MY TOP 5 FOUNDATIONS

Finding the right foundation can be a big challenge. Despite reading into the reviews and doing the research, I find that I can never really predict how a product will wear on me until I've tested it out on my skin. I've been on a bit of a foundation kick lately - I've read through my fair share of 'favourites' and 'top 5s' in the blogging world, and as a result my stash has grown significantly in the last few months. 

I generally jump between various foundations depending on the condition of my skin and the weather, which means sometimes I will use up to 5 different foundations over the course of one week! It is an essential product in my makeup routine, so I thought I would share some of my absolute favorites in this post. I'm going to try to keep things short by pining it down to the key factors, but don't hesitate to leave a comment if you have any questions. Also, I would love to know what some of your current favourite foundations are! :D

In no particular order…

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Gel Foundation (53)
Coverage: Light to medium
Longevity: 6-7 hours
Shade Range: 5 shades available
SPF: None
Primer I use with this foundation: Various (It's worked with pretty much all my primers!)

My current favourite drugstore foundation. I usually reach for this when my skin is looking a little dry and tired - I find that it gives my skin the boost it needs without making my face too 'shiny', which is often the case for me when it comes to illuminating products. I do point out that this foundation is not the longest wearing product (I have combination skin), but it stays put for most of the workday, so it is a great choice for a day-to-day foundation.

Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation (5.5)
Coverage: Medium to full
Longevity: 9-10 hours
Shade Range: 26 shades available
SPF: None
Primer I use with this foundation: Illamasqua Hydra Veil

The wear of this foundation is fantastic, it lasts from day to night even around oilier areas of my face (mainly the T-zone area). The product blends seamlessly into the skin and is overall great to work with. This foundation can be easily built up to full coverage, but also wears quite natural if applied sparingly. Illamasqua Skin Base is a great choice for flash photography, it contains no SPF so there won't be any unwanted flash back.

Jump for more foundation love!

YSL Youth Liberator Foundation (B20)
Coverage: Medium to full
Longevity: 7-8 hours
Shade Range: 10 shades available
SPF: 20 PA ++
Primer I use with this foundation: YSL Top Secrets Flash Radiance Skincare Brush Skin Primer

I'm a total sucker for packaging, and YSL in general, so this had me from the get go. I really like the coverage of this foundation, it conceals most of my minor blemishes without being too heavy. There is a slight dewiness in the finish, but the overall wear is very natural and makes my skin look extra smooth. Unfortunately the shade range is quite limited, I am in between shades so I ended up purchasing B20 which is just a tad too light for my complexion (it's too pricy for me to splurge and buy both shades!).

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation (1W2 Sand 36)
Coverage: Medium to full
Longevity: 9-10 hours
Shade Range: 30+ shades available
SPF: 10 PA ++
Primer I use with this foundation: Various

Probably the longest wearing foundation of the bunch. This cult classic definitely deserves a spot in my top 5. It wears a little heavier than most of my other foundations, so I generally skip concealer (besides underneath the eyes) when I use this. My only complaint about Estee Lauder Double Wear is that the formula dries significantly darker - the shade I have wears a little orange on me once it oxidises (though I had a bit of a tan when I bought this)  so I would recommend you take your time to try this product if you are interested.

Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation (013)
Coverage: Light to medium
Longevity: 6-7 hours
Shade Range: 6 shades available (at Sephora)
SPF: 25 PA ++
Primer I use with this foundation: Koh Gen Do Makeup Colour Base

This was my HG foundation for 2012, and I still love it to bits. It's great for those days when my skin is dry or irritated because the foundation is made of 45% water, so it does not agitate or accentuate any dry areas. Even on my bad skin days, this foundation still manages to have the most natural finish. Please note that I bought my bottle in Japan, and have noticed that the shade and SPF range is different to what's available on Sephora, so I can't be certain that it performs the same (sorry!).

And that's my top 5! As mentioned above, I would love to know what some of your foundation recommendations are! Thank you so much for reading!