No foundation looks good on my 43 year old skin

[SallyRabbit]

Help me oh wiser make-up fans.

I’m 43, not too wrinkled or fine-lined yet. I use renew and me plus a night and morning moisturiser. I wear sun screen every day.

In the last couple of years no foundation has looked good on me. I’ve tried expensive brands, brands that claim to be good for mature skin, primer, every brand that’s ever advertised on facebook.

They all look scaly, flaky and sit in my pores, or highlight the fine lines that I DO have.

I see women in their 40s and 50s with amazing make up so it must be possible! What can I do to find a foundation that works with my non-20-year-old skin.

Thanks!
Sally

NARS tinted moisturiser is really good IME - light coverage and seems to actually benefit my skin.

Tinted moisturiser is your friend. I have found as I got older that less is more. I am 67 and use Laura Mercier tinted moisturiser. I just look like a better version of me.

Thank you @Twoshoesnewshoes and @RampantIvy. Can I ask though - I work in an industry that is typically really well-groomed, lots of extremely well-presented women. Do you find tinted moisturiser does the trick? I don’t want to look better than no make up, I ideally want to look well made up, if you know what I mean!

Thanks again x

Erborian CC cream, Eveline CC cream (cheap but poor colour choice), or at a push No 7 Hydraluminous applied with a damp sponge.

Focus on getting your skin in order, and then you'll need less coverage?

Chanel les beige tinted moisturiser over a primer. Cream to powder eyeshadow and cream blusher.

Tinted moisturiser like a BB cream with SPF and add a few drops of self tanning oil to your evening moisturiser.

@Ionlymakejokestodistractmyself as you can see from my post - I’m doing what feels like a pretty decent skincare routine already. I don’t know what else I could add to improve it. My skin is fine, just not something I feel comfortable going make-up-free with! Thanks for the other tip 🙂

Do you find tinted moisturiser does the trick?

It does for me.

I am lucky, and have been blessed with good skin. Anything more than tinted moisturiser just looks cakey on me. I wear blusher and lipstick as well.

I can't wear eye make up as I have very dry eyes and wrinkled eyelids and eye make up is not flattering on me. I am blessed with dark eyes, eyebrows and eyelashes, so not wearing eye make up isn't a problem.

Yes to Erborian (BB or CC) or Laura Mercier tinted moisturiser. The NARS one is good but almost all the shades are yellow toned so depends on your skin.

Laura Mercier foundation is not bad but needs a LOT of moisturiser first and apply before moisturiser dried iyswim. Or the NARS light reflecting but again, yellow toned.

Also try an exfoliator like BHA.

Tinted moisturiser will look just as good if not better for a few hours, but IME it will not last as well as foundation. So depends if you need something that lasts from morning to night.

I find that lip and cheek tints look better than creams. Also that a light swipe of eye pencil eye shadow under the brow bone avoids the eye shadow gathering in my crows feet fine lines which happens with powder or cream eye shadow.

I struggled to find foundation that worked for me until I impulse bought some
M Asam Magic Finish. It’s like a mousse in texture and you don’t have to twat about with choosing the right shade because it adapts to your skin. I absolutely swear by it!

Your foundation might not be sitting on your skin well because your moisturizer and the foundation aren't compatible.

Do you use primer? It could be that one is water based and one silicone based. I use SPF as a primer and some definitely flake under my tinted serum. With others, my skin looks flawless. The layering ingredients really do matter.

You just need to realise that as you get older, less is more.

Skin tint or tinted sunscreen for me. I use super goop in sunrise which gives a nice glow. Under eye brightens and set with either powder or bronzer as I would over normal foundation. Finish with a glow boosting setting spray. I have the elf one which is a Charlotte Tilbury dupe and works fine.

IT Cosmetics CC Cream. Don’t be fooled by the name - it’s a proper foundation. Comes in three formulas depending on how much glow you want. Good coverage so you can look very polished, but does look dry or cakey.

Also, absolutely key to make sure your skin is properly cleansed, moisturised and hydrated. Proper cleanser taken off with a hot damp flannel - not micellar water or wipes! Then a good hydrating/plumping serum and a moisturiser.

This is totally true! I once did an after sun moisturiser with aloe in it one summer and oh my goodness, I could not put anything else on my skin after that without it all peeling off.

I also have this problem. I don't have a magic solution but what seems to work best for me at the moment is putting on a mix of tinted moisturiser and foundation and blending in together.

Do you exfoliate regularly? There are daily toners that provide gentle continuous liquid exfoliation (acids) or weekly treatments such as exfoliating pads or a cream/paste. It really does make a difference to how well foundation sits on the skin without highlighting the negative aspects you mentioned. As an absolute top choice I would recommend P50 lotion from Biologique Rechercher (I buy mitfrom Embassy of Beauty and you must follow the instructions so your skin gets used to it gradually). Alternatively, there are gentler Korean brand treatments for weekly application, if you visit a large Boots store you would get good recommendations.
You could also try mixing your foundation with a light moisturiser for a BB effect and you can build up for more coverage.
What you need is flawless and well hydrated skin to start with before you apply any kind of coverage.

I’m on my second bottle of revolution skin silk foundation, I think it’s fantastic, it cover’s enough without being too noticeable and lasts all day, neither too matt or dewy, I don’t even need powder, most other foundations look too shiny.

I’m 43 and I use mineral powder foundation as I find liquid ones look too claggy on my skin. I prefer a lighter coverage anyway so it works well for me. I tend use bare minerals but am currently trying a Clinique one which seem ok so far.

I swear by No7 hydraluminous. I'm 54 & have good skin, but this seems to just make it look even better & more 'me on a good day'. Doesn't look cakey or like I've got much foundation on.

It's way better than the many, many expensive foundations of the past- Clinque/ Clarins/ Lancome/ Tilbury.

I've used it since its launch & won't change. I use tan drops in it in summer & use a bit less.

It's not expensive so worth a try for you.

Seeing a PP there, I did use Bare Minerals whole shebang for some years. I liked it & I don't think it would be cakey, but it became a pfaff. I like to be quick & out the door.

I am older than you but I find Bare Minerals original powder doesn't cake or sit in creases.
I also like the look of NARS tinted moisturiser but unfortunately it makes my eyes itch.

Stop with foundation. I use L’Oréal cc cream and it sits much nicer. Plus it looks more natural and less cakey, creased.