Powder Foundation or BB Cream for the Makeup Annoyed
August 1, 2016 1:56 PM   Subscribe

I’m a difficult to match color and slightly picky - what powder foundation (or BB cream if I absolutely must switch) should I look into? I am overwhelmed by options. Neutral (ish) pale shade snowflakes inside.

I have neutral skewing toward yellow skin - from what I can tell.
However MOST foundation tends to be A) too dark and/or B)Too yellow or orange.
You can look at my Instagram linked in my profile for my face and such.

Wants:
Pale neutral color (not too yellow) I’m going for more of a porcelain look.
Drugstore level (up to $20 ish dollars)
Matte finish (Just not dewey)
Preferably powder - possibly BB or CC type cream is doable
Doesn’t sink into creases or stain/darken dry/flakey bits
Good for combination skin with some redness/pimples/dryness/oily spots
SPF would be wonderful.
Light to light/medium coverage - natural look

Question:
What COLOR and BRAND would you recommend?

I tend to use a brush to blend but let me know if what you recommend is better with a beauty blender and I can buy one.

Question:
Is there a good place - preferably online - that takes returns or free returns or exchanges or…?
(I know I can return unopened products to most stores.)

I can try Target or Ulta but trust me when saying that me physically getting to a store may be difficult - though if my husband has the brand and shade he can buy a few and I can return ones that I know won’t work without opening them - probably. So if he has a specific shopping list he cold pick up a few for me to look at.

Past Colors:
This physicians formula in Translucent is a good color but a bit powdery and not great coverage.

My backup foundation is this ELF BB Cream in Fair that I picked up on a whim. However it’s a bit oily, slightly dark, takes a while to dry down, and is not matte.

This Physicians Formula Argan Oil one in Translucent is somehow farrrr too orange and I literally couldn’t stand the smell. My god the smell…. the smelllll…
posted by Crystalinne to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (32 answers total) 4 users marked this as a favorite
 
This one would be worth trying: Prestige Multitask in Bisque, or Wheat if you want slightly more color. It's <$10, quick and easy to use, provides very good coverage, and is fine for sensitive skin.
posted by Corvid at 2:21 PM on August 1, 2016


If you're into loose powder, I used L'Oreal Paris True Match Naturale Mineral Foundation in Light Ivory happily for a decade*. They also have a lighter one, Soft Ivory, but I'm pretty pale and Light worked for me! Do use your own brush -- the one that comes with the container is too rough and lacks flexibility.

* I recently switched to bareMinerals Matte Foundation Powder in Fairly Light, but it's closer to $30.
posted by jess at 2:37 PM on August 1, 2016


Sephora accepts returns on "gently used" items and they do have lines that are within your budget. (I think Ulta might accept opened products as well, but can't attest to that personally.) I'd still say this is the sort of thing worth going to the store for if at all possible, just because you'll get much better recommendations from a sales rep seeing you in the flesh, but you can absolutely order a bunch of stuff, try them on your real life face at home in normal lighting, and send back what doesn't work.
posted by yeahlikethat at 2:37 PM on August 1, 2016 [1 favorite]


Check out Meow Cosmetics. They have a range of finishes, undertones and coverage levels. You can get samples at $1 a pop, so no need to worry about returns.
posted by runningwithscissors at 2:57 PM on August 1, 2016 [4 favorites]


Seconding Meow and also Silk Naturals, where you blend your own shades of mineral foundation. A foundation starter kit is 12 bucks. Both companies have various formulas and coverage.
posted by oneirodynia at 3:03 PM on August 1, 2016


Unless they have changed their policy, Sephora will allow returns even if you've used it more than "Gently", and so will Ulta (within a time limit - Sephora is 60 days for refund or 90 for store credit). Some drugstores (Rite Aid?) do as well. If you can go to the store, like yeahlikethat said, it's better because they can color match you with their app.

I try to not spend too much money on makeup, but foundation is something I go a little higher on. I like the Kat Von D line, but it might be too heavy for you. Urban Decay's Naked, maybe? I skew a little more pink so I can't really give you recommendations, except to say in KvD I'm a 44. I'm always the lightest shade, except for in KvD.
posted by getawaysticks at 3:05 PM on August 1, 2016


E.L.F.'s Foundation Serum is really nice. It's lightweight, dries to a sort of powdery finish, and is sheer enough that it doesn't overwhelm my pale, pale skin.
posted by sarcasticah at 3:06 PM on August 1, 2016 [2 favorites]


(Sorry, I did see that you asked for powder, but I think liquid foundations have come a long way lately and that's what I mostly use :) )
posted by getawaysticks at 3:14 PM on August 1, 2016


Ulta do mail in refunds for any reason. You don't get the shipping charges reimbursed just the product.

I'm not going to be much help as it's out of your preferred price range but I have never ever in my 30 odd years of wearing makeup found a powder I liked until just a week ago when I got a gift box with Benefits Hello Flawless in along with a bunch of stuff I wanted to try. I am in love. Buildable, doesn't cake looks great on my 48 year old skin & a pretty good range of undertones.
posted by wwax at 3:28 PM on August 1, 2016


Response by poster: I don't mind doing around $30 for something that's quality and lasts. I just can't justify like $45 when I mostly use makeup for Instagram photos and sitting around my house. :)
posted by Crystalinne at 3:37 PM on August 1, 2016 [1 favorite]


I love Sephora's own powder which is $20, though I don't know how to match it online for you. They do take returns, however.

It's very light coverage; mostly good for evening skin tone and removing shine. There are a lot of color choices.
posted by crush-onastick at 4:09 PM on August 1, 2016


It's kind of a non-answer, but if you find a liquid/cream foundation or BB Cream that you like, I highly recommend Tarte's Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Setting Powder. I bought it because I was looking for something that would make my cheap summer BB Cream matte and dry enough to take my powder blushes and bronzes; this totally works and it also has the effect of neutralizing whatever underlying tint is in my base. It's good enough that my powders blend really nicely with brushes and I don't feel like I smudge anything when I inadvertently touch my face during the day. "Dewy" just makes me look shiny and vaguely sweaty so this has been a lifesaver. If that's too spendy I've also heard good things about this Laura Mercier setting powder (link to sample size) but I wanted something that was totally translucent.

I also really like Makeup Forever's Ultra HD Invisible Cover Stick Foundation for times of year when I'm not melting my face off any time I step outside. I'll have to check when I go home tonight to see what shade I have (I think Ivory), but it totally gives me the porcelain doll look without being too artificial or heavy. I bought it because it was recommended for people with dry skin, but the reviews seem to indicate that it works well for people with combination skin also. I'm really pale with pink undertones, so anything yellowy looks terrible--this seems to be a true neutral. It's expensive but I've had it a year and haven't even used half, with almost daily use except for July and August.
posted by stellaluna at 4:26 PM on August 1, 2016


I would really, really go somewhere you can try the foundations out (Sephora will give you samples too if you ask), especially if you don't already have a good match in another line. Drugstores are just not as good for that, if you're needing to not spend extra money with mistakes (and there just are NOT good pale options at the drugstore: the palest thing usually available is Maybelline Shade #110 in some of their formulas, but most other lines have nothing below MAC NC15).

It's out of your stated price range, but you might like Tarte's BB Primer in Fair: it's very lightweight, feels like nothing (slippery going on, and then nothing), is one of the palest easily available BB creams, and is very neutral. It's a bit too pink on me (I am more yellow toned, NC5-10 (MUFE HD Y215 is perfect on me), whereas this is more N5). It is very matte and not great if you have super-dry skin (emphasizes dry patches).

Also out of your price range, but nice: Benefit's The Big Easy BB Cream in Fair. It is very lightweight, photographs well, doesn't emphasize dry patches like the Tarte can. It's also darker and yellower (NC10-15).

With both of them I sometimes mix in a highlighter like Becca Moonstone liquid to make them dewier, so they would be what you're looking for in terms of not-dewy!

If you do already have a good match in another line, have you tried findation.com or Temptalia's Foundation Matrix?
posted by lysimache at 4:44 PM on August 1, 2016


You look rather me-coloured and we have same-y foundation wants.

To my surprise I have been really impressed with Cover Girl Ultimate Finish Liquid Powder, which I put on with a small stippling brush. The HG colour for me is "Classic Ivory." The similar-ish "CG Smoothers" foundation is also good, though I can't really remember details; for some reason I haven't seen it here in Canada for years. (It also comes in "Classic Ivory.") I like it so much that I, previously a dept store snob, use it as my go-to foundation.

I sometimes put a dusting of Physicians Formula "Mineral Wear®Talc-Free Mineral Airbrushing Loose Powder SPF 30" over it, in a 50/50 mix of the lightest and 2nd lightest (reviews are correct about the packaging; I put it in a plain powder container and use a kabuki brush) on top, or just use the powder or just use the 'cream-to-powder' depending on time of year/state of skin/etc.

Prior to those I was using a Lancôme foundation in a similar formulation as the CG, and Korres mineral powder foundation, both at 3x the price. These ones work as well as the Lancôme and Korres.
posted by kmennie at 4:47 PM on August 1, 2016


Nothing specific at your price point but some thoughts.

Stay away from anything that is actually marketed as suitable for 'yellow' or 'pink' undertones, by the sound of it you want 'neutral'. I have fairly yellow undertones but if it is marketed as yellow it is always too yellow.

If the lightest shade of an otherwise suitable liquid product is too dark you can add white to make it lighter-various products exist for that purpose. The initial outlay for such a product is normally equivalent to the cost of a new foundation but especially if you're really pale you'll get a lot of use out of it, especially if it allows you to shop at a cheap price point otherwise. Since I've invested in some white I can make most foundations that are slightly too dark work.

If you have a lot of dry patches invest in your skin care regimen to reduce these.

Nothing is really going to cover your spots that's not full coverage and most of that stuff, if mattifying, will highlight dry areas. Less full coverage and concealer would give a more forgiving and natural finish.

If mattifying is not a main concern and if your skin is combination skin and not really oily the Bourjois CC cream does a really good job of of evening out skin appearance. You'll be disappointed by the coverage initially. But a bit later you'll catch a glimpse of your face in the mirror and notice how lovely and fresh you look and how even the colouring of your face is. You'd need concealer for spot coverage though.
posted by koahiatamadl at 4:54 PM on August 1, 2016 [1 favorite]


I'm really happy with Burt's Bees BB Cream. I accidentally bought "medium light" instead of "light" and it was a lucky mistake because it's just right even though I'm pale. It's more matte than most BB creams I think. I got it at whole foods, where they would have let me return it if I'd wanted.
posted by Kriesa at 5:15 PM on August 1, 2016 [1 favorite]


Im totally a neutral skin tone, and that makes it rather hard to find the right light but not pinky but not yellow. I got this sample set from Smashbox in the fair and have found it works really well for me. The bb cream is nice, and I'm not really a powder girl but this one has converted me.
posted by zara at 6:03 PM on August 1, 2016


Go to Sephora in person. They have a tool to measure and match your skin tone exactly. Let them know your price range, but even if you end up switching to drugstore brand, you'll have something to color match.
posted by beyond_pink at 6:07 PM on August 1, 2016


I think you want Shiseido's The Makeup Powdery Foundation. Amazing finish, has SPF, good neutral colours. You do have to buy the case separately. (I'm not going to guess shades, because the lighting is too different in your pics, but for reference I'm NC20 and wear 020.)
posted by cotton dress sock at 6:25 PM on August 1, 2016


Response by poster: While I understand going to get matched in person, I would request answers that specify brands to try and colors as my chronic illness severely limits my ability to do anything - especially to go out for makeup of all things.
posted by Crystalinne at 6:54 PM on August 1, 2016


Seconding Bare Minerals Matte Powder.
It costs a bit more than $20, but a little goes a long way. For color, I find Fairly Light hits that goldilocks spot of not too pink, not too yellow, and pale enough but not too ghostly. And it is SPF 15. A basic brush works OK, but the kabuki brush is nice if you want heavier coverage. For oily spots, the Mineral Veil as a top layer helps.
If you can get to an Ulta you can try different colors, and I've seen where they sometimes sell a kit with different colors to try.
posted by superna at 7:05 PM on August 1, 2016 [1 favorite]


Best answer: Foundation is my kryptonite. Even a trip to sephora didn't get me a color match. I don't wear powder foundation any more because I think it ages me, which cuts down on the choices. And I'm Irish pale. Most drugstore colors are too orange. I hit the jackpot with Lumene CC cream. I'm still not sure what CC cream is but this stuff is awesome. I put it on with a stipple brush, which I learned from a YouTube video. It covers up the god awful black circles under my eyes and evens out my uneven skin tone. And it's $10.
posted by toastedbeagle at 7:07 PM on August 1, 2016 [2 favorites]


We can't actually suggest a shade, there's no way of knowing what you are based on description alone. So what you need to do is google the qualities of the foundation that you want (eg, matte, porcelain etc) + best foundation makeup alley. This will give you a list of top reviewed foundations with those qualities from the makeup alley review site. Read up. Choose the brand that seems to match your list and price point. Let's say it's Revlon ColorStay.

Then you go to another site, temptalia, and go to their foundation finder. Here you can start from scratch and find your perfect shade or you can type in an existing foundation shade that already matches you (you seem to know what your colour is) and they will give you other brands that match that shade, which may have other qualities. Eg you like the elf colour so based on what elf shade you are, it will show you what shade you are in Revlon or NARS too which may be more matte etc. The you read more reviews for whatever choices you get and decide from there. This is how you find out what to buy without ever leaving home.
posted by Jubey at 7:37 PM on August 1, 2016


Apart from your price range, I feel like Smashbox fits the bill. But I did see that someone linked the smaller kit above - which might make it ok pricewise to give it a shot. The Halo Powder is EXPENSIVE (closer to $50), but the Light-Neutral shade would probably fit the bill for you. (They do Light-Medium too -- but that's the one that trends orange on me and we seem to be similar in coloring.)

I can vouch for the fact that one container will last me more than a year with occasional spurts of daily wear, but often just the odd day of makeup here and there. Works great with a kabuki brush, and the coverage is surprising for a powder.

I do wonder if you try something like that and find a color match if you then could chat on the sephora or ulta websites and see if they can recommend something in a different brand. I know that ulta allows you to upload a photo to your profile for the purposes of chatting with their reps online.
posted by pixiecrinkle at 7:57 PM on August 1, 2016


Thirding Bare Minerals Matte Powder.
posted by yesbut at 8:06 PM on August 1, 2016


A lot of people who talk about makeup on the internet use MAC foundation numbers as a reference to describe their skintone. It looks like MAC will also do returns on opened items. If you can match yourself to one of their foundations (even if you decide to send it back), it will make it easier for internet strangers to suggest actual shades of other foundations.
posted by yeahlikethat at 9:23 PM on August 1, 2016


I'm pale with blue undertones and have relied on L'Oreal True Match for many years; they have a large color range, and although personally I use both liquid foundation and powder, I've done powder-only for quick trips to the grocery store, and it provides pretty good coverage. I recently tried switching to Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation + Healthy Balance powder, and while they're a bit too yellow for me, they might work for someone with yellow undertones.
posted by neushoorn at 3:43 AM on August 2, 2016


Dr Jart Radiance BB cream is the right color and is $36, just out of your price range, but I have found it doesn't photograph particularly well.
posted by typecloud at 6:15 AM on August 2, 2016


Go to a MAC store and find out your shade in MAC terms (ex. NC10, NW25, etc). After, you can take a look at the products in the lists here: NW List and NC List.

I got those from the Asian Beauty subreddit, so they're Korean/Japanese products listed, but nothing that won't be too hard to find online. If you want the porcelain look, Asian products are the way to go.
posted by ThatSox at 9:40 AM on August 2, 2016


Oops, just saw your clarification. This website gives you an approximation of what each MAC shade looks like. From there, you can see which one's closest to you. Just to make sure, you can google the shade and see if others who are that shade match your skin tone.
posted by ThatSox at 1:31 PM on August 2, 2016


Response by poster: Thanks all. I'm not sure who to "Best" yet but I added a few BB creams to my Amazon cart. I don't mind paying a little bit at first to try a few things. Even if I were color matched I would still need to try the foundation for a few times before I know if I like it - it took me a while to warm up to the current BB cream I have too. I'll try to follow up if I find something perfect!
posted by Crystalinne at 11:12 AM on August 4, 2016


Response by poster: Already: Favorites so far are the Lumene CC in light. It's just every so slightly dark/yellow but totally blends in beautifully! The finish is like- invisible. So that's the winner. I wouldn't have even had that on my radar. It's so so beautiful!

Then I ordered the Covergirl Outlast 3 in 1 in Ivory of all things because it was recommended by Amazon. It's a beautiful pale color with a slight pink too it (looks very pink in comparison to the Lumene on the back of my hand) however it's definitely full coverage but I've gotten around it by using a very damp sponge and a little bit of product. On its own without a damp sponge it looks super cakey on me. It's super matte and a great porcelain shade. Might be good for fuller coverage days or when I want to spend a little more time blending things out with a very damp sponge or if I feel oily.

Still using my Physicians Formula powder for super lazy days where I just want a bit of evening out.

ETA: Tried the Burts Bees BB cream in light but it somehow highlighted all my dry spots and turned them white... The formula was nice though.
posted by Crystalinne at 5:11 PM on August 16, 2016


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