My absolute favourite foundation — and my biggest disappointment!

It is safe to say I have tried a long list of foundations. From high end to drug store. Each promising something different. Before I came to Dubai, I could get away with any. Now, I need to be careful!

Some foundations have broken me out to where I resemble one big spot. Others leave me looking like an oil slick. Some have gathered, creased and moved throughout the day.

But I thought I would narrow it down to two for you right now.

My favourite, well I have gone back to this one time and time again. I used to use it in the UK when I heard the PIXIWOO sisters raving about it. I loved it back then. It wasn’t too matt. It wasn’t shiny. It provided me with a wonderful healthy look. When I moved here and saw how my skin reacted to the climate, I quickly thought, matt matt matt.

I went to the mall on a hunt for anything matt. I tried MAC, Makeup forever, Chanel, some more Chanel, some more Makeup forever… a whole bunch of drug store ones… I could have opened up a makeup counter! I didn’t like any of them.

I then realised I needed to start with my skincare. Correct that and maybe, just maybe my makeup would sit better.

I now wear my Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua. It sits well on my skin and doesn’t have any of the above mentioned problems. By around 3pm I will blot my face with some blotting paper. But that’s all that is needed. I can cope with that!

But for me, my biggest disappointment had to be the Givenchy Éclat Matissime.

I visited Sephora in a desperate state when I bought this. My face was permanently shining after 12pm and I had to schedule any meetings for the morning and try to hide all afternoon. I was miserable and fed up with it! I spent some time with a sales assistant and explained in detail what the issue was. She immediately recommended this foundation. She actually said it was going to be the perfect foundation for me. She said it was a matt foundation that had a special formula and ingredient that would absorb any oil produced during the day. No need for blotting. No need for powder. It would last me all day and night and still look fantastic.

Goodness, can you imagine my excitement??!! It was music to my ears. I could not wait to go to sleep, just so I could wake up and do my makeup!

Well, day 1, oily face by lunch. Day 2, oily face by lunch. Day 14, oily face by lunch. Day 30, oily face by lunch.

I was devastated. I had wanted this to be the answer so badly. The sales assistant had assured me it was. It was a huge disappointment.

Not only that, but the packaging is so poor. Look!

The same sales assistant told me to try the Make up Forever Full Cover Camouflage Cream Concealer.

The silly lady gave me this in the absolute wrong colour. I told her I thought a lighter shade would be better for me, but no, she insisted it was the absolute right shade.

Well it wasn’t. I applied it to my spots and left it to set. It set an even darker colour than it already was. It looked ridiculous and I had to wash my face and reapply my makeup all over again.

I tried to take it back to the store and they would not swap it. So I was left with a concealer I cannot use and begrudged buying another tube.

Apparently it is a wonderful concealer. I will have to try it again, in my shade, at some point!

It would be great to know your best and worst foundations !!??

❤

Chanel foundation can be bought from any department store or Chanel counter. I got mine from Sephora, Dubai Mall

Givenchy can also be picked up in Sephora

Makeup forever has a stand alone store in Dubai Mall. I would recommend going there as they will be better trained on their own products.