What is the best liquid-based foundation for combination/oily Asian skin

March 8, 2014 11:30 AM

I'm southeast Asian (Filipino), with deep yellow undertones and a very shiny T-zone. I need help finding a liquid-based foundation that both matches my skin tone, and helps control oil. I do not like using BareMinerals, because the powder gets all over the place, and I have no patience for cleaning brushes. What are the brands that I should be looking at?

If necessary, I will pay for an expensive brand. Thanks in advance to all.

posted by invisible ink to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (13 answers total)

How much coverage do you really need? I find that BB cream provides enough oil control and coverage for me, and most of the older ones are pigmented to match yellow undertoned skin, since they were invented in Korea. I like Dr Jart but your best bet is probably to sample a bunch at Sephora.
posted by telegraph at 11:34 AM on March 8, 2014

Search through Beautypedia's reviews (done by Paula Begoun). You can find the best liquid foundation for your skin type and then read through the reviews themselves to find which is likely to have a yellow based undertone that is good and realistic. She mentions when a line does a particular shade well or not well.

In the end you're going to have to go try a few shades on your particular skin itself to see how it matches rather then relying on a recommendation.
posted by Blitz at 11:41 AM on March 8, 2014 [1 favorite]

Armani has a great foundation, not too pink. Also, the CC and BB creams might work better than a conventional foundation. MakeupAlley has good recommendations and you can filter by age, skin color, skin type, etc..
posted by Ideefixe at 11:51 AM on March 8, 2014

NARS foundations rock my oily world, especially with their primer and moisturizer. Not too exorbitantantly prized either!
posted by These Birds of a Feather at 12:00 PM on March 8, 2014

I have yellow undertones and oily skin and love MakeupForever HD foundation.

Here is a thorough review from a blogger who happens to be Asian.
posted by Fairchild at 12:18 PM on March 8, 2014 [1 favorite]

I too really like Makeup Forever's HD foundation, for my combination skin. It's pricey but it lasts a long time. It comes in a lot more shades than most drugstore brands too.

I used to use a brush, but to be honest, it goes on really well just using my fingers.
posted by inertia at 1:20 PM on March 8, 2014

I'm very oily, and find that MAC Pro Longwear foundation stands up well to oil. If you find it hard to blend, mix in a very small amount of moisturizer or MAC Strobe Cream (an illuminator) to make it dry slower and look just matte instead of dry. I use 2 or three parts foundation to one part additive. MAC's yellow shades are yellow.

If I'm wearing a different foundation that doesn't prevent shine, I top it with Laura Mercier Smooth Focus Setting Powder Shine Control. You can pat it on with a sponge or used a big brush. The pressed powder can pick up oil and foundation residue from your sponge or brush -- the loose powder doesn't have that problem.

Washing brushes is a pain. If it's a fluffy powder brush, dampen a microfiber cloth and run the bristles over that a few times -- add a drop of shampoo to water if ever the brush doesn't seem to be getting clean.
posted by wryly at 2:01 PM on March 8, 2014

Also, some oil-free moisturizers contain a lot of glycerin, which can create even more shine on your skin. I was pretty surprised to find out that some with-oil moisturizers can help me stay matte longer if I apply them very lightly.
posted by wryly at 2:03 PM on March 8, 2014

Revlon Color Stay is amazing for oily skin, if you can find it in the right shade for your skin tone.
posted by Jacqueline at 3:47 PM on March 8, 2014

My vote goes to Covergirl's Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 foundation. You can watch a review here from YT beauty guru itsjudytime that shows how it wears throughout the day. It comes in quite a few shades and I can confirm that it has oil control. I put it on this morning around 10. It's 8:30pm now and my face isn't greasy/discoball.
posted by driedmango at 5:30 PM on March 8, 2014

I really like Shiseido's pressed powders (specifically, The Makeup Powdery Foundation) - good colours - not a million of them, but much of what they've got is suited to yellow and neutral tones; no shine, no breakouts; definitely not messy; good coverage - it's buildable dry or wet, so you can just use it lightly for shine control or more heavily for greater coverage (I don't often do the last, admittedly). I use this with concealer here and there (L'Oreal Touche Magique - cheap and again good colours for neutral-yellow base). Have not tried liquid anything, because it feels too masky. (Am not Asian but am firmly in the neutral-yellow family of colours.)
posted by cotton dress sock at 6:15 PM on March 8, 2014

I have yellow undertones and similar skin so I would recommend:

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation - Matte without being like paint
Maybelline Super Stay foundation
Laura Mercier powder foundation - brilliant (I know you said liquid but this is soooo easy)

Recently I've discovered Tarte CC stick and it is wonderful - matte, so easy, dries to a powder. Just "draw" stripes on and blend with fingers. I couldn't believe how good it was, and it lasts almost all day.
posted by shazzam! at 4:19 AM on March 9, 2014 [1 favorite]

Are you in the US? Here in the UK, Bourjois sells some very yellow-toned foundations. Healthy Mix is advertised as being glowy, but I think it has more of a satin finish, and you could certainly powder it down further if you want a truly matte complexion. I would suggest you avoid the serum version, but the regular kind might suit you - it comes in 8 shades. 123 Perfect and Happy Light from the same brand also run quite yellow, but they only come in 5 shades.

I can also second the suggestion above about Asian brand BB creams. Skin79 and Missha are both well reviewed and popular BB cream brands.

I am the palest of the pale, so I have swatched many (SO MANY!) foundations in my time in the vain hope of finding a match! If you can get a sample from a counter to test, I recommend asking to take away a pump or two in a small pot to test at home, in daylight, to really see if it blends well with your skin tone. Alternatively, get the person on the counter to apply it to part of your face and walk outside to look at it in natural light. I find that shop lights screw with the shade and undertone of foundations hugely. NARS, Giorgio Armani, Laura Mercier, Bobbi Brown, MAC and Lancôme should all do this and their foundations all come in a huge range of shades.
posted by fanlight at 2:45 AM on March 12, 2014