The Foundation Files

Foundation has long been the Achilles heel of my cosmetic journey. I have struggled with it for as long as I can remember; formulations change, but the results rarely do.

My skin has, as I mentioned in another post, gone from uber-oily to desert dry. I have developed fine lines and pigmentation patches as I have aged. So those are issues I need to address now, just to keep it interesting.

I've tried liquids, creams, cream to powders, sticks, mousse, pressed powders, mineral powders (loose & pressed), tinted moisturisers. I have yet to try: BB creams, airbrush or cushion foundation.

I've applied with fingers, sponges in every conceivable shape and texture including silicon (with and without handles), puff-type things, rollers, a variety of brushes and a weird towel-type thing (found online, shipped from Hong Kong).

I've run the gamut of oil-free, matte, oil, based. I've gone for minimal coverage, medium coverage and heavy coverage options. High-end and low end. In the middle too. Some have worked better than others. But I always have the same problems. Every. damn. time. The only difference is how long it takes to get these issues, and whether or not I can take a break, and get it resolved that way.


One of three things happens with every foundation I have tried.

It fades/vanishes in patches. We're not talking a bit less polished at the end of the day. We're talking a on-my-face-when-I-left-the-house-and-patchy-2-hours-later kind of deal.

The colour changes. It looks great in the bottle. The SA does a test, I wander around for 5-10 minutes, or get the whole shebang done; a full face. I look and feel fantastic. I walk out of the shop (usually with both the foundation and high hopes). I wander home, look in the mirror and I am an oompah-loompah. It's gone orange! Or brown. Or patchy. Or a combination of all three. Back it goes.

It goes cakey. This is probably the most frustrating, as it takes the longest to occur. This is the one I have had the least, as it tends only to happen with heavy coverage products.

One reason I have trouble, I think, is that I have struck a few SAs who don't follow what I am saying. They'll haul out a dark shade, say 'This is the one'. I'll say 'Errr... no' and they'll get huffy.  This has happened on numerous occasions.  It gives me the irrits. The rest is just my skin/system. It is what it is - cranky as all get-out, and unlikely to change.

Of all the foundations I have tried, the pressed powder mineral is probably the most stable. I still have the fade issues, but I can carry the compact to counter those. The colour-change is still a challenge, so I have 2 shades. I test the day before, at home, and see what happens.

I'd love to be able to wear those gorgeous dewy looking foundations I see on others, but I somehow think I am likely to remain cursed. So for now, and the forseeable future, I will stick with my pressed minerals, and keep hoping that one day, my system will settle down, and my skin along with it. Imagine the fun I could have if that happened!