Want flawless skin? Try out these beauty blogger-approved foundations
Foundation has improved so healthily over the last decade that concern over makeup looking "cakey" or "too heavy" doesn't qualify anymore. Cosmetic chemists have gotten so good at formulating foundation that you can now seek and achieve a specific skin finish: semi-matte, matte, dewy, bright, velvety smooth and barely-there, just to name just a few. I had a lot of fun shopping — and product testing! — to find the best foundations for flawless skin categorized by finish. Here are my favourites:
Creamiest foundation with medium coverage and SPF
The Clé de Peau Beauté radiant cream foundation with broad spectrum SPF 24 sunscreen is so incredibly light it feels like a lotion but the finish is luxuriously creamy and gives my complexion a dewy texture on the high points, like my cheekbones, brow bone and bridge of my nose. I apply it with my hands and add nothing else, not even concealer, because the coverage is excellent. Available in a full range of 12 shades ranging from "very deep ochre" to "very light ivory".
Most velvety matte finish powder
Laura Mercier Smooth Finish Foundation Powder is a cult classic among makeup artists and lovers for its wet-or-dry formula with a luxuriously velvet finish with medium-to-full coverage. This solid powder foundation has enough coverage to wear alone or you can build it in layers if you want fuller matte coverage. I've always felt like a 1950's film star when wearing this foundation powder. It creates a dreamy complexion like Grace Kelly and other women in Hollywood's golden era used to have. Available in 20 shades.
Best super-light coverage BB cream for sensitive skin
La Roche-Posay Hydreame BB Creme is an easy, low-effort hydrating cream with a whisper of pigment — just enough to say, "OK, I'm putting some effort into skin today". This French beauty brand is famous for its sensitive skin products, and this BB cream would suit many Canadians with complexions that are vulnerable to extreme heat, cold and wind.
Most beautiful coverage for pigmentation and uneven skintone
Shiseido Future Solution LX foundation isn't inexpensive but it is worth an investment if you worry about covering dark spots or balancing a pigmented complexion. A little goes a long way and a jar can last nearly 12 months if you keep it refrigerated, like I do. I've never had to touch-up my coverage throughout the day and that it genuinely creates a "perfect" skintone.
Best sheer serum foundation
"The best" is such a difficult title to put on a single product because foundation preference is subjective for a variety of reasons. However, my personal favourite foundation right now is Diorskin Nude Air Serum foundation because the consistency is like water, the coverage is excellent and the finish makes my complexion look really bright and "clean", if you will. There are a number of YouTube reviews about this foundation and they're worth watching if you have dry skin or a sensitivity to scent — this foundation smells floral, like many Dior things do.