Stop wearing foundation?

[TheYuleSpoon]

I've been wearing foundation since I was 14. Over the years I've spent thousands trying to find a one that is a good match for my skin and performs well. I've never found one that is both a great shade and formulation, so I'm ready to give up!

If you've given up wearing foundation do you have any advice? I know I need to find a great concealer for some redness around my nose and under eye dark circles. Probably need to switch to a cream blush as not sure how powder will perform on bare skin?
My skin is combination with a t zone that still gets very oily in the warmer months.

I don't wear foundation as it is a faff and never looks very good imo (maybe it does if you spend loads). I wear a bit of concealer instead and sometimes a little powder.

Spend your money on improving your skin. profhilo booster for your overall skin condition plus filler under your eyes to remove dark circles, and a decent retinol, vitamin c and peptide regimine and you'll never bother with makeup again.

I’ve never worn foundation really, just a tinted moisturiser to add some glow and even things out.

Bobbi brown do good concealer so go and have one of there counter makeovers

I think that is quite optimistic, especially for anyone with fair skin in winter

I’ve never got on with foundation either, so when my skin is pale in the winter I use just a touch of Boots BB cream in the centre of my face, and a good concealer. Does the trick!

I agree, though my regime is different. I use Bioeffect diligently day and night. And a few times a year I splurge on the thirty-day treatment. I'm past fifty, fair skin, live in a Nordic capital, and haven't used foundation or powder for a good five years now. Splurge on the best treatments you can afford and you won't have to faff about with a complicated makeup routine

@Luredbyapomegranate great username! Perhaps a little optimistic yes, but I also have the fairest of fair skin.

If I'm going somewhere particularly fancy I'll dab a bit of the ordinary serum foundation over any red bits but honestly, that's me done. (Eyelashes dyed so I can see them)

I’ve given up with foundation as I’m now finding it just makes me look worse no matter which one I try! After some advice in Space NK I switched to Chantecaille Just Skin (pricey but you need the tiniest amount) Shiseido concealer stick under eyes, Chantecaille powder over the top and cream blusher. I have a baby and I’m having chemo so my skin is tired and absolutely atrocious at the mo but people keep telling me I look surprisingly well 😂 if that’s not an advert for that tinted moisturiser I don’t know what is 😂

I've recently stopped using foundation and I just use concealer and a bit of powder because I have very oily skin. I love loreal infallible. It is quite thick but blends and spreads well. I think the key is to get a really good match to your skin if your not using foundation and to ensure you moisturise first to help blend the concealer.

I never got on with foundation, and I’m pleased to find lots of others with the same experience! For some reason I feel more self-conscious with foundation on. It makes my skin dry in patches and oily in other patches. It rubs off on my clothes.

These days I prefer the look of natural healthy skin with a few blemishes, vs a polished and shiny face that is obviously covered with foundation.

After cleanser, serum, spf —> brow powder, tinted lip balm, and a swipe of eyeliner if I’m feeling fancy.

Recently tried the IT cosmetics CC cream. Ong it's a game changer ! Looooove it

Erborian bb cream. I find the IT cc cream too thick as it's more or less a foundation but the bb cream is very light but removes redness and evens skin tone.

I do find foundation a bit of a con. Try and find something to lay over your skin that melts and blends in perfectly. It often makes skin look worse not better, too matte, too yellow, too grey. Oxidises, highlights pores. Doesn’t really cover spots, settles in scars. Deteriorates/splits during the day. Unforgiving in daylight especially in harsh winter light. Clogs pores, reduces natural radiance and round you go again. And just feels a bit greasy or heavy.

I think some of the lighter tinted moisturisers genuinely can improve the evenness of skin. But if you have anything like average skin or above, you can definitely manage with just concealer or powder.

I could have written your post OP! I had moderate acne as a teenager and so have worn foundation for two decades. Recently, I’ve had a massive skin improvement and pretty much stopped wearing Foundation unless on nights out. I’ve been wearing tinted moisturiser or La Roche-Posay anthelios anti-shine spf 50 alone. My teenage self would never have believed my skin would be clear enough to go foundation-free. My biggest concern is how oily my skin is. However, randomly someone said today I had good skin which again still amazes me after having acne for years! And this was on a make-up free day!

I need to get on top of the oiliness now…

I had fairly bad acne as a teenager (was on roaccutane) and have some scarring. I’ve worn foundation daily (DoubleWear mostly) for the past 30years to cover blemishes, uneven skin & large pores.

Recently though I’ve had a courses of Profihlo & microneedling and difference in my skin has been incredible which means I can get away with wearing less makeup.

I’m a total convert to Benefit Porefessional to prime & deal with the pores & scarring & am currently using Glossier skin tint which is so lightweight and Bobbi Brown cream blusher.

My skin look so much more glowy and less crepey round the eyes as it doesn’t sit in the lines. I sometimes mix in a bit of Doublewear for a bit more coverage if I’m going out, but can’t see me going back to full face fountain every day.

I agree, including anyone over about 25.

If you want to stop wearing foundation solely because you can’t get a good match then you need to get a good match. I appreciate that it can be difficult and I’m very fair and nearly 50 so I’ve had my share of foundation disasters. But it’s not impossible.

Yes, the condition of your skin matters but it’s not an either or situation.

I stopped wearing foundation years ago but do wear concealer to even out skin tone where needed, especially as I'm prone to dark shadows under my eyes. If I want to look polished, I add a little (cream) blusher to my cheeks, dust with transparent powder then finish with a dab of hyaluronic acid (to avoid a powderly look and even out tones).

@Ultravox - can you share a bit more on the treatments you did for acne scars that made a difference? I am looking into treatments and not sure which ones are worth exploring - worries about making my scars worse! Thank you.

I visited an aesthetics clinic and had 2 treatments of Redensity1 & 2 treatments of Profihlo which have definitely plumped up my skin & improved the tone.

For the scarring, I’ve been using a cheap dermaroller from Amazon at home for a couple of years with hyaluronic acid & retinol serums which has made a great difference, but decided to go for a professional microneedling treatment this year. I’ve only had 1 treatment out of 3 & the scarring is already looking better so can’t wait to see how it looks at the end. I don’t know the brand of equipment that my clinician uses though so no info on that.

Good luck with it!

In case this helps @Treacletoots I have vitiligo on large patches on my face...so absolutely no pigment, the fairest you can get. And maybelline eraser concealer in the lightest shade ( it has a number but mine has worn off, but it's the 1st in the range) is excellent. No weird undertones just a very very light concealer and blends very well.

I use it to cover some slight redness I get and it works very well. Plus I think its £6 and usually on a 3 for 2 in boots or superdrug

I couldn't go back to foundation after stopping during lockdown. It felt and looked too heavy.

Most days I just dot some concealer where needed and occasionally add self tanning drops to my moisturiser.

If I'm making an effort I use Complexion Rescue, mostly just the centre of my face around my nose and under eyes where the most discolouration is. Every time I wear it someone compliments my skin so it must be doing the job!

I second a Good skincare routine , I wouldn’t leave the house without foundation until my early 30s now I barely wear it well tecbally never I use a tinted moisturiser if I’m having a night out or something and wearing a bit more make up than I normally would

Spend on tretinoin. I used to wear foundation all the time. Since last year i focused on my skincare. I use tretinoin and my skin never been better. I dont need foundation on concealer anymore. I even never use powder anymore. Just spf and blush. My skin looks poreless and ‘glass skin’ like. Spend on tretinoin.

I've stopped wearing foundation in the last year and just use Charlotte tilbury flawless filter over moisturiser and it makes my skin look so healthy and glowy!

I've found since ageing in the last few years foundation just doesn't sit right!