Help - I need an absolutely non-cakey foundation

[CottagePieLaLaLa]

Let me start by saying I have A LOT of make up. As in a whole cupboard full of it. I enjoy trying new looks, new products, and playing with colour.

However, I am yet to find a foundation that doesn't look cakey in the mirror. Even MAC face & body is too cakey for me. I don't use too much and I've tried stippling brushes, kabuki brushes, traditional sponges, beauty blenders, fingers and anything else I could think of. My make up may look good when I'm standing in front of a full-length mirror, but the moment I look closely at my face, in natural light, you can absolutely see the foundation. And I don't like that. I have also tried primer (I quite like Porefessional by Benefit), setting sprays (I even tried the DIY ones), and various foundation formulas (including Chanel SdT).

I am 50 and have some hyperpigmentation. A few lines but not much. Pores are a little visible. Do I have to go to tinted moisturisers? But even now my hyperpigmentation shows - and I don't like that. If I move to lighter formulas (right now I don't even use full coverage foundations), then the hyperpigmentation will be even more visible.

Any suggestions? Thank you.

I haven't found one. What I do is mix a bit of moisturiser with the foundation on the back of my hand.The coverage is less, but I think that's more flattering on my also 50ish skin.

Look at the Il Makiage website - I think it's great.

They ask you questionnaires to try and send you a foundation match and have a moneyback guarantee. I was skeptical as I'm not a makeup person but I was impressed.

Il makiage is amazing

Nars tinted moisturiser is great. I would say it’s more of a light foundation than a tinted moisturiser though.

If you want an actual tinted moisturiser I highly recommend bare minerals complexion rescue. It’s nice and glowy but more sheer than the Nars. Very natural “no make up” look.

I love the erborian cc cream. Good coverage for a not-quite-foundation. I mix it with the by Terry bronze cc serum.

What's your skin care like? I think foundation looks at its worst when layered over bad skincare.

I am using the new Gucci one in the fancy case, it's a spongy one with applicator. It's so versatile, I can pile it on or just dab over pigment. There's a finishing powder, the packaging is so lovely, enamel cases with refills

It's called Gucci cushion. There is an eye palette as well which is lush

I have a nyx foundation and it isn't cakey I use a cheap primer from superdrug underneath.

https://www.spacenk.com/uk/makeup/complexion/tinted-moisturiser/just-skin-tinted-moisturizer-spf15-MUK200001587.html
This is absolutely beautiful on @CottagePieLaLaLa . I am a similar age to you and have tried everything. It covers well, lasts all day and finish is gorgeous. I get so many compliments on my skin and never wear anything else.

Hourglass ambient finish

For the PP who asked about skincare. I'm a tret user and apply SPF 50 every morning. My skin looks quite good...

I think if face and body is looking cakey even after applied with a wet beauty blender, then it's either that the colour is wrong or there is some element of your skincare that is making it not sit right. Some of my Vit C serums cause pilling.

I've just started using Il Makiage. It's very good and their customer service is excellent (first shade was slightly wrong so they sent me a second one free along with a £15 gift voucher and told me just to give first one away to a friend)

For super lightweight, I've used Lily Lolo mineral foundation for years.

Best foundations I have used:

High end: Estee Launder Double wear - non-cakey, bulletproof. I went to a soft play birthday party yesterday and was in the soft play with my daughter and her friends - when I got home, make up was totally in tact.

Budget: Essence foundation from Wilko's (I think it's Wilko?) - wear it day to day for work, it's flawless - doesn't sit into lines or creases.

Are you letting your skincare "settle" before applying foundation? I find the fastest way to cakey, pilling foundation is to apply it too quickly, before everything else has soaked in.

I'm also on the tinted moisturiser bench now I'm getting older - latest discovery is the IT Cosmetics Nude Glow CC Cream.

I’m about the same age. Good skin (treat user), but dry. I have just about given up on foundation in favour of excellent skincare so I don’t need the coverage. (Incidentally I found Il Makiage terrible if you have dry skin). I have moved pretty much exclusively to tinted moisturiser now. I agree as above the Chantecaille one is nice. I also like Avenes one (anti rougeur). My new find is the VB with Augustinus Bader priming moisturiser in golden - awesome stuff, love it.

Tret user…

My friend recently gave me some Boots No7 Essentially Natural Foundation, I really like it and its cheap too. It gives more of a feel of tinted moisturiser than foundation to me.

I think it will have to be a combination of skint tint plus concealer. There's a trend for tint serums which really look light. Rose inc and westman atelier have one, I like the rose inc one a lot, but I think westman atelier has better colour choices. Afterwards pick a stick foundation or concealer to cover the pigmentation. Again the brands above both have that to use in conjunction with the tints.

I agree it's probably skincare. What are you using?
Any foundation will cake or pill if the canvas isn't prepped tbh.

Another vote for il makiage. I was skeptical but the foundation and concealer is great and the colour match was fab. Prior to this I used Mac but found it heavy. New foundation gives same coverage but feels much lighter in my skin.

What are you moisturising with? Which SPF do you apply in the morning and how long after do you apply your foundation?

Do you use primer at all?

Agree with PP that if it’s every foundation then it’s something to do with skincare.

Also if face and body looks cakey on you then a tinted moisturiser won’t be any better so probably not worth trying that. il makiage was also super cakey on me - looked like it has been put on with a paint roller so I wouldn’t recommend that either.

The best I've used is Clinique Even Better foundation - I always come back to it. I took a break recently to try some Charlotte tillbury flawless filter but it was just so heavy and my skin felt suffocated. The Even Better is light and non-cakey, it doesn't rub off and doesn't make my fine lines more noticeable.

Another vote for making sure all skincare has time to settle before you put any foundation on though. My base make up looks terrible if I don't have time for that.

I may be applying makeup too soon after skincare. How long do you wait?