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 think I’ll try maybe just a little concealer if needed then and get brows done etc. i think I just felt like I should wear foundation ? 🤦‍♀️

Hydraluminous really didn’t suit me at all I thought maybe it was as they’ve apparently changed it so all the good reviews I’d seen were for the old formula but either way it just sat in lines that I actually can’t see at all if I don’t wear make up !!!! Plus I couldn’t get a colour match I would be orange or an odd grey beige

Drugstore concealers/foundation never look good on me use Armani luminous silk so fragrance also the Nars foundation's are fragrance free I'm not a huge fan of Nars though the Armani looks way better on my dry skin the one Nars foundation that looked the best they discontinued ! I'd stay well clear of Lancôme very very highly fragranced! Also try dior air flash

No fragrance*

Kosas concealer is good so is the armarni for medium light coverage

As I've got older I've felt the same - although I'm only 37. Nowadays I wear tinted moisturiser, a smidge of brown/black mascara, a teeny bit of cream blush, eyebrow pencil with brow gel to set it and tinted lip balm. I find this looks so much fresher. I've also found that a good skincare routine makes a huge difference to how the makeup sits of my face.

I gave up foundation a few years ago. I could tell something wasn't working for me any more so spent a month wearing no make up at all and when I resumed, it was obvious that it was my foundation that was the problem. I'd been using Bobbi Brown so not cheap. My skin's much better without any. (Since then I've practically given up on eye make up too but that's for another thread.)

I feel your pain about the futility of colour matching - I think I’m part vampire and I end up looking orange or grey on the palest tones.

I’ve no wisdom to impart - just place marking in hopes of a magic formula.

I’d just not bother! I feel the same that it ages me a bit but I don’t have a very even skin tone so need something whereas it doesn’t sound like you do. I am currently using a little L’Oréal true match tinted serum.

oskia nutri bronze is v popular on Caroline Hirons skincare group. Evens and adds glow but not make up. They seem to send a sample if you ask. Expensive though! Or trinny bff cream. Again, not make up, just evens a bit. I’d be looking for something like that - not even a cc cream or tinted moisturiser, just a glow/evening product.

Some people don't suit heavy make up.

I find on me if I only wear eyeshadow it really dulls the rest of my face and doesn't look right.
How about getting some subtle lash extensions, then going for a tinted moisturiser/ BB cream, bit of blush or bronzer and a tinted lip balm. They can make all the worlds difference to your face without using tonnes of makeup. Maybe an eyebrow gel just to keep them in place?

You need to spend proper money you know. It's your face, go to a decent makeup counter and ask to test products. Spend up to £50 for a foundation. If your skin is good only put the foundation in certain places and use a foundation brush to brush upwards with small amounts of product.

I have good skin too but just like being mattified. I buy an expensive makeup brand but it lasts because I only use a tiny amount to mattify my face and not cake it on. No makeup is nice caked on.

My God the beauty manufacturers have done a real number on you haven't they!

You do not have to wear chemicals on your face to look polished!!!!!

Another vote for give up on foundation and show off your great skin.

Another one coming on thread to wonder why you want to spend a lot of money on foundation type products when you’re very happy with your skin as it is. I’d agree you can brighten your look with lipstick and/or bronzer things. Highlight your cheekbones a bit or something? How are your eyebrows?

And I think nothing makes you look more polished than a good cut and nice, clean, shiny hair.

I realised that foundation had started to look terrible on me as my skin had aged and was too dry for the make up, so it just sat in my pores and wrinkles.
I now use serum and spf, and apply make up when my skin is still slightly damp, it sits much better.
I use No 7 Restore and Renew, in a completely different shade than I would have chosen, the lady zapped my skin in several places with her gadget and recommended me a shade, I was really sceptical but it actually looks great on.
I mix it with my moisturiser so it's more sheer, and apply with a brush.

I don't wear foundation. I just use eye make up and lip stick.

I couldn't say I have flawless skin but I think I break out with Foundation...

Maybe try the same

I’ve got bloody awful skin and spent years using heavy makeup trying to hide it. Now in my mid fifties and have finally realised that a lighter touch actually looks much better.

If you don’t need foundation then don’t bother. I like Hourglass powder over Erborian CC cream with just a touch of concealer where needed. Bit of cream blusher, eyeliner and my beloved Lipstick Queen Frog Prince lippy and I’m done. I get my eyelashes permed and tinted so don’t need mascara any more.

My inner goth is very disappointed in me.

@CantLookGood I struggled forever with make up until I found Trinny London stuff, natural enough to not look like a menopausal clown but defo looks polished! I love it. Worth checking out her vids on insta and fab for an idea of what they have!

If your skin is good, why do you need to wear foundation? If lip gloss and a bit of eyeliner works for you, then just do that.
You might find a tiny bit of a cream/gel blusher livens up your face a bit, but if you are young ( under 35-40) you probably don't even need that.
You could use a tinted suncream ( Boots Protect and Perfect do one) or some sort of sun protection to make sure your skin stays looking good as long as possible. But heavy ( or any) foundation really isn't necessary.

Just because of budget I’d say try Rimmel, they’re actually my hg foundations, perfect match is used as a dupe for ysl and looks gorgeous or wake me up is full of vitamins and minerals and looks really natural

I think you’re right !!!! I’m going to try just mascara and lip balm and I have a cream blush stick that does look nice

@CantLookGood you should definitely check out Glossier if you aren't already familiar with it.

I’m going to try the brow product I think and maybe a lip tint. The skin tint didn’t work and the stretch concealer didn’t sit right on my skin (which is odd as it looks lovely on my dd)

Foundation only looks good on me of I use a primer and apply with a brush. Or lots of people use a sponge. Otherwise I find it doesn't blend properly and sits in fine lines.

For everyday I use a BB cream. I have used the Trinny one but actually found it looked no better than the cheapie Garnier one. Or if you have good skin just go without!

Agree with @Germolenequeen I use Lancôme teint miracle hydrating foundation it's light and perks my skin up. I tried Mac, Nars, all sorts that were heavy and left lines when I smiled.
I have good skin, and use foundation as it can often look dull when I'm tired.