One of the most expensive and probably most essential items I splurge on is foundation, I'm not one to collect them and have usually only got one or two on the go (I have 3 right now but one was a Christmas pressie and one *rimmel wake up* was only £4.99 so barely counts!) my most recent one went through a very rigorous testing process, which I thought it might be good to share.
I try to get samples of foundations especially high end ones, I would hate to spend £20-£30 on something that doesnt suit me and foundation is a really personal thing too, it sits totally differently on each persons skin so testing is essential. This is my recent samples collection, the MUAs at mac were really generous with the samples which is brilliant, I hate the ones that give you a little sample in a foil packet. I got the YSL one before the foundation was released as I'm sure lots of you did too, but I did send my sister in once it had launched to try it herself and she came away with a sample aswell so I think they are still available. Also the girl on the Nars counter was lovely (might have been because I bought orgasm blusher and Laguna bronzer at the time) but she happily gave me a sample. My tip is to be cheeky enough to ask and you usually get! I also tell the MUA that I need to see how it applies with my own brushes/techniques, as its usually veeery different to when they do it. Please don't take this as advice to get as many as you can, narrow it down to 3 or 4 that sound good from reviews or descriptions, I'm basically saying not to take the mickey as we don't want them to stop giving them out!
I've got Nars sheer glow in Deauville, MAC Pro long wear in NW20 and Face and Body in C1, and YSL Le teint touché éclat in BR20. The sizes are between 5-7 mls and I managed to get at least 7 days use out of each of them, that was easily enough to make a choice and I've still got a bit left over so I've been taking the good ones on trips with me too.
Swatches in the same order as the picture above. Like I said I've only used most of these for a week or so but here are my thoughts on each, also I have very pale pinkish skin that is usually dry but luckily not really prone to spots or sensitivities. I prefer a Lightweight medium coverage foundation with a dewy finish.
Nars sheer glow - weirdly this was not very sheer or glowy on me so I was very disappointed, it also oxidised really badly on me by the end of the day. I had heard so much about this one and had been really excited to try it, it was also strangely lovely when the MUA applied it for me. Very glad I tested it though as I would have been devastated had I bought this and felt the same.
MAC face and body - I loved this foundation it was really lightweight and sheer, I found it difficult to apply though as my face felt sticky and wet for a while after so not great with a fringe! The reason I haven't bought this is my mam thought it made me look really pale, she practically did a double take when she saw me (I couldn't really see what she meant but it was enough to put me off).
MAC pro long wear - this foundation was nice, the color was perfect and it lasted really well all day. The coverage was a little heavier than I was looking for and it was also a little sticky I would definitely use this but I wasn't really wowed by it. I didn't notice much oxidation but I'm told that's a bit of an issue with most mac foundations so something to bear in mind.
YSL Le teint touché éclat - I loved this! This has become my holy grail foundation, I'm preparing to do a full review post on this but basically it ticked all my boxes and literally cannot use any others since I bought this one as I now think I look a bit gray and dead without it. Perfect perfect!
Have I sampled any of your favorite foundations? Do you usually test foundations or buy them on a whim?
Also do you usually go for budget or high end foundations?
Cariad xx
