 🙂

I’ll have a look Thankyou I just want to look that little bit more polished and fresher nothing too much and I want to feel like I’m making an effort for myself

Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear 24H Foundation 30ml @CantLookGood this is the one I use it's very natural looking 😊

I’d go to the counters and ask for some testers rather than buying whole bottles.

If you've got good skin and look better without it, why bother? Save yourself some money and time!

You're buying cheap products. I use Nars Sheer Glow and it leaves a flawless finish with just two drops of the stuff.

This is what I’m starting to think !!!! Maybe I’m making all this effort and there’s no point !! I think I wanted a routine something to feel like I was more polished etc

What about a cc cream like the Erborian one. I don't wear foundation only that. Or the Dr Sam Spf with skin tint is great too

I looked at nars but are they all fragranced? I can’t tolerate anything fragranced as have such sensitive skin 😩

I wear make up to cover up the bits I don't like and highlight the bits I do like. When I was young (and now I realise bloody gorgeous although I didn't think so at the time of course) that meant a tiny bit of concealer on red bits, dusting of powder on nose and forehead, eyeliner, mascara and a really tiny amount of blush. Now I'm (ahem) a lot older I use many more products but always aiming for the natural look. I'm just aiming for healthy, accentuate eyes, looking brisk and awake. I suspect you just need very little and very light touch. The Instagram look is very biased towards how you look on camera which is not flattering in real life at all. What tones are you? Eye colour etc.

I'm the same. I'm quite pale but go very red when hot and I think I look like a clown with make up.

Magic mineral powder. £9.99 in Boots I think but on Amazon for £9.00

You only need a little swirl around with the brush provided or your own brush and it is fantastic for anyone who can't get on with liquid or cream foundations etc.

Hi OP, I wonder if you’re using too much makeup?
I tend to look a bit shiny and clowny if I put a base on my whole face, so now I tend to just put a drop on each cheek and blend to cover and redness. Leaving forehead, nose and chin out. Just makes me look a bit more polished like you said. This, eyebrow pencil, mascara and lip balm are my every day routine.
I use revolution foundation drops, tried higher end brands but this suits my skin.

This

I'm older now and just use tinted moisturiser, a highlighting glow powder thing over cheekbones, a bit of blush and that's it. Oh and a pale plum lipstick that FINALLY suits my colouring.

It's all about not giving a damn, but feeling good and making a bit of an effort.

If going to a wedding I use a light foundation and the powder to blot it, plus the stuff above. A bit of coloured eyeliner top and bottom and I feel good to go. What anyone else thinks is of no concern to me!

This, 100%. I have never worn base, I have good skin so don’t need to and my colouring is almost impossible to match (olive yet cool/pink toned). I just use moisturiser with a white loose powder dusted over then go to town on eyes or lips

If you want a routine and to look polished, just invest the same time and money into general skincare instead.

You want to look better but freely admit it all makes you look worse. I literally cannot understand why you are persisting!

I wore make-up for about 5 minutes when I was 17-years-old. I felt like a drag queen, make-up just didn’t suit me. I sometimes use a translucent face powder and a bit of lip gloss but that’s pretty much it.

Yes - do this. Buy some of those cheap boots travel pots and take them with you.

If you have good skin you only need a tinted moisturiser or a v light foundation to even out the colour or add a bit of glow I assume? I have good skin but am pale and that's what I wear it for.

If you can, base is something it's worth spending a bit more on. Laura Mercier and Bobbi brown both do great tinted moisturisers. Book up some counter make-overs when it's quiet.

If your skin is good leave off the foundation. Why not try a very light dusting of powder over you t-zone with a fluffy brush, bit of blush maybe bronzer if you fancy it, lipstick, mascara and tightlining? The easiest method for tightlining, I find, is with a very highly pigmented dark eyeshadow applied with an angled eyeliner brush. Just press into lash line. (Any fall out can be easily brushed away.)

I think it's the cream formula you are struggling with, especially if you've never really worn a base. If I thought I needed something, and that doesn't seem entirely clear, I'd be trying a mineral foundation like Bare Minerals which you buff in and which is less likely to sit on the skin, or at least feel like it is. But can be a little drying for very dry or mature skin (you don't say your age).

If you've got great skin why bother

Having said that it sounds like you need a primer

I am mid 40's and wear concealer to cover redness and under eye bags. For years I wore concealer and a full face of powder. I have good skin so only apply concealer where necessary along with eye make up and lipstick. It makes me look more fresh faced.

In my opinion, overdone make up for everyday wear looks dated and aging.