Foundation help - good coverage, not mask-like

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I’ve never worn foundation and as such am totally clueless as to the best brands, formulations, trends and also importantly how to colour match. I have dabbled with cc creams and used Erborian cc dull correct most recently, but I’m early 40s, have a young child and quite honestly need a bit more help to look more presentable!

I am getting to have a day/night out for the first time in a long time with a friend who seems to be effortlessly glamorous and I’d like to make a bit of an effort for the occasion.

Please could the more knowledgeable of you help make some suggestions based on my needs and skin type?

• I’m early 40s, not too many fine lines/wrinkles yet
• Skin is normal to dry
• I’d like something that gives good coverage without feeling heavy or mask-like on my skin. I can cope with the feel of a cc cream but don’t find it’s packing the punch I need at the moment.

I have an ancient Estee Lauder concealer called Disappear in shade 02-Light and a MAC pro-longwear concealer in shade NW20. My colouring is dark blonde hair, brown eyes. Unsure of my skin tone or how to find out what it is!

Do you have a budget?

That’s a really good question - nothing outlandishly expensive because given I have a concealer from the dawn of time I’m thinking I may not finish the whole thing but happy to spend up to £50 on a smaller sized product and rebuy if I get on with it.

Also, I have tried the website findation but I didn’t have enough examples of colour matched products to provide a result.

I think NARS Light Reflecting Foundation is lovely. It's medium coverage and doesn't feel heavy on the skin. It dries down nicely and isn't tacky. Larger Boots stores stock it so you could shade test. It's around £45.

I echo this. It's excellent

What is the best way to shade test? Should I ask for some help? I’m just conscious that my hand is probably lighter than my face and the lighting in the shop won’t be like daylight. I’m not sure they give out samples any longer do they?

Boots have given me little pots with testers of a product before so if you ask an assistant hopefully they'll let you take a couple of shades home to try out.

Erborian Super BB cream. It's light but will give you the coverage that CC cream doesn't. I think Boots sell it now. I'm also NW20 and use shade Clair.

I’m also early 40s, my tier system is:

• NARS Sheer Glow Foundation and Creamy Concealer
• Lisa Eldridge Skin Enhancing Tint
• Erborian CC Cream

I wear the Erborian if I just want a bit of pick me up, casual school run, etc. Lisa Eldridge if I’m making a bit more effort (maybe meeting someone for coffee/lunch), and if I was going to an event or something special, I’d go with the NARS.

Rare beauty or Lisa Eldridge. Both are lovely with lots of shades and buildable coverage. Pop into a SoaceNk if you can. They are always really helpful.

I like boots no7 hydraluminous (cool ivory and i am also NW20) but i think you need to make sure you have really moisturised your skin in advance (inside + out) and have a good primer for your foundation. And setting spray to last the night.

You should be able to get samples but I normally go into somewhere like SpaceNK, ask them to put one shade on one side of my face and one shade on the other, and then walk out and live with it for a bit seeing which one looks best in different lights.

Sales assistants always pick tones which are too dark for me because I have olive undertones but I am actually quite fair.

NARS have a lot of shades too.

This is really helpful advice thank you.

Thank you for all of the replies - I’m making notes and I’ve taken a morning off work to go foundation shopping. I’ve got a £5 voucher to spend at SpaceNK so will head there first.

Echo space nk but the big boots sometimes have MUAs. Fenty and Lisa Eldridge for me after years of nars and mac. And note you may have to get a different shade summer / winter!