Best foundation (or alternative!) at 40ish

[CharlieWeasleysWife]

Have always needed a matte finish and favoured a liquid, medium coverage. Am very pale.

Pushing 40 now and definitely seeing skin dry out a bit and appearance of some fine lines on forehead and around eyes. Noticeable drop off in skin elasticity.

My current foundation (no7 lift and laminate, shade cool vanilla) is definitely not working - settling in lines, drying out and generally looking awful within an hour or two. I tend to go budget-mid range but would be open to pricier if it's a miracle.

Would love recommendations of where to go from here- open to a new foundation, bb or cc cream, dewy setting spray(?) or anything else...always wear every day as spend my life on teams and hate looking at an un-polished version of myself. My main issues (aside from the developing wrinkles!) are under-eye bags/tiredness and a little bit of redness under the nose. Otherwise generally lucky skin wise.

Help, please!

This.Used it for 10 years its lovely.

Laura Mercier tinted moisturiser gets the same comments for me, at the same age

Been wearing it for 20 odd years - I have tried many others (Nars etc) and always come back

I do like the Armani silk foundation, but that's more of a Downton Abbey porcelain look, day to day I like to add a bit of colour

The fenty eaze drops is more than light coverage in my opinion more of a foundation than a tint. If you want smooth and blurring do give it a try. It is also very flattering for something not glowy.
Laura mercier wasn’t enough coverage for me in comparison. The bare minerals was way too oily for me despite looking and feeling fresh and amazing. If you want something more oily than the Fenty the Lisa Eldridge is very nice.

I use Armani with a splodge of Charlotte Tilbury flawless filter on cheekbones

I am early 40s and changed from NARS to Lisa Eldridge Enhancing Skin Tint last year, which I love. Somehow it manages to make my skin look great without a huge amount of coverage, so it’s very natural looking.

I am going to try this. I’m also a cool vanilla in the boots range and have always liked the hydra luminous but I’m finding it emphasizes my wrinkles and lines now

I’ve always loved the no 7 foundations. I’ve used them for more than 25 years and have worked my way through all the range depending on my age and skin condition. The pro artist range has really ticked the box for me in my 40’s, whereas previously I would have used the protect and perfect, or the hydra luminous.

Good luck!

i also have a favorite shade that really suits me with No7, which I can’t get a close enough match it any other brand.
they really should be paying me a massive loyalty bonus for 25 years of foundation purchases 😂

I found from early 30s onwards foundation just makes me look older - both mentioned already but highly recommend Glossier skin tint and Erborian CC cream (I use the green one it's fantastic).

On a recommendation from here I switched to this. I tried the pro-artist, the hydroluminous but the IT cosmetics CC cream was so much better on my skin. It’s very buildable, and I surprised myself by going for the glow one not the matte one.

https://www.boots.com/it-cosmetics-your-skin-but-better-cc-nude-glow-10320150

Nars Radiant Longwear in Mont Blanc. They have lots of very light shades. It covers everything but is luminous and glowy but lasts all day. You can sheer it out by putting on with a wet sponge or get full coverage with fingers. It''s amazing.

I’d go to a Sephora/ Space NK and get someone to help you. An assistant recommended a NARS one for me the other day but none of the tones worked on my skin, so ended up with a Lisa Eldridge skin tint instead. I quite like it.

I second the hydroluminous one from no7, it looks great. Had lots of compliments on it

Is anyone else still oily and like a shiny greasy teenager in their 40s? I can’t do anything dewy, luminous, or moisturising. It would all melt off in 3 hours. I’m still using the cakey full coverage stuff.

The Bare minerals or Laura mercies stuff just makes me look like a shiny mummy. I’m stuck on double wear for now having tried everything else under £40.

Definitely Erborian cc creme. Game changer. I also use shade Clair

Second the No7 Pro artist silk foundation . Very nice so light to wear but you can build up coverage where you need it .
Think it’s about £24 but I got it a 40% off no7 deal . Would pay much more for it . Reminds me of the Armani one .

Another vote for Lisa Eldridge, either the skin tint or the seamless skin foundation, both excellent.

I also took a punt on heavily discounted Monika Blunder Blunder Cover in a Space NK sale a while back, and ended up converted: it’s more like concealer in texture, but when you warm it up it blends seamlessly, and is a rare perfect match for my very pale skin.

I've used so many of the ones mentioned and the one I've repurchased 3 times now is Lisa Eldridge. It sort of blurs pores, wrinkles etc. it's not too heavy and the colours are good also.

I'm oily too and can look very shiny but I agree with PPs that I find foundation really ageing. I use Erborian CC cream which gives lovely light coverage but does look shiny on me on its own but I set it with a bit of Givenchy Prisme Libre pressed powder and that works perfectly for me.

OP I'm really pale too and I use shade Clair in the Erborian and 01 in the Prisme Libre powder.

I bought this and the anti redness cream, after a recommendation on here. I have tried it all; Clinique, Laura Geller, Charlotte Tilbury, Trinny (very good) er. but this is hands down the best thing I’ve ever used. I am 56 with ‘ginger’ skin, dryness and large pores and this covers just enough and gives me a lovely glow. Not powdery, not shiny and doesn’t sink into pores and lines.
It’s a game changer and you only need a tiny bit.

I have large pores and have found it smooths them nicely too. It’s transformed my skin and confidence tbh!

I am 50 and I use Trinny Products. I went to Liberties and got help to pick which products would suit me. I also want to try Erborian as I see so many people raving about out it.

Yes, me!! I can't use anything 'anti-aging' as it makes me break out and anything 'dewy' makes me look like I've put oil on my face 😂. I use No7 Hydraluminous day gel moisturiser as it's moisturising but not greasy and the No7 pro-artist weighless silk foundation as its very lightweight.

I've recently discovered Sculpted by Aimee too. I got the new cream cushion foundation and am obsessed.
https://sculptedbyaimee.co.uk/products/cream-cushion-foundation

I'm 48 and have been really struggling with finding a foundation that doesn't just sit in my pores and lines. This is gorgeous night enough to just put a light layer on, almost like tinted foundation, but buildable to medium coverage without being heavy. I'm very pale and got shade 1.5N. Also this is less glowy/dewy than the hydratint but a light glow.

I second this, nice and light, evens out skin tone with dewy finish.

@Fitzcarraldo353 thats good to hear as I’ve just treated myself to the cushion foundation! Looking forward to trying it out over Christmas