Also known as “The One That Was Supposed To Be Called Summer Bases But Evolved Into Winter Foundations” ( somehow I hardly wore any bases between May and October). Foundations and coverage have found their way back into  my make up stash, and these 4 bases have been tried and tested these last few months. Spoiler alert, there were 2 absolute winners, one that was just so-so, and one that turned out to be a complete no-no.

First up, I went straight fo the Shiseido Waso Colour Smart Day Moisturizer. After originally dismissing this little tube as not being moisturizing enough for my Sahara dry skin,  I dug it back out a month or two ago and reintroduced it into my routine, but with a little twist. Instead of just going by its moisturizing mismatch with my skin, I started layering it over my Sukin Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin as a base, a little cover-up operation without having to go for a heavy hitter foundation or a glitter-ball, all too quick at disappearing BB/CC Cream, and boom; it all clicked! Fast forward two and a half months, this is still my favourite day-to-day quick fix.

When nighttime looks, party make up and a need for a higher dose of coverage come into play, I reach for the Sisley Sisleÿa Le Teint Anti-Ageing Foundation*. The price tag still makes me hide in fear, but as with so many Sisley products, it.is.just.so.blooming.good…
The medium yet buildable coverage gives me that silky smooth, luminous, even canvas that just seems to melt into my skin, all day long. My heart adores it, my budget sadly not so much.

After two such love affairs, I had extremely high hopes for the Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream, and while it is not a match made in hell, it wasn’t a match made in heaven either. We started off on the wrong foot, I purchased the wrong shade (a tad too pink), and as the day progressed, it oxidized gradually, making the mismatch between my skin and the CC Ceam even more obvious. Coverage and longevity are definitely up to par here, especially for a CC cream, so I might need to pop into the drugstore once more to find the right shade and give it another go.

Lastly (and sadly least), the Yves Rocher Pure Light Moisturizing Nude Foundation* was also put through the ringer, and as much as it pains me to have to admit it, it failed miserably. Nude and moisturizing seemed like a surefire match for my dry diva skin, but somehow it all crumbled to pieces when I first applied it. Coverage is even less than light, but that I can live with, I pair it with an extra dab of concealer where necessary, and hey presto, natural look on the go. Moisturizing sadly also meant extremely shiny, to make Sahara dry skin shine like a Studio 54 discoball is quite a feat, but not the look I was after, and to make matters worse, this foundation did not gel well with the layers underneath, especially an spf or a sticky primer. Pilling, be it skincare or foundatioon, is one of my pet peeves, so the 3rd time (in three applications) this Yves Rocher offering started pilling, I knew that was the end of our story, there and then.

Two wwinners, one to be re-tried and only one that didn’t work out as I’d wanted it to, that’s a good foundation-day in my book!