Foundations for every occasion (and mood)

When it comes to my makeup, I’m all about that base, and I have quite the hefty collection of foundations to back this up. In fact, if I was in a rush and didn’t have the time to apply a whole face of makeup, I’d opt for foundation, concealer and powder over eye makeup and blusher.

However, this doesn’t mean that I’m just a fan of super high coverage foundations; as my skin has become less oily and more even in tone, I’ve also discovered a love for some lighter bases, too. So, here’s my round-up of my favourite full, medium and light coverage foundations for all occasions and moods…

Best for: high coverage

If you have a lot of redness and oiliness, then the Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay in-Place-Makeup is the foundation for you. This might be a little too thick for some people, but it pretty much covers everything; in fact, I could probably skip concealer with this. It’s great for those days when you need your makeup to last all day, though it does leave a matte finish, so you may want to get a sample first if you have dry skin.

The Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Cushion Foundation also offers a good level of coverage, but it’s lighter and not as matte as Double Wear. Nonetheless, this is the foundation I reach for the most as it’s really quick to apply, and never looks cakey on the skin.

Best for: medium coverage

The NARS Sheer Glow Foundation is really popular in the blogosphere, but I don’t use this half as much as I should; being a water-based foundation that offers sizeable coverage, I find it needs quite a lot of buffing and blending. This is something I don’t have time for in the morning, but it’s worth going through the extra work for a night out as this foundation gives such a nice glow to the skin.

Best for: low coverage

Like Sheer Glow, the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Ultra-Light Skin Perfecting Makeup (what a mouth full) has a thinner, more watery texture, so it requires a little more blending time and the right primer. You can’t use anything with too much silicone underneath this, as it will go patchy. This is still one of my favourite bases though as it evens out your skintone, and leaves a very fresh and natural looking finish. I do find this isn’t that long-lasting on my oilier patches, but I think it would be a great pick for dry skin!

In my opinion, the L’Oréal Paris Nude Magique Cushion Foundation is the lightest of the bunch, so I reserve it for good skin days. Like the Lancôme cushion, it’s really quick to apply, though the finish is far more dewy and natural; you can still see your own skin shining through.

Do you prefer a high, medium or low coverage base? Which foundation is your favourite?