Make my sister's face pretty.

May 21, 2006 6:06 PM

What's the best foundation you can get for less than $20?

My sister is looking for good foundation that isn't super expensive but it's hard to find information that isn't sponsored by a cosmetics company. Women's magazines suck.

posted by joegester to clothing, beauty, & fashion (17 comments total)

Has she ever seen MakeupAlley? The reviews there are not sponsored, and I find it useful to triangulate from many people's opinions. Also, since different skin has different needs, that kind of setup helps you get a feel not just whether something is good in general but good for you.
posted by redfoxtail at 6:27 PM on May 21, 2006

I've been loyal to Clinique Clarifying Make-up for six years now. It's great for oily or combination skin, and it's 18.50 per tube. That lasts me about 5 months with almost daily use. It's lightweight, but gives good coverage for circles, blemishes and the like. And I like Clinique in general.
posted by kimdog at 6:52 PM on May 21, 2006 [1 favorite]

What kind of skin does she have? Different skin types require different formulations so whether her skin is dry/sensitive/normal/combination/oily is important.

I've been using Clinique Superbalanced Compact for about a year now and like it because it's got SPF 20 and you can buy re-fills. It's good for combination skin.

My favourite foundation is still MAC Studio-Tech, but I switched because it lacks SPF.
posted by phoenixc at 6:59 PM on May 21, 2006

Mary Kay, believe it or not. I have been extrememly pleased with everything I've tried. (No, I don't sell it!)
posted by Biblio at 7:06 PM on May 21, 2006

L'Oreal (drugstore stuff) and Lancome (mall makeup counter stuff) are made by the same company I think. I have heard that L'Oreal stuff is basically the same as the expensive Lancome stuff, just repackaged for cheapskates like me who will only shop for makeup in a drugstore. I've always liked it.
posted by selfmedicating at 7:07 PM on May 21, 2006

I have to second what kimdog said - I've been using Clinique Clarifying Makeup for a couple of years now and absolutely adore it. It's got great coverage, feels expensive (but costs only about $18 per tube), and - best of all - blends so perfectly that some of my friends don't believe I wear makeup, and have complimented my complexion.
posted by AthenaPolias at 7:24 PM on May 21, 2006

I'm a big fan of the Dream Matte Mousse from Maybelline, but I do have this caveat. It covers beautifully, and I love the way it looks, but it does tend to make me break out a little if I don't wash my face very well at the end of the day. Since I only wear foundation a couple of times a month this isn't a problem for me.
posted by MsMolly at 7:46 PM on May 21, 2006

Seconding what selfmedicating said about L'Oreal.

I was using expensive Clinique makeup—$35 for a 1-ounce bottle, which a friend bought me to replace the cheap Cover Girl stuff I was using before that. It was great, but I wasn't willing to keep paying that much. So when it started to run out I decided to do an exhaustive search online and find the best possible makeup I could for around a third of the price.

The best recommendations I found in my price range were for L'Oreal True Match foundation, which is a steal at $10 for a 1-ounce bottle. And yeah, I read that it is in fact almost exactly the same as the Lancome stuff—there just aren't as many shades available.

But yeah—it goes on nice and liquid, and dries soon after you rub it on, unlike a lot of the gooey, cakelike stuff that comes in tubes. With a little powder on top it's perfect. It's better than the Clinique stuff I was using, in fact, because it actually dries—the Clinique stuff made me shiny all day, even with multiple applications of powder. The L'Oreal stuff also has SPF 17 sunscreen included and comes in both cool and warm tones—I really liked the way their color system worked.

Don't want to sound like a L'Oreal lackey—I've just been wearing foundation daily for the past 9 years, so it was really nice to find something in my price range that worked so well.
posted by limeonaire at 8:13 PM on May 21, 2006

I liked Rimmel products before I switched to a mineral line. The mineral line is not less than 20 bucks, though, but totally worth it for me.
posted by oflinkey at 9:12 PM on May 21, 2006

I'll second the drugstore's True Match - the best part is they have a sheaf of plastic swatches in the store that you put against your face to see which shade disappears on you. And it really does go on well and doesn't get cakey.
I like it much better than the pricier ones I've tried (Clarins etc) but I can't compare it to Clinique because I haven't tried that. (But after this thread I will.)
posted by CunningLinguist at 5:16 AM on May 22, 2006

Aromaleigh voile (normal to oily) or glissade (normal to dry) mineral foundation rocks, rocks, rocks. I had been going without foundation for a couple of years because liquid foundation would have to be pancake-strength to not cave unattractively into my large cheek pores, and nothing would stop my forehead from turning even the strongest or lightest bases into what looked like peeling sunburn. Even the voile gets peely on me, but the glissade hangs tough all day.

Plus, you can get little sample baggies of everything for around $2 each, so she can figure out if she likes it and try a couple of shades to see which one suits her. One baggie of glissade lasted me about three weeks, which was enough time to get the hang of it and find an applicator brush I liked. I can only imagine that a regular $16 jar would last a very long time.

They ship like the wind, as well - I placed an order yesterday (Sunday) that shipped this morning (Monday).
posted by Lyn Never at 6:56 AM on May 22, 2006

Mary Kay is okay, but I recently started using CoverGirl's tru-blend liquid. it's great. doesn't rub off, and gives good coverage.
posted by misanthropicsarah at 9:54 AM on May 22, 2006

I used Dream Matte Mousse for a long time (and liked it), but after I tried Bare Minerals I threw it away. I saw the commercials and thought it was weird, but then my sister bought some and I tried it, loved it. If your sister is near a store, she can try it on herself. (I have no idea what the regular price is for foundation though. I bought a starter kit.)

Covers my acne scars, feels like I'm not wearing any makeup. A+++++WOULD BUY AGAIN+++.
posted by eleyna at 10:55 AM on May 22, 2006

I too just swiched from Clinique (City Base) to the L'Oreal True Match. I think it's pretty good. I don't like dealing with the sponge or whatever to put on liquid makeup, but I think the finish is as good as I've ever tried and the range of shades is great.
posted by crabintheocean at 1:34 PM on May 22, 2006

I'm surprised no one has mentioned cosmeticscop.com, so I will. Thanks for the specific recommendations here, by the way, as I myself am foundationally clueless and constantly wrestling with the "will make me pretty/costs too much" dilemma.
posted by deliriouscool at 3:52 PM on May 22, 2006

I currently work for The Body Shop, and we are required to wear the make up while at work, so I have tried out most of it, and even as an "everyday make-up" hater, I am always impressed. I hate foundation, and refuse to wear it, but everytime I try ours, it looks so good, I'm almost tempted to start using it. (Still, no matter how "good" the product is (Our foundations do actually moisturise.), I can't get over the idea that covering my entire face with paint is a bad habit I don't need to get into. Plus, I'm vain enough without faking perfect skin.)

The "Ultrasmooth Face Base" is a marula oil-based liquid foundation that blends beautifully, and the "All In One Face Base" can be used as a powder or a liquid foundation (that dries with a powder-finish), depending on the application (Brush, or damp sponge). I usually suggest the All in One, just because it's got two functions. In Canada, both products are $20. If you're in the States, it'll be even cheaper.

Like I said, I do work for TBS, but I really do dislike foundation and wouldn't suggest ours if I didn't think it was worth checking out. Have her visit a Body Shop, and ask for a consultation. It should be free, and the sales associate will help her to find the perfect match.

Oh yes, and no animal testing. That's even more beautiful than evenly-toned skin.
posted by digifox at 4:33 PM on May 22, 2006

I used to be a Clinique and Estee Lauder person, now I love Almay foundation. It's just as good. I have oily skin, so I use the skin clearing foundation, but they have foundation for every skin-type, and I find it to be very high quality.
posted by LoriFLA at 10:59 AM on June 20, 2006