Following the success of my "high street foundation face-off" (which is still one of my most read posts to date!) I thought it was about time I flipped it and focused on the high end foundations. There's no denying my love for foundation. When you have skin like mine, base products quickly become your favourite - and it was foundation that started off my love for make up. I promise I'll do an updated high street foundation face-off soon because I've tried so many more since the original post over a year ago. But for now, here are the high end contenders...
Vichy Idealia BB Cream* - £21.00
Coverage: This is a BB Cream, so coverage was never going to be outstanding. However, for a BB Cream, it's definitely higher than most. You can see before/after pictures of it on my skin here.
Longevity: Stood the test of time last summer! I'd recommend using a primer beforehand though.
Finish: Soft and natural. Demi-matte.
Formula: Lightweight, blends into the skin beautifully and hydrating.
Overall: I love using this in summer or on days when my skin is looking good.
Would I recommend it? Yes.
MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation - £25.00
Coverage: Medium-full. This covers most things but my deeper scars need extra help.
Longevity: Lasts pretty well but my t-zone starts to get shiny throughout the day.
Finish: Pretty much full on matte.
Formula: I struggle to blend this and I find it to be quite heavy.
Overall: It provides nice coverage, an okay finish but I don't like the formula. I do have a very old tube of the stuff though, so that could be why.
Would I recommend it? No.
Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint* - £21.00
Coverage: Almost non-existent. This is a tinted moisturiser.
Longevity: There's barely any coverage but the glow lasts a while with a primer.
Finish: Glowing. I have to powder with this as it's almost on the verge of oily.
Formula: Nice to blend but I find that this feels heavy on the skin, despite being a tinted moisturiser.
Overall: I'm not a fan. I need my coverage (plus Vichy's DERMABLEND is much higher coverage and much lighter).
Would I recommend it? No.
Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation - £34.00
Coverage: Perfection. Very pigmented and you only need a tiny amount to get amazing coverage over your entire face. You can see before/after pictures of it on my skin here.
Longevity: Lasts well with a primer and powder. Never tried it on its own.
Finish: Stunning. Very natural looking and glowing. It's hard to find a high coverage foundation that doesn't leave the skin matte.
Formula: Very easy to blend and feels lightweight. Ends up leaving the skin sticky for a while before it's "set."
Overall: I love this. It's a shame it's such a high price because at the moment, my shade is too light for me. Sigh.
Would I recommend it? Yes.
Liz Earle Signature Foundation* - £21.00
Coverage: I find that this adds a tint to my skin, but doesn't seem to cover much. You can see before/after pictures of it on my skin here.
Longevity: Lasts all day on the skin with a primer.
Finish: Looks natural, demi-matte.
Formula: This is an absolute pain to blend. I end up with streaks/patches all over my skin.
Overall: I used to love this foundation (as you can tell from the glowing review) but I really don't get on with it any more. Maybe it's because the bottle's old and it's oxidised, who knows?!
Would I recommend it? No.
Coverage: As high coverage as you're ever going to get. I don't even need concealer with this. You can see before/after pictures of it on my skin here.
Longevity: Once it's on the skin, it isn't going anywhere.
Finish: Not full on matte but not glowing either. Somehow it lets your natural skin shine through.
Formula: A dream to blend and surprisingly, the most lightweight foundation on this list.
Overall: I love this. It's a bargain and is my favourite foundation of the bunch.
Would I recommend it? Yes.
Cargo HD Picture Perfect CC Cream* - £26.00
Coverage: Very subtle, if any.
Longevity: Because there is little coverage, I can't tell how long it lasts. But the glow is there all day.
Finish: The finish is very radiant. Despite the lack of coverage, your skin does look perfected.
Formula: This CC Cream starts out white and then adapts to match your skin tone perfectly. It's oil-free too.
Overall: This sadly isn't launched until the 17th of March.
Would I recommend it? I need more coverage. But for those of you with near perfect skin, you'd love this.
Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation - £27.50
Coverage: Medium-full and can be built up nice and easily.
Longevity: Lasts all day long. You don't even need a primer or powder to set this. It doesn't budge one bit.
Finish: Like Vichy's DERMABLEND except that this does mask the skin.
Formula: Lovely to blend (although some people have issues with this) and I find it lightweight and almost undetectable.
Overall: I've loved this foundation for 6 years now and repurchased it numerous times. It's a classic.
Would I recommend it? Yes.
What's your favourite high end foundation? Have you tried out any of the above?
*PR Sample
*PR Sample
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