Hey paleface
September 15, 2011 7:24 AM Subscribe
Looking for the impossible - a liquid foundation for pale skin that covers redness but not too many freckles, and lasts a good while without giving me spots. Recommend something!
I've been using Revlon Colorstay for a while, after years of testing drugstore foundations leaving me looking like a burns victim - even the palest shades seem disconcertingly yellow on me. I was pleased when I found something closer to my actual skintone than the colour of the crust of a Gregg's Steak Bake, but after a while it didn't seem to match - the tone was a bit pinky-orange, it got cakey, and it would emphasise pores and give me cystic spots. (I suffer from dermotillomania aka compulsive skin-picking, so I need my skin to look pretty clear so I don't get the urge to gouge at it.)
I was matched as NC15 at MAC yesterday, but it seems maybe slightly yellow on me (I have a sample of Studio Fix) - yet already I can see the difference from the Colorstay...my concealer doesn't look like Tippex in comparison to the rest of my face now, and it's covering rather than just sitting on top. (The MAC lady tried NW15 as well, but that looked too dark/pink on me.) Estee Lauder matched me as 'Shell' in Double Wear, but this seems pretty pink. For reference, here's a picture of me in daylight without foundation on.
Other useful info:
- I live in the UK, where not only do we not have Sephora, but if you buy a product that doesn't suit you, you can't return it. Not even if it's still sealed or in the packaging, and certainly not if you've used it, bad colour match, allergy or no.
- They also aren't hot on handing out samples in UK stores. I think drugstores in the US don't have testers, but they do here.
- I use Benefit's Bo-o-oing undereye concealer in the lightest shade and it seems a decent match for my skin.
- UDPP blends into my skin, but the Too Faced variety is really yellowy on me.
- I wore the Colorstay in the Ivory shade for Normal/Dry.
- I have tried mineral foundation in the past and have found some decent matches, but I am looking for a liquid for every day.
- I am going to Sweden next year which is a whole country full of pale people, so if there's anything available there I can make a mental note - although not sure about flying over to buy more if I run out!
- Tell me why more than £12 for a foundation isn't a profligate waste of money!
I've been using Revlon Colorstay for a while, after years of testing drugstore foundations leaving me looking like a burns victim - even the palest shades seem disconcertingly yellow on me. I was pleased when I found something closer to my actual skintone than the colour of the crust of a Gregg's Steak Bake, but after a while it didn't seem to match - the tone was a bit pinky-orange, it got cakey, and it would emphasise pores and give me cystic spots. (I suffer from dermotillomania aka compulsive skin-picking, so I need my skin to look pretty clear so I don't get the urge to gouge at it.)
I was matched as NC15 at MAC yesterday, but it seems maybe slightly yellow on me (I have a sample of Studio Fix) - yet already I can see the difference from the Colorstay...my concealer doesn't look like Tippex in comparison to the rest of my face now, and it's covering rather than just sitting on top. (The MAC lady tried NW15 as well, but that looked too dark/pink on me.) Estee Lauder matched me as 'Shell' in Double Wear, but this seems pretty pink. For reference, here's a picture of me in daylight without foundation on.
Other useful info:
- I live in the UK, where not only do we not have Sephora, but if you buy a product that doesn't suit you, you can't return it. Not even if it's still sealed or in the packaging, and certainly not if you've used it, bad colour match, allergy or no.
- They also aren't hot on handing out samples in UK stores. I think drugstores in the US don't have testers, but they do here.
- I use Benefit's Bo-o-oing undereye concealer in the lightest shade and it seems a decent match for my skin.
- UDPP blends into my skin, but the Too Faced variety is really yellowy on me.
- I wore the Colorstay in the Ivory shade for Normal/Dry.
- I have tried mineral foundation in the past and have found some decent matches, but I am looking for a liquid for every day.
- I am going to Sweden next year which is a whole country full of pale people, so if there's anything available there I can make a mental note - although not sure about flying over to buy more if I run out!
- Tell me why more than £12 for a foundation isn't a profligate waste of money!
Response by poster: You can't get Prescriptives over here now. I didn't know it was still available in the US, but definitely not here.
posted by mippy at 7:34 AM on September 15, 2011
posted by mippy at 7:34 AM on September 15, 2011
I'm pale and freckly, and the only two foundations that have ever worked for me are the palest Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer and Shieshedo's very lightest colored lightest coverage foundation. They are probably more than your price, but they are worth it because they last all day, you need only a little bit to cover, they are the right color, they don't dry you out, and for me, they don't irritate my skin or eyes, which most drug store brands (and estee lauder/clinque) do.
posted by dpx.mfx at 7:47 AM on September 15, 2011
posted by dpx.mfx at 7:47 AM on September 15, 2011
Seconding the quality of Shiseido foundations. I have found it non-irritating and it stays on my skin even on my problem skin days.
posted by needled at 8:00 AM on September 15, 2011
posted by needled at 8:00 AM on September 15, 2011
There were some good recommendations in this recent thread (I'm a Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer gal, myself).
posted by argonauta at 8:10 AM on September 15, 2011
posted by argonauta at 8:10 AM on September 15, 2011
Response by poster: NC20 is much darker than me but it may be useful (for others if not me).
I haven't heard of Shiseido before!
posted by mippy at 8:16 AM on September 15, 2011
I haven't heard of Shiseido before!
posted by mippy at 8:16 AM on September 15, 2011
I really love Maybelline Instant Rewind Eraser Treatment foundation. It's nice and cheap, and the application is so much easier than regular liquid foundations--it's great for touch-ups as well as all-over. I'm super pale, and I think Classic Ivory is what I'm using.
Even if UK stores aren't great about taking returns, keep in mind that Amazon is--so perhaps that might be a better route to take to find your "sweet spot" foundation.
posted by litnerd at 8:20 AM on September 15, 2011
Even if UK stores aren't great about taking returns, keep in mind that Amazon is--so perhaps that might be a better route to take to find your "sweet spot" foundation.
posted by litnerd at 8:20 AM on September 15, 2011
I'm also pale and have the same problem with most foundations looking being too yellow for me. It seems like you've already tried most of the drugstore brands, but in case you haven't tried this already, I recommend Neutrogena Healthy Skin in classic ivory. When I used liquid foundation, I tried a lot of different brands, and it was definitely the best one. It's not sheer though; straight from the bottle, it provides pretty heavy coverage. I used to mix it half and half with moisturizer and that worked pretty well.
Also, I'm really surprised that you got matched with NC15 at MAC! My skin is, if anything, slightly more yellow/less pink than yours and the NC shades at MAC are much too yellow for me.
posted by under satellites at 8:29 AM on September 15, 2011
Also, I'm really surprised that you got matched with NC15 at MAC! My skin is, if anything, slightly more yellow/less pink than yours and the NC shades at MAC are much too yellow for me.
posted by under satellites at 8:29 AM on September 15, 2011
I used to recommend Prescriptives until, as stated, it became unavailable in the UK.
The reason why Prescriptives was the only brand I recommended - at least to start with in order to establish the correct shade - was that they have a system for detecting undertones in your skin. Because the undertone of my skin is blue-red, and most foundations and concealers on the market are yellow, almost all of the products available on the market today are unsuitable for me. This is made worse by a prevalent belief system that all foundation should be yellow, not pink; that pink is a wrong foundation colour somehow; and that even people with pink skin need correcting in order to become more yellow, so yellow foundation should be mandatory even for us. Um, no, I can personally attest that this thinking is wrong.
Another problem I have, which may have something to do with very oily skin and which my mother also encountered (as a stage performer she had this on record with Max Factor) was that any foundation, powder, or concealer she applied would sooner or later react with her skin chemistry and turn orange. I wonder if you are also experiencing this. (My sweat stains tend to be orange, even without foundation.)
And finally, yes, it is extremely difficult to find foundation that is pale enough for pale skin.
First things first, however. What you will need is a water-based, liquid foundation. Most foundations on the market are of this formula so you won't have a problem there.
The next thing you need to do is narrow down a set of foundations that you think might be pale enough, and with your finger, streak a vertical stripe of each one across your jawline. Then, go outside into daylight. The one that seems to disappear is the right one. If none of them seem to disappear, rinse and repeat.
If that doesn't work, I would strongly suggest you go online and try to order some Prescriptives foundation in a pale shade of blue-red (I'm assuming you actually are blue-red and that is a big assumption). You may have to order several different tubes. This will be difficult and cost an arm and a leg. It may nonetheless be worth it in the long run.
However, I wouldn't rush to this, because if your main problem is spot coverage, foundation isn't what you will use to achieve that - it will just be a base for your concealer to stick to, not a form of coverage in itself. Well-blended foundation should be undetectable on your skin even if it is not a perfect match to your skin. It's concealer that absolutely has to be a perfect match - not foundation.
Once you have a foundation, dot a Smartie-sized smudge of it in the centre of your forehead, the apple of each cheek, the ball of your nose, and the middle of your chin, with a tiny dot on each eyelid. Take a foam-rubber cosmetic sponge and blend the foundation outwards until it becomes invisible. Stroke in the direction of the growth of the little hairs on your face - not against it. Carefully check and double-check your jawline for tidemarks, accumulation in creases, etc. If in doubt, blend some more.
If you want more coverage, build up a succession of thin layers, don't apply one thick layer. However, I don't recommend that you add more coverage overall. As I said, foundation should not be seen as a source of coverage but as a base for your concealer to stick to.
Your concealer must be the exact same colour as your skin. It should not be lighter. It should not be darker. People who say it should be lighter or darker, do not know what they are talking about. Furthermore, if your concealer is light enough but has the wrong undertone, you will still get highlighted blobs or a "Tippex" effect as you describe it. If you got some foundation from Prescriptives, try ordering the palest concealer in that same undertone - again, a very big risk, but possibly worth it in the long run. In fact, if I were you, I would find a way to order one tube of Prescriptives concealer in each of the four undertone families and I think it is quite likely that one of them will match. You can't return the other three, but you can probably sell them on eBay at a loss.
You need to apply concealer with a brush, and you must apply it on top of foundation - not under it. If you apply concealer and then add foundation on top, you are of course just wiping it off. This is another area in which conventional wisdom is completely crap.
Now you need to set your artwork with powder. This is another step where everything can go wrong, as the wrong powder can grab onto the concealer and make it contrast with the foundation, or turn everything orange. Again, I can't see you from here, but I've gotten along okay with Rimmel translucent powder. Better, though, is Leichner blending powder, lightened to the right shade with cornflour. I currently use one part Leichner to four parts cornflour. YMMV of course. Apply the powder with a great big foofy brush, then comb through your eyebrows and lashes with a lash comb.
Cosmetics can give you superficial pimples, but if you're getting cystic pimples I think there could be some other cause. Toss out your foundation sponge once a week, and keep your brushes washed in shampoo. What I found is that at the end of the day, I needed to wash my face twice - once to get any makeup off, and once to get my face actually clean. Then I needed to refill the basin a third time for a final rinse.
Good luck.
posted by tel3path at 8:39 AM on September 15, 2011 [5 favorites]
The reason why Prescriptives was the only brand I recommended - at least to start with in order to establish the correct shade - was that they have a system for detecting undertones in your skin. Because the undertone of my skin is blue-red, and most foundations and concealers on the market are yellow, almost all of the products available on the market today are unsuitable for me. This is made worse by a prevalent belief system that all foundation should be yellow, not pink; that pink is a wrong foundation colour somehow; and that even people with pink skin need correcting in order to become more yellow, so yellow foundation should be mandatory even for us. Um, no, I can personally attest that this thinking is wrong.
Another problem I have, which may have something to do with very oily skin and which my mother also encountered (as a stage performer she had this on record with Max Factor) was that any foundation, powder, or concealer she applied would sooner or later react with her skin chemistry and turn orange. I wonder if you are also experiencing this. (My sweat stains tend to be orange, even without foundation.)
And finally, yes, it is extremely difficult to find foundation that is pale enough for pale skin.
First things first, however. What you will need is a water-based, liquid foundation. Most foundations on the market are of this formula so you won't have a problem there.
The next thing you need to do is narrow down a set of foundations that you think might be pale enough, and with your finger, streak a vertical stripe of each one across your jawline. Then, go outside into daylight. The one that seems to disappear is the right one. If none of them seem to disappear, rinse and repeat.
If that doesn't work, I would strongly suggest you go online and try to order some Prescriptives foundation in a pale shade of blue-red (I'm assuming you actually are blue-red and that is a big assumption). You may have to order several different tubes. This will be difficult and cost an arm and a leg. It may nonetheless be worth it in the long run.
However, I wouldn't rush to this, because if your main problem is spot coverage, foundation isn't what you will use to achieve that - it will just be a base for your concealer to stick to, not a form of coverage in itself. Well-blended foundation should be undetectable on your skin even if it is not a perfect match to your skin. It's concealer that absolutely has to be a perfect match - not foundation.
Once you have a foundation, dot a Smartie-sized smudge of it in the centre of your forehead, the apple of each cheek, the ball of your nose, and the middle of your chin, with a tiny dot on each eyelid. Take a foam-rubber cosmetic sponge and blend the foundation outwards until it becomes invisible. Stroke in the direction of the growth of the little hairs on your face - not against it. Carefully check and double-check your jawline for tidemarks, accumulation in creases, etc. If in doubt, blend some more.
If you want more coverage, build up a succession of thin layers, don't apply one thick layer. However, I don't recommend that you add more coverage overall. As I said, foundation should not be seen as a source of coverage but as a base for your concealer to stick to.
Your concealer must be the exact same colour as your skin. It should not be lighter. It should not be darker. People who say it should be lighter or darker, do not know what they are talking about. Furthermore, if your concealer is light enough but has the wrong undertone, you will still get highlighted blobs or a "Tippex" effect as you describe it. If you got some foundation from Prescriptives, try ordering the palest concealer in that same undertone - again, a very big risk, but possibly worth it in the long run. In fact, if I were you, I would find a way to order one tube of Prescriptives concealer in each of the four undertone families and I think it is quite likely that one of them will match. You can't return the other three, but you can probably sell them on eBay at a loss.
You need to apply concealer with a brush, and you must apply it on top of foundation - not under it. If you apply concealer and then add foundation on top, you are of course just wiping it off. This is another area in which conventional wisdom is completely crap.
Now you need to set your artwork with powder. This is another step where everything can go wrong, as the wrong powder can grab onto the concealer and make it contrast with the foundation, or turn everything orange. Again, I can't see you from here, but I've gotten along okay with Rimmel translucent powder. Better, though, is Leichner blending powder, lightened to the right shade with cornflour. I currently use one part Leichner to four parts cornflour. YMMV of course. Apply the powder with a great big foofy brush, then comb through your eyebrows and lashes with a lash comb.
Cosmetics can give you superficial pimples, but if you're getting cystic pimples I think there could be some other cause. Toss out your foundation sponge once a week, and keep your brushes washed in shampoo. What I found is that at the end of the day, I needed to wash my face twice - once to get any makeup off, and once to get my face actually clean. Then I needed to refill the basin a third time for a final rinse.
Good luck.
posted by tel3path at 8:39 AM on September 15, 2011 [5 favorites]
My skin looks almost identical to yours and what I use is either Revlon Photoready foundation in Ivory (or Vanilla if I have a little tan :) )or Neutrogena Healthy Skin Foundation in Natural Ivory (Its a bit more pink than the classic ivory which can look a bit yellow on me).
The photoready is going to give you more coverage if you want it AND make you look great indoors and out and with crazy flash photography.
The Healthy Skin gives you a much more natural look, just sheer enough to nix any redness. Love it.
Then! to cover problem bumps, I use powder as concealer, applied with a brush. Listen to me as someone who is also prone to pick, use a nice brush to apply your concealer if not all your foundation. It will keep you from feeling the texture which will mitigage the trigger to pick. Ok, I like Neutragena Skin Clearing Mineral Powder or the cheapy ELF skin clearing powder. Keep your brush clean...
posted by stormygrey at 8:48 AM on September 15, 2011 [1 favorite]
The photoready is going to give you more coverage if you want it AND make you look great indoors and out and with crazy flash photography.
The Healthy Skin gives you a much more natural look, just sheer enough to nix any redness. Love it.
Then! to cover problem bumps, I use powder as concealer, applied with a brush. Listen to me as someone who is also prone to pick, use a nice brush to apply your concealer if not all your foundation. It will keep you from feeling the texture which will mitigage the trigger to pick. Ok, I like Neutragena Skin Clearing Mineral Powder or the cheapy ELF skin clearing powder. Keep your brush clean...
posted by stormygrey at 8:48 AM on September 15, 2011 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: tel3path - thanks so much for the advice.
I use a brush (similar to the MAC 187) and apply my concealer on top. Strangely, with the Colorstay it looked too pale, with the Studio Fix it doesn't. I used to use Benefit Playstix in Jax, which was far too pink for me - I'm pretty sure I'm a yellow. Most things are looking too pink, too dark or just kind of orangey on my skin.
Not keen on ordering make-up online if the brand is likely to be discontinued, as I'll be in the same boat in a year or two, and I don't want to hoard bottles of things as in the past I've found it to be a false economy when I had to dispose of rancid lipsticks or dried-up eyeliners.
posted by mippy at 8:50 AM on September 15, 2011
I use a brush (similar to the MAC 187) and apply my concealer on top. Strangely, with the Colorstay it looked too pale, with the Studio Fix it doesn't. I used to use Benefit Playstix in Jax, which was far too pink for me - I'm pretty sure I'm a yellow. Most things are looking too pink, too dark or just kind of orangey on my skin.
Not keen on ordering make-up online if the brand is likely to be discontinued, as I'll be in the same boat in a year or two, and I don't want to hoard bottles of things as in the past I've found it to be a false economy when I had to dispose of rancid lipsticks or dried-up eyeliners.
posted by mippy at 8:50 AM on September 15, 2011
There are services which will replicate an exact shade of makeup if you send them the tube. I think your main difficulty is establishing the right shade.
posted by tel3path at 8:56 AM on September 15, 2011
posted by tel3path at 8:56 AM on September 15, 2011
I've recently started wearing Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer in the lightest shade and I find it does a good job of toning down my redness (not completely covering it, but I'm not using concealer) while letting actual features on my face shine through. I don't really have freckles so can't comment on that.
Looks like it's available in the UK, but really you should just come over to the US and hang out in Sephora for a day or two :)
posted by mskyle at 10:15 AM on September 15, 2011
Looks like it's available in the UK, but really you should just come over to the US and hang out in Sephora for a day or two :)
posted by mskyle at 10:15 AM on September 15, 2011
I have pale neutral skin, similar to yours in the sense that most foundations look weirdly pink or orange on me, and the one foundation that has really worked for my skin tone (and - bonus - doesn't feel like a mask) is Diorskin Nude in the lightest shade, Ivory 010. I also have oily skin and this foundation seems to actually make it calm down a bit, as opposed to encouraging spots. YMMV, of course.
posted by smilingtiger at 10:27 AM on September 15, 2011
posted by smilingtiger at 10:27 AM on September 15, 2011
This page has a bajillion swatches of light foundations, along with notes on which ones oxidize and which ones do not. I've found it immensely helpful.
I, a fellow fair maiden, like to change up my foundations depending on the occasion, and I sometimes resort to adding a bit of white pigment to an otherwise fantastic foundation that is just too dark. It's hard to find a great match. Sigh.
posted by houseofdanie at 12:47 PM on September 15, 2011
I, a fellow fair maiden, like to change up my foundations depending on the occasion, and I sometimes resort to adding a bit of white pigment to an otherwise fantastic foundation that is just too dark. It's hard to find a great match. Sigh.
posted by houseofdanie at 12:47 PM on September 15, 2011
I have a similar complexion to yours and my favorite foundation is L'Oreal True Match in Alabaster. They have warm, cool and neutral shades. Alabaster is their fairest cool shade and has no hint of yellow on my skin. It doesn't make me break out at all either.
It may cover your freckles a little too well though.
posted by Requiax at 12:53 PM on September 15, 2011
It may cover your freckles a little too well though.
posted by Requiax at 12:53 PM on September 15, 2011
I can't help you with the specific colour. I think I have more peachy undertones (yes, I have both yellow and red, and most foundations only cater to one of those colours) than you do, although I'm really on the pale end of the scale -- but I really like Cover FX foundations. It looks like the line is sold in the UK. (Actually it looks like Cover FX's website works for UK customers.)
I know I keep recommending this brand on the green, but I have absolutely the worst time trying to find a foundation that a) matches my colour and b) doesn't look too cakey while providing real coverage. I used to use Lancome (which is a brand worth trying) until my colour was discontinued (and prior to that Estee Lauder -- same discontinuation story). It took me a couple of years of searching for me to me to find this particular foundation. For the record it's E20 in the Natural FX line.
As for paying more than £12, I look at it this way. I want to find something that is going to serve the purpose (i.e. match my skin and cover my flaws). If it doesn't do that, it doesn't matter if I pay $5 or $50, as it's all money down the drain.
I don't wear it every day, but even when I was wearing it a lot for work, I wasn't going through more than three or four bottles a year (I want to say two or three, but I'll err on the high side), so over the course of a year, it's not that much money if it makes me feel good and look professional. It's the price of a pair of shoes or a suit jacket.
Here's the background about this particular line of cosmetics (from the website):
"Since 1985, Lee Graff, A Corrective Makeup Specialist at the Cosmedic Clinic at a leading Canadian hospital has worked with thousands of patients with various skin conditions. Together with Chemical engineer Jenny Frankel, and leading dermatologist Dr. Neil Shear, Lee began to development of COVER FX."
The hospital in question is Sunnybrook. The Cosmetic Clinic is part of its dermatology department. Sunnybrook is one of the biggest and best known hospitals both the city of Toronto and the province of Ontario.
If none of the suggestions here work, try going to a major department store. I'm guessing you'll be able to try a few different brands there and even get help from the cosmetic counter sales clerks.
posted by sardonyx at 12:53 PM on September 15, 2011
I know I keep recommending this brand on the green, but I have absolutely the worst time trying to find a foundation that a) matches my colour and b) doesn't look too cakey while providing real coverage. I used to use Lancome (which is a brand worth trying) until my colour was discontinued (and prior to that Estee Lauder -- same discontinuation story). It took me a couple of years of searching for me to me to find this particular foundation. For the record it's E20 in the Natural FX line.
As for paying more than £12, I look at it this way. I want to find something that is going to serve the purpose (i.e. match my skin and cover my flaws). If it doesn't do that, it doesn't matter if I pay $5 or $50, as it's all money down the drain.
I don't wear it every day, but even when I was wearing it a lot for work, I wasn't going through more than three or four bottles a year (I want to say two or three, but I'll err on the high side), so over the course of a year, it's not that much money if it makes me feel good and look professional. It's the price of a pair of shoes or a suit jacket.
Here's the background about this particular line of cosmetics (from the website):
"Since 1985, Lee Graff, A Corrective Makeup Specialist at the Cosmedic Clinic at a leading Canadian hospital has worked with thousands of patients with various skin conditions. Together with Chemical engineer Jenny Frankel, and leading dermatologist Dr. Neil Shear, Lee began to development of COVER FX."
The hospital in question is Sunnybrook. The Cosmetic Clinic is part of its dermatology department. Sunnybrook is one of the biggest and best known hospitals both the city of Toronto and the province of Ontario.
If none of the suggestions here work, try going to a major department store. I'm guessing you'll be able to try a few different brands there and even get help from the cosmetic counter sales clerks.
posted by sardonyx at 12:53 PM on September 15, 2011
I read through makeup alley to find what works for me. I have similar problem finding foundation but I may have more bluish understones in my skin than you, but if Shishedo (heard that widely recommended for pale people) isn't available in UK this might be another option.
Stila Illimunating liquid foundation, 10 watts
pros: isn't heavy but covers pretty well (redness)
cons: a teensy bit glittery, $30-something US.
posted by ejaned8 at 1:19 PM on September 15, 2011 [1 favorite]
Stila Illimunating liquid foundation, 10 watts
pros: isn't heavy but covers pretty well (redness)
cons: a teensy bit glittery, $30-something US.
posted by ejaned8 at 1:19 PM on September 15, 2011 [1 favorite]
I have similar coloring (saleswoman at Sephora witnessing the epic Laura Mercier fail: "Wow, your skin is really PINK!"). I've been wanting a little more coverage/less flakiness than MAC Studio Fix (NW15) or mineral makeup, and have been happy recently with Makeup Forever's HD foundation (115), with some of the green primer on my redder areas. It evens things out but is pretty light. Expensive, but I have a makeup artist friend who can get it at a discount, so maybe ask around? And my freckles definitely shine through; the other day I was getting ready to go out and the makeup artist friend who BOUGHT MY MAKEUP FOR ME asked if I was even wearing any.
posted by ruby.aftermath at 2:28 PM on September 15, 2011
posted by ruby.aftermath at 2:28 PM on September 15, 2011
Also, I know people with very sensitive skin who swear by Makeup Forever. And I am lazy about washing my face at night and have not had problems with it, although my skin is not particularly sensitive.
posted by ruby.aftermath at 2:34 PM on September 15, 2011
posted by ruby.aftermath at 2:34 PM on September 15, 2011
If you're really really white, maybe you could do what I do - use Sudocrem nappy rash cream instead of foundation.
No don't laugh don't laugh. It's zinc oxide cream, a very effective sunblock. If you dot it on and blend it in with a sponge, after some practice you can get a thick enough layer to protect from the sun, but thin enough that it doesn't show.
It's also recommended for the treatment of acne and eczema as well as skin irritation generally. My skin loves it. I use Cetaphil Daily Advance moisturizer first, left on for 10 minutes. Then concealer, then powder.
Also, memail me, I have an idea.
posted by tel3path at 3:30 PM on September 15, 2011
No don't laugh don't laugh. It's zinc oxide cream, a very effective sunblock. If you dot it on and blend it in with a sponge, after some practice you can get a thick enough layer to protect from the sun, but thin enough that it doesn't show.
It's also recommended for the treatment of acne and eczema as well as skin irritation generally. My skin loves it. I use Cetaphil Daily Advance moisturizer first, left on for 10 minutes. Then concealer, then powder.
Also, memail me, I have an idea.
posted by tel3path at 3:30 PM on September 15, 2011
Seconding Stila illuminating. I just went on a search for the foundation holy grail and for me that's it. Good but not heavy coverage, makes my skin glow, not too sparkly. Very natural, I look like a better version of me. It's AU$90 here!! But I picked it up for Au$18 on the ebayUK site. Then annoyingly, I broke it (glass bottle, be careful) so have ordered it again. I don't think I'll ever use anything else now. I'm 20watts, it sounds like you'd be 10watts, the palest.
posted by Jubey at 3:33 PM on September 15, 2011
posted by Jubey at 3:33 PM on September 15, 2011
I have paler skin than anyone I know, and I have consistently been unable to find foundation that was pale and NOT yellowish. I too used Colorstay, but found the color too pink (it sounds like we have the same skin).
My solution was Bobbi Brown. I tried all the expensive brand (free makeover at the mall!) and Bobbi Brown is the ONLY one that matches my pale (not pink! not yellow!) skin.
But I'm too poor for Bobbi Brown, except for gift certificates, so I tried mixing their palest colour with Colorstay, about half and half, roughly. It worked unbelievably well. It smooths out the minor redness from broken blood vessels, doesn't look cakey, and is the perfect shade. Also mixing it with Colorstay means that the Bobbi Brown stays put longer than when I use it alone.
So, don't be afraid to mix. If you want hardcore red coverage though you're going to have to go with a green touch-up cream under your foundation.
posted by thelastcamel at 10:59 PM on September 15, 2011
My solution was Bobbi Brown. I tried all the expensive brand (free makeover at the mall!) and Bobbi Brown is the ONLY one that matches my pale (not pink! not yellow!) skin.
But I'm too poor for Bobbi Brown, except for gift certificates, so I tried mixing their palest colour with Colorstay, about half and half, roughly. It worked unbelievably well. It smooths out the minor redness from broken blood vessels, doesn't look cakey, and is the perfect shade. Also mixing it with Colorstay means that the Bobbi Brown stays put longer than when I use it alone.
So, don't be afraid to mix. If you want hardcore red coverage though you're going to have to go with a green touch-up cream under your foundation.
posted by thelastcamel at 10:59 PM on September 15, 2011
Response by poster: Thanks for everyone's comments!
I tried Stila when it was available here a few years ago (they are bringing it back) and it seemed a good match, but I think my bottle was pretty old as I got it a while after discontinuation- it gave me odd, spotty skin. Might try it again though.
Neutrogena cosmetics aren't available over here either, which is a shame as it does sound like a good product. If only I was off to the US!
posted by mippy at 12:10 AM on September 16, 2011
I tried Stila when it was available here a few years ago (they are bringing it back) and it seemed a good match, but I think my bottle was pretty old as I got it a while after discontinuation- it gave me odd, spotty skin. Might try it again though.
Neutrogena cosmetics aren't available over here either, which is a shame as it does sound like a good product. If only I was off to the US!
posted by mippy at 12:10 AM on September 16, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by mynameisluka at 7:31 AM on September 15, 2011