My foundation collection!

This post was inspired by one of my favourite bloggers Laura from http://www.buynowbloglater.com who wrote a post on her foundation collection and a run through of how she felt about each one. I am going to be doing something similar today with my collection, running through every foundation I personally own (not included my professional kit) I will be telling you what I love about each one and why! I will also be revealing which one is my all time favourite Holy Grail foundation out of this line up at the end of the post!

My skin type is pretty normal, occasionally combination, so what might work amazingly on my skin, might look terrible on a dry skin so please bear in mind that these foundations work great for me but might not for you so always worth picking up a sample of a foundation before buying! I have put my line up in left to right from generally most coverage to least.

The foundation line up! L-R

MAC Studio Fix Fluid, Estee Lauder Double Wear Light, NARS Sheer glow, Make up For Ever HD, Shiseido Perfect Refining foundation, Burberry sheer foundation, Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua, NARS pure radiant tinted moisturiser, Chantecaille Just Skin, Laura Mercier illuminating tinted moisturiser

So lets start with the thickest foundation of the lot, MAC Studio Fix Fluid. Many love this, many hate it, but theres no denying that if you want full coverage it does what it says it will. Yes it smells a bit weird and is pretty thick when applied but if applied in the right way it can create a flawless smooth base ideal for people who love to hide all sins. It is oil free and therefore great for combination to oily skins. Some people do experience flash back on camera but personally I haven't had any issues with it. I haven't worn this in a long time as I now much prefer foundations with a glow and this is definitely more matte but when applied with a large stippling brush or a damp sponge it can give a lighter, more natural finish and is definitely a good product to have in case of a bad skin day!

Moving ever so slightly down the coverage scale we come to Estee Lauder Double Wear Light. The original Double Wear formula is incredibly thick and I didn't enjoy wearing it at all so when I first saw this I assumed that the formula would be very similar. However it really is much lighter still giving a medium coverage I would say but feels more comfortable and looks more like skin. This is a great product for when your skin is a little red or a few blemishes have appeared because it gives a smooth flawless look without looking heavy. I would call the finish matte/satin.

NARS Sheer Glow, now this is in my top 3 for sure. Not sheer or particularly glowy its not actually what I expected but I still fell head over heels in love on first application. It gives at least a medium coverage I would say and the finish is more satin than glowing but it leaves the skin looking radiant and flawless. This is my go to foundation for nights out because it photographs beautifully and stays on all night too. It is very build able too so for nights out where I'm wearing a strong smokey eye or dark lip I tend to apply two layers for ultimate flawless finish!

Make Up For Ever HD is a bit of a cult classic in the makeup world. Harder to get hold of in the UK I bought this little beauty at IMATS purely because of the rave reviews I had heard from fellow make up artists. I wanted to try it on myself before putting it into my kit and I have to say it is a fantastic foundation. As the name would suggest it photographs beautifully and on the right skin type it is perfection. On dry skins I find this can drag a little so I would use it on combination onwards however I love it on myself and if I'm looking for a medium coverage with a velvety finish this is ideal.

My next foundation was sent to me by Shiseido after I enquired about their make up collection. A less mainstream brand, this is available in larger department stores and online. I didn't know what to expect but with the name Perfect Refining foundation my expectations were suddenly raised! I was not left disappointed! This gorgeous velvety foundation is light to medium coverage and very buildable with a gorgeously smooth application and comfortable feeling. I would definitely consider adding this to my professional kit because it is that perfect medium between light and full coverage, matt and dewy finish.  A lovely product.

Next up is a pricey addition in the form of Burberry sheer foundation. I bought this in the Summer hence the dark colour so I tend to only use it in the Summer months but thats when I believe it looks best. With a dewy sheer to light finish it looks radiant like just landed from my holiday radiant and evens out skin whilst retaining a natural glow. It's everything I thought it would be. Burberry makeup is natural with subtle definition and a strong focus on skin and this foundation encourages the natural skin to show through. This is best for when your skin is looking in great condition or else you will find yourself using a lot of concealer to cover redness or spots.

Chanel vitalumiere aqua is perfect. Yep I said it its PERFECT. I cannot find a fault with this foundation! It smells nice, it looks classy but feels light in a plastic container. It is water based so needs to be shaken before applied so the texture is kind of runny and sheer but when applied to the face a miracle occurs and the skin looks instantly better! I love the sheer to light coverage for day time however it is still build able so I have often worn this on nights out too. This foundation has got me more skin compliments than any other and I feel like my skin looks natural yet flawless when I'm wearing it with a satin finish. This is what true love feels like ;)

Its hard to find something that even compares to the Chanel, however recently I have found a beautiful tinted moisturiser by NARS which is almost as impressive! This radiant tint gives a pretty impressive coverage for a tinted moisturiser and looks very natural whilst hiding imperfections. It smells gorgeous and applies so smoothly. I love wearing this on jobs because it lasts all day and I feel like my skin looks evened out but not too heavy for early morning shoots! A gorgeous product.

Oh Chantecaille why are you so darn expensive?! £57 for a tinted moisturiser is a little bit mad however I cannot deny that for me it has been worth every penny! Yes I wish it was £30 cheaper but it does everything it promises to so I can't fault it. It gives a decent amount of coverage for a tinted moisturiser and this is a real summer holiday essential for me. I bought this for Summer when I was tanned so the colour is too dark for me unless I've fake tanned but when I do wear it I remember why I love it. Satin finish, smooth texture, luxurious packaging it really is a joy to use.

So yes you probably guessed from my rave review that Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua is my holy grail foundation! Its perfection! 

I have lots more foundations on my makeup wish list including Givenchy and Dior so hopefully will get to try those this year! 

What is your favourite foundation?

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