My Foundations...

One thing I find one part fun, 20 parts agonizing is foundation.  I want a foundation to cover, look skin-like and natural, add some healthy glow, not shine, not oxidize or settle in pores and last without going greasy.  I will forgive the foundation of all these faults only if it is a true color match.  It's a tall order and I've never found that true color match that perfectly blends, matching face, neck and chest.  Partly because my face is pink/peach, my neck is white/yellow, and my chest is the darkest part of my body year round.  So...  I've tried many and I've come close.  My combo/oily skin complicates the matter...  But I've learned to "Keep Calm, Just Blot" several times a day.

These are the keepers, or the ones that I have in my drawer currently.  I will explain.

From left to right in order of being most used...

Bourjois Healthy Mix in 52 Vanilla, CoverGirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 in 825 Buff Beige, L'OREAL Magic Nude Liquid Powder in 316 Nude Beige, Revlon Colorstay Whipped in 150 Buff, 200, Sand Beige, 240 Natural Beige, Neutrogena Nourishing Long Wear Makeup in 20 Nude (Bzz Agent Campaign), Physicians Formula Youthful Wear Spotless in Light, and Rimmel Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation in 100 Ivory.

Here are some swatches in the same order left to right.  I think I am a NC 20-25 in MAC, the inside of my arm is probably NC 15 right now (yellow undertones).

Currently, my favorite and best color match is the CoverGirl Outlast in 825 Buff Beige.  The last time I wore Revlon Colorstay Whipped in 200 Sand Beige matched really well as well.  Revlon Sand Beige is similar in color to Bourjois Healthy Mix in 52 Vanilla.  All 3 of these I can wear right now and are good choices for me.  They last, look natural, cover nicely.  Revlon ColorStay Whipped takes some extra finesse to apply so I don't reach for it as often.

I'm nearing the end of Bourjois and I would feel comfortable repurchasing. I know that the packaging has changed and possibly the formula?  I'm also determined to finish it!  It has a natural finish, not too matte, not too shiny.  CoverGirl Outlast in Buff Beige is just a slightly better color match, wears better throughout the day and looks more natural, lighter coverage.  It keeps my skin oils in check too which is a huge bonus. Also a natural finish, just a touch more matte than Bourjois, but still on the natural semi-matte side.

L'OREAL Magic Nude Liquid Powder in Nude Beige is slightly warmer (more pink) and matches me better in the summer months.  I could wear this right now but would have to take it down the neck to blend it.  I love this foundation for touch ups.  If I don't have time to wash my face and start over, I can slap this foundation on quickly and it blends out to a nice powder finish.  Awesome for the humid summers down here in NC.   And I prefer this in the summer over Bourjois as it is much lighter and more comfortable to wear.

The Revlon Colorstay Whipped tower...  I first purchased this foundation from Ulta, full price when it first came out in 220 Nude.  I loved it.  But the color was just too pink.  I sat there with 220 Nude and 150 Buff for like 20 minutes trying to decide which one to purchase.  I used to wear Buff in the regular Colorstay line.  But ultimately, I went with 220 Nude mostly because I usually fall in the "Beige" or "Nude" color now that I live in the South and a little darker than my white Northern days.

Well 220 Nude was too pink.  I went back for 240 Natural Beige.  Also a bit pink/dark but workable.  Then I purchased 150 Buff to mix with 240 Natural Beige and got along with the 2 for a little while.  And finally, 200 Sand Beige came into my life during for free during a CVS haul.  I don't remember 200 Sand Beige as a choice during that first encounter at Ulta but I found it last summer at CVS.  It matches the best out of all the colors and I use 150 Buff in certain areas of my face to brighten.

Colorstay is a bit heavier in the coverage department so I usually save it for special occasions and events like Marine Corps Balls and weddings namely.  :)

These last 3 are relatively new and I'm unsure about them at the moment.  As you can see from the swatches again below, Neutrogena Nourishing Long Wear in 40 Nude and Physicians Formula Youthful Wear Spotless in Light are stand out dark on my arm (far right).  These 2 will hopefully be perfect in the summer for me.  I have Rimmel Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation in 100 Ivory pictured last because I have only tried it 1-2 times on a very dry skin week.  I just rescued it from the Rite Aid return bag just before taking the photo above.  I will give it another shot.  It's thicker than Revlon Colorstay whipped and much drier.  It is a true matte finish.

I have a lot of foundations to get through before I will pick up another that is for sure.

However, lately I have been wanting to pick up a higher end foundation. As soon as I finish Bourjois and another of course... :)

Here's my list!

1. Urban Decay Naked (Tried a sample and loved it!)
2. Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua (Color Matched and loved it!)
3. Marc Jacobs Beauty Genius Gel Super-Charged
4. Hourglass Immaculate Liquid Powder (Tried the Immaculate TM and loved it!)
5. Make Up Forever Mat Velvet +

So I will be good, use up my drugstore foundations and pounce on the next Sephora VIB sale.  :)

Next up I will be sharing my BB and CC Cream "Collection."