Foundation festival part 6: my favorite drugstore foundations

Finally we are at the last episode of foundation festival and of course we finish with my favorite foundations. I already talked about few of them throughout the week so you can read more about them in those posts. Just to mention them: Lumi Magique by L’Oreal, Matt control 18h by Dermacol, Pure light and Matte fluid foundation by Yves Rocher. There are two more drugstore foundations (or with the drugstore price) that I really like and we are going to talk about them today.

(Just a little bit of information about my skin: I have mostly dry skin with occasionally oily T-zone. Some acne here and there, acne scars, large pores and few wrinkles. Colour shade NW20 in MAC foundations.
What I expect from a foundation: medium coverage, good longevity (more than 7 hours), smoothing my skin texture (hiding pores and acne scars) as well as not accentuating dry patches.)

Lumi Magique foudantion by L'Oreal, Matt control 18h foundation by Dermacol, Invisiwear foundation by EX1 and Matte fluid foundation by Yves Rocher

LASTING FINISH FOUNDATION BY RIMMEL

The brand has changed the packaging recently and I’m not sure if the formula is still the same so I won’t write full review about it. The foundation in old packaging was really nice: good coverage, longevity and not very visible on the skin. I may buy the new one just to test it if it performs the same as the foundation I had before.

INVISIWEAR LIQUID FOUNDATION BY EX1

Price: 30ml costs 13,54€ on lookfantastic, but the site offers very often some % off so I bought it for 10€ (and free shipping).

Scent: it has a make-up scent.

Shades: unfortunately only 5 shades are available. I have shade F100 and F200. Both shades are darker than my skin tone, the F100 has apricot undertone and F200 neutral undertone. I can use it only when I’m selftanned which is such a pity. I sometimes mix it with other foundations just because I like its properties.

Texture and finish: it has creamy consistency; it applies easily with fingers, brush or sponge. It gives semi matt finish and it’s not very visible on the skin. It doesn’t stick to dry patches so it is suitable for dry skin as well as normal or slightly oily skin.

Coverage: it has medium coverage; it evens out the skin tone and covers lot of imperfections.

Longevity: it lasts for 8-10 hours, oily skins girls may need to powder after 5 hours especially on the T-zone.

Invisiwear foundation by EX1

Invisiwear foundation in colour F100 and F200 by EX1

SO WHAT AM I KEEPING AND WHAT AM I GIVING AWAY?

Keeping:

Drugstore:
Invisiwear Liquid foundation by EX1
Lumi Magique by L’Oreal
Matt control 18h by Dermacol (the bottle is empty currently but I will definitely repurchase it)
Caviar long stay by Dermacol
Matte fluid by Yves Rocher
Outlast Stay fabulous in color 820 by Cover Girl (it expires in February 2015 so I will try to use it up)

High end:
Double wear by Estee Lauder (as mentioned before great for evening events)
Miracle Air de Teint by Lancome (not my favorite but it cost a lot so I’ll try to use it unless somebody wants to buy it from me)
Youth Liberator by Yves Saint Laurent (I don’t like this foundation but it cost a lot so I’ll try to use it unless somebody wants to buy it from me)
Restructuring foundation by Peggy Sage (review coming in January)
Waterproof liquid foundation by Makeup Atelier Paris (review coming in February)
HD Airbrush foundation by Makeup Atelier Paris (review coming in February)

Getting rid of:

To my family members:
Outlast Stay fabulous foundation in color 855 by Cover Girl (too dark for me, somebody else will enjoy it more)
Comfort Cream foundation by Yves Rocher
Flawless finish fluid foundation by Yves Rocher
HD Studio Photogenic foundation by NYX
Affinitone foundation by Maybelline
Fit me foundation by Maybelline
Photo Finish 18h liquid foundation by Catrice
Skin evolution foundation by KIKO
Nude Magique foudantion by L’Oreal

Going to the trash:
Colorstay original by Revlon (old bottle)
True Match by L’Oreal (old bottle, almost empty)
Graftobian HI-DEF Glamour cream foundation warm palette n.1 (very old, very nice foundations, great for make-up artists)

Related articles:
Foundation festival part 1: Yves Rocher foundations
Foundation festival part 2: Dermacol foundations
Foundation festival part 3: L’Oreal foundations
Foundation festival part 4: some average drugstore foundations
Foundation festival part 5: some better drugstore foundations (but not my favorites)

Foundation festival part 5: some good drugstore foundations (but not my favorites)

There are few foundations in my collection that I was hesitant to let go but at the same time I realized that I don't grab for them very often because they are just not my favorite. I still think they are nice foundations and it would be a pity not to mention them as they are worth the try.

(Just a little bit of information about my skin: I have mostly dry skin with occasionally oily T-zone. Some acne here and there, acne scars, large pores and few wrinkles. Colour shade NW20 in MAC foundations.
What I expect from a foundation: medium coverage, good longevity (more than 7 hours), smoothing my skin texture (hiding pores and acne scars) as well as not accentuating dry patches.)


REVLON COLORSTAY ORIGINAL AND REVLON COLOR STAY WHIPPED FOUNDATIONS

Price: 30 ml for 13-17€.

Scent: they have a make-up scent.

Shades:
Original: 20 shades in US, about 10 in Europe in each formulation (Normal to oily, Normal to dry skin), my shade is 150 Buff Chamois (in Normal to Dry skin formulation) which is very pale and quite pink so not my favourite colour.
Whipped: 12 shades in US, about 6 in Europe. I don’t remember which one I had but it was similar colour selection as with Original, I could not get the right shade.

Texture and finish:
Original: liquid texture, shake it before the use. Best applied with fingers or brush. Sets on the face quickly so work on one part of the face at a time. It gives matt finish to the skin, looks quite natural if you don't apply too much. Doesn't covers large pores or scars as it is very liquid formula.
Whipped: cream texture, best applied with fingers or sponge. Doesn't dry as quickly as original but I still recommend working on one part of the face at a time. It gives matt finish and can be very visible on the skin if you don't blend it well.

Coverage: both have medium to full coverage, they cover pretty much all imperfections.

Longevity: 
Original: I have formulation Normal to dry skin and it lasts on me only 5 hours then it breaks everywhere. Maybe the Normal to oily skin formula lasts longer.
Whipped: it lasts on me for about 8 hours.

Colorstay foundation by Revlon

Colorstay foundation in colour 150 Buff Chamois by Revlon

KIKO SKIN EVOLUTION FOUNDATION

Price: 30 ml for 12,90€ on KIKO website or stores.

Scent: it has make-up scent with hint of floral aroma.

Shades: 18 shades available (in Belgium at least), the undertone of colours is apricot, so warm undertone but not really the tone I like (I’m more a yellow undertone fan). I have a make-up in shade 107 Creamy Ivory which is light enough for me but with the undertone different from mine so not really my favourite.

Texture and finish: it has thick cream consistency; it is best applied with fingers or sponge. It gives semi matt finish, it smoothes the skin very nicely. However it is visible on the skin the same way as for example Double Wear foundation by Estee Lauder.

Coverage: medium to full coverage, it covers pretty much all imperfections.

Longevity: it lasts for about 8 hours, after that is breaks on T-zone and soaks into the pores. However, it looks still nice from the distance for another few hours. It is definitely a foundation for evening event.

Skin Evolution foundation by KIKO

Skin Evolution foundation in colour 107 Creamy Ivory by KIKO

COVER GIRL OUTLAST STAY FABULOUS 3 IN 1 FOUNDATION (in Europe: FACE FINITY ALL DAY FLAWLESS 3 IN 1 FOUNDATION BY MAX FACTOR)

Cover Girl and Max Factor are the same company and they release usually in Europe (under Max Factor) what sells well in US (under Cover Girl). For example, I’ve been using 2000 calories mascara by Max factor which is exactly the same as my favorite Lash exact by Cover Girl. So if you were lusting after something from Cover Girl, go and check Max Factor if it’s been released in Europe as well (under different name).

Price: 30 ml under 8$ in US, 16€ in Europe (what a difference!).

Scent: almost no scent, maybe hint of floral aroma.

Shades: 14 shades in US, 6 shades in Europe (why such a poor selection?). I bought originally Cover Girl foundations through Amazon and as I wasn’t sure about the shades I bought one in shade 820 which is ok (just the undertone is different) and 855 which is very dark (to be used when I’m super selftanned). 

Texture and finish: it has creamy consistency; it is easy to apply (fingers, brush or sponge). It gives matt finish however it doesn’t stick much to the dry patches. It smoothes out the skin texture and the face looks flawless. On the other hand it is visible on the skin so it is best used for evening events. From all the foundations in this post, this one reminds me the most of Double Wear foundation by Estee Lauder.

Coverage: medium to full coverage, it covers pretty much everything.

Longevity: it lasts very long time, it stays matt for 7 hours and well together for 10 hours.

Outlast Stay Fabulous foundation by Cover Girl

Outlast Stay Fabulous foundation in colour 820 (left) and 855 (right) by Cover Girl

Final verdict: all of these foundations are not bad at all and they are definitely worth trying. Apart from Original Colorstay by Revlon other foundations remind me of Double Wear by Estee Lauder, especially Cover Girl foundation, due to their high coverage and great longevity (and visibility on the skin). Since I own the Double Wear and I wear it only occasionally I don’t think I need all these foundations so I will give them to some friends or relatives (except Outlast by Cover Girl in shade 820, it expires in February 2015 so I will use it till then).

Related articles:
Foundation festival part 1: Yves Rocher foundations
Foundation festival part 2: Dermacol foundations
Foundation festival part 3: L’Oreal foundations
Foundation festival part 4: some average drugstore foundations
Foundation festival part 6: my favorite drugstore foundations 

Foundation festival part 4: some average drugstore foundations

I own few drugstore foundations that I feel like that they perform the same, the average, so I regrouped them in this post and reviewed them really quickly. I’m not going to keep any of these.

(Just a little bit of information about my skin: I have mostly dry skin with occasionally oily T-zone. Some acne here and there, acne scars, large pores and few wrinkles. Colour shade NW20 in MAC foundations.
What I expect from a foundation: medium coverage, good longevity (more than 7 hours), smoothing my skin texture (hiding pores and acne scars) as well as not accentuating dry patches.)

Photo Finish foundation by Catrice, HD Studio phtogenic foundation by NYX, Fit me foudation and Affinitone foundation by Maybelline 

PHOTO FINISH 18H LIQUID FOUNDATION BY CATRICE

Price: 30ml costs under 7€, you can buy it in DM drugstore (Germany, Slovankia) or in Kruidvat in Belgium.

Scent: it has nice light floral scent.

Shades: only 3 shades are available, I have the darkest one called 030 Caramel Beige as the two lighter shades were totally pink and pale.

Texture and finish: it has thick cream texture; it is best applied with fingers or sponge. It is very visible on the skin, more you wear it more it becomes visible. At the beginning it smoothes out the skin and it looks flawless but when it starts to break on the nose and sink into the large pores you have to take it off.

Coverage: medium, evens out the skin tone and covers quite a lot of imperfections.

Longevity: it lasts about 6 hours and then breaks on the nose and sinks into the pores. From the distance it looks ok for another few hours but when you look closer it is a total mess on the face.

Photo Finish 18h liquid foudation by Catrice

Photo Finish 18h foundation in colour 030 Caramel Beige by Catrice

HD STUDIO PHOTOGENIC FOUNDATION BY NYX 

Price: 30ml costs 17,99€ in Douglas (Germany) or 18$ on NYX website.

Scent: it has make-up scent.

Shades: 8 shades to choose from, mine is in shade 02 Soft Beige, which is slightly darker than what I usually wear in winter but it is doable (with little bit more highlighter and good blending).

Texture and finish: it has creamy consistency, it is easy to apply, use your fingers, brush or sponge. It gives luminous finish; you can get semi matt look if you powder. It doesn’t set well on the skin; if you don’t powder it, it will remain sticky all day. It is visible on the skin and transfers easily when you touch your face.

Coverage: almost medium, evens out the skin tone and covers smaller imperfections.

Longevity: it lasts about 8 hours if you have dry skin (but powder it), if you are oily girl you won’t get more than 6 hours out of it and you’ll still look like a shiny star.

Concealer alert: on the other hand, the HD concealer by NYX is my Holy Grail concealer from the drugstore that I always repurchase. It covers well and lasts very long time. It is comparable to verz famous Double Wear concealer by Estee Lauder.

HD Studio Photogenic foundation by NYX

HD Studio Photogenic foundation in colour 02 Soft Beige by NYX

FIT ME FOUNDATION BY MAYBELLINE 

Price: depends where you buy it, it can go from 7€ to 12€.

Scent: it doesn’t have any scent.

Shades: 18 shades in US, 12 in Belgium, 10 in Slovakia. My make-up is in colour 120 which is my summer shade.

Texture and finish: it has creamy consistency, easy to apply (fingers, brush or sponge). It gives semi matt finish (although older version that I bought in US gave me luminous skin).

Coverage: medium, evens out the skin tone and covers some imperfections.

Longevity: it lasts only 5h, afterwards it breaks on the nose and everywhere on the T-zone. I don’t recommend it for girls with oily skin; it is more suitable for normal to dry skin.

Concealer alert: on the other hand, Fit me concealer is great, it lasts well, and it doesn’t dry under eyes area and has good coverage. It is one of the best concealers in the drugstore. The only negative is the colour choice, at least in Europe, even the lightest colour is darker than what I use under the eyes (it actually almost matches my skin tone so it doesn't brighten my face).

Fit me foundation by Maybelline

Fit me foundation in colour 120 by Maybelline

AFFINITONE FOUNDATION BY MAYBELLINE 

Price: under 6€, only available in Slovakia.

Scent: it has make-up scent.

Shades: 6 shades, mine is in colour 14 Creamy Beige which is darker than my skin tone, so I can use it only when I selftan. Lighter shade was just too pale for my skin. If I’d like the foundation I would purchase it and mix it with the shade I have.

Texture and finish: is has very liquid consistency, it is best applied with fingers. It gives matt finish and looks like you powdered your skin. However you should powder it otherwise you’ll get greasy quite soon. It doesn’t smooth the skin texture as it is very liquid foundation. Moreover it sticks to dry patches and accentuate everything that has 3D dimensions (acne for example). If you don’t exfoliate, it will look just bad. It is most suitable for normal skin without imperfections that just needs to even out the skin tone.

Coverage: medium, evens out the tone and covers colour imperfections.

Longevity: it lasts approximately 5 hours and then it gets greasy on the T-zone and starts to fade away everywhere else.

Affinitone foundation by Maybelline

Affinitone foundation in colour 14 Creamy Beige by Maybelline

Final verdict: As you can see, these foundations are nothing special, they don’t last long time and that is the main reason I’m getting rid of them. Plus, after 5-6 hours they don’t look very nice on the skin so there is no reason why I should keep them. On the other hand as you could read above the concealers which come with those foundations (HD concealer by NYX and Fit me concealer by Maybelline) are great drugstore options (another one would be Instant Age rewind also by Maybelline).

Related articles: 
Foundation festival part 1: Yves Rocher foundations
Foundation festival part 2: Dermacol foundations
Foundation festival part 3: L’Oreal foundations
Foundation festival part 5: some better drugstore foundations (but not my favorites)
Foundation festival part 6: my favorite drugstore foundations