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We all want the flawless, lit-from-within skin of a Bridgerton heroine, but most of us need a little help to achieve it. Enter foundation.
The best products disguise redness and pigmentation, blur blemishes, brighten shadows and sop up shine. The worst look mask-like, leave tidemarks, cake, sit in wrinkles and appear ashy or orange.
Formulators have taken note of these cosmetic concerns and created a slew of new products that promise to deliver on our base needs. Read on for my verdicts.
Best for a barely-there veil
Revolution Superdewy Skin Tint SPF 30
£13.99
Coverage Sheer
Finish Glowy
This affordable product delivers a super-light skin-enhancing veil. It feels pleasantly moisturising and, because it's only lightly pigmented and easy to blend, you could even apply it without a mirror. (Warning: it's a runny formula, so open with caution.) The effects are subtle, but it still dials down redness and leaves you looking dewy and more polished. Added extras? It has a mineral SPF and contains vitamin C to brighten. Plus, its non-pore-clogging formula means it's good for sensitive and acne-prone skin.
Best for flawless radiance
Hourglass Illusion Luminous Glow Foundation SPF 30
£58
Coverage Medium
Finish Radiant
I had high hopes for this as the Hourglass Veil Hydrating Skin Tint (£49) is my go-to base. Promising more coverage, but without sacrificing radiance, this foundation is thick but blends easily with a brush. It evens out skin tone, but if you're after a totally flawless look then you'll need to touch out blemishes with concealer (the best approach, in my opinion). It also promises to 'visibly lift skin in 14 days'. I'm sceptical of such claims but can reassure you it doesn't settle into fine lines and lasts the day. Works best with a layer of moisturiser underneath it.
Best for a youthful glow
Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation
£49
Coverage Medium
Finish Luminous
Since its launch 25 years ago, this hero product has had a place in every make-up artist's kit. The moisturising, brightening formula means it's great for older users, adding glow and hydration. It feels silky and doesn't sit on the skin, but instead blends with it, making it look like your own, but better. The original formula has been updated and now has added skincare benefits (think glycerin and niacinamide) and it also incorporates new pigment technology to create more skin-true colours. It comes in 44 shades, 18 of which are new.
Best for a long-lasting finish
Nars Natural Matte Longwear Foundation
£43.50
Coverage Medium to full
Finish Matt
Matt foundations used to be thought démodé, as the aesthetic swung away from the flat, powered finish to glassy, dewy skin. Now that customers want a more polished look, Nars has responded with a product that delivers serious coverage and staying power, but without looking heavy or flat. It conceals redness, evens out pigmentation, nixes shine and really grips the skin to ensure longevity. Work it around the nose and under eyes and you can forgo concealer there. Bonus: there are 46 shades to choose from.
Best for covering blemishes
Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Makeup
£39.50
Coverage Full
Finish Matt
This long-standing favourite has been reformulated with skincare actives, in shades that look more true-to-tone on your skin. It's more blendable than you'd think, and one application covers most imperfections. Layer it on to hide flushing or more conspicuous blemishes (but let it dry for a minute in between). It promises to be transfer-, water- and sweat-proof, lasting 36 hours (though who'd want to put that to the test?!). After a tough workout, I emerged with the base still in place and zero shine.
Can a foundation ever be worth over £100?
Victoria Beckham By Augustinus Bader Foundation Drops
£104 Shop
Victoria Beckham By Augustinus Bader Foundation Drops (victoriabeckhambeauty.com) cost £104, which is a lot. Now, I love VB's range and many of her products are in my kit (shout-out to the cheekbone-creating Contour Stylus, £38) and make-up artists I've worked with rave about this foundation - two good reasons to suspect it's great. When I got my hands on some to road test, I found the thick liquid delivers the holy grail: great coverage but looking barely there on the skin. Plus it's infused with Augustinus Bader's skincare. Is it twice as brilliant as, say, an Hourglass foundation though? I'd say no. But if you fancy a bougie treat don't let me stop you.