For most of us, the search for the 'perfect' foundation is work in progress. And while BB creams and tinted moisturisers always appeal, they often don’t often enough coverage in winter. Here are the seriously long-lasting, complexion enhancing, ultra-flattering (in any light) foundations and a clever new concealer to covet this winter. Says editor Trudi Brewer.
Editor Trudi Brewer shares her favourites foundations to try this winter
NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation, $84.
Anyone struggling to find a good colour match? This new collection of makeup from Nars has it covered. It’s full coverage, oil-free, fade-resistant formula, with clever micronized amino acid-coated pigments, and mineral tone-balancing powders that help to keep the colour true to shade once on the skin. And the colours - there are 34 shades, range from pale ivory called (Siberia) through to the darkest shade named (Mali pictured here). Thanks, Nars for responding to our call for foundation shades that suit our diverse population - genius.
YVES SAINT LAURENT Touchè Èclat High Cover Concealer, $86.
While this newbie is a concealer, we have used it as makeup to hide imperfections all over our face, followed by a buff of mineral powder - and here's why. The same technology has gone into this new concealer as the famous Touche Eclat, but this option offers full coverage, in a creamy consistency. It hides dark circles, covers blemishes, and brown spots from sun damage and the illuminating colour, gives skin a glow. There are also plant extracts such as Ruscus extract, (decongests darkness under the eyes) calendula (is an anti-inflammatory), and vitamin E, (hydrates and soothe the skin), while the caffeine (perks up tired-looking skin) in the formula. Like its sister the original Touchè Èclat we think this will be a keeper too. There are 14 shades.
Dior Backstage Face & Body Foundation, $80.
If you like a lightweight, dreamy coverage, this new luxe-y foundation was created for makeup artists to use backstage on the face and the body. It has a fluid texture, that feels like it would be too sheer, but it's buildable and leaves an instant radiant glow on the skin. The brand says, "It's waterproof and creates an invisible mesh on the skin that resists conditions such as work out sessions and extreme temperature changes." What we know is that it looks luminous, lasts for hours, and feels fantastic to wear! Oh, and did we mention how much we love the packaging.
Cover FX Mini Custom Cover Drops, $50.
While this is not the first pigment drops, we have seen it's one of our favourites. Just a few drops of this pure pigment in any makeup will correct or customize your foundation colour - ideal when moving from summer to a winter makeup finish, it's also vegan, and paraben, fragrance, talc, and mineral oil.
Rimmel London - Lasting Finish Matt Foundation, $20.
If you like your foundation matte or coverage that controls oil, this cheeky beauty buy is the answer to your prayers. It will last all day or all night, leaving a weightless veil of cover on the skin that dries instantly and will not budge, (but it doesn't leave the skin looking dry). For anyone with oily skin or shiny skin, this is a great winter makeup. And, it comes packed in a pocket-size tube, which is excellent for travel.
Guerlain L'Essentiel Foundation,$102 & Guerlain L'Essentiel Foundation Brush,$91.
We defy anyone not to fall in love with this luxurious, creamy foundation. The instant blurring veil, of whipped, lightweight makeup it leaves on the skin is addictive. The formula is sheer, yet buildable to offer great coverage if you need it. And the best news, 97 percent of the formulation is from naturally-derived ingredients. The innovative L'Essentiel Foundation Brush works wonders buffing the colour into the skin (especially around the hairline and the nose) giving skin that barely-there finish. There are nine shades.
MAC Lightful C Foundation, $72.
A serum-like foundation because it treats the skin with hydrating, correcting ingredients including vitamin C and antioxidants, as well as soothing agents designed to calm redness and the light diffusing pigments. Which is why we call it radiance-making makeup, which; let's face this is what most women over 30 crave. It blends effortlessly (it won't sink into pores or fine lines) contains a vital SPF35 and works equally as well applied with fingers or a foundation brush.
Nude by Nature Liquid Mineral Makeup, $45.
For die-hard mineral makeup fans, this light-weight, long-lasting, dewy foundation is a treat for your skin. Packed with ingredients such a vitamins C and E, Jojoba, and green tea (as well as some Australian native such as Lilly Pilly, Quandong and Kakadu Plum), it's more about what's not in it that makes it an excellent makeup for anyone who wants a natural foundation or those with sensitive skins. There are no nasties including parabens, talc, silicones or bismuth (a toxic metal also found in fire extinguishers and ammunition). There are five very blendable shades from Fair to Dark.
Clinique Even Better Refresh Hydrating Repairing Makeup, $70.
Any skin type can benefit from a surge of moisture, and this new foundation offers precisely that. The brand says you can expect, "It offers 24-hour wear that revitalizes skin for a more youthful look." We would have to agree. While we did not sleep with it on the skin overnight, the 12 hours we did wear it, the finish was flawless. That's all thanks to the miracle ingredient, hyaluronic acid. A single gram of this humectant has the impressive ability to hold up to six liters of water. The ingredients that repair dull-looking skin are peptides (proteins) and salicylic acid, also packed into this travel-friendly tube. We call this makeup with benefits.
Trudi Brewer shares foundations and great makeup tips on how to find your perfect foundation match on TV3’s The Cafe.
