Searching for the Perfect Foundation

You most definitely want to look ab-fab at Christmas time (or better still all of the time)! Nails get a coat of paint, hair is coloured and trimmed, jewellery polished and once again after a whole year those Christmas dresses come out of the wardrobe (to see if they still fit?). I always buy a spare one just in case… It needs no explanation that joyous skin is also a part of the Christmas festivities. In my previous blog I gave some detailed advice on how to make your skin as lovely, as radiant and as smooth as possible. But what if, after all that advice, you are still stuck with a pimple, pigmentation spot or some other unevenness. Christmas time is fun but can also be rather stressful and we all know what that can do to skin. The secret: camouflage is the smart way to get through Christmas ‘flawlessly’. My ardent blog readers know that I am an advocate (and developer) of mild products, with proven active ingredients and without irritating ingredients. It is, of course, such a shame if you take wonderful care of your skin and then use make-up products which go and undo all that good work! This calls for yet another search… sound familiar? It does to me anyway. I went in search of the product about which I receive the most questions: the foundation.

Actually the same applies for foundation as for skincare products. Except with a foundation you don’t need to worry as much about active ingredients such as anti-oxidants. As these should already be present in your skincare products.
So check the ingredients lists! There are so many products to choose from on the market. And then it still needs to look lovely, smooth and natural on your skin! Even so, I have managed to find a number that have passed my critical test.

ADVICE FOUNDATION

– Vichy: Dermablend Foundation
INCI: Paraffinium Liquidum, Talc, Cera Alba, Isopropyl Palmitate, Stearyl Stearate, Kaolin, CI 77713, Cera Carnauba, Cera Microcristallina, Allantoin, Lauroyl Lysine.

Last updated January 2016
– Catrice: Matt Mousse Make up
INCI: cyclopentasiloxane, dimethicone, phenyl trimethicone, dimethicone crosspolymer, cyclohexasiloxane, silica, tribehenin, talc, c30-45 alkyl methicone, c30-45 olefin, triethoxycaprylylsilane, methicone, paraffinum liquidum (mineral oil), phenoxyethanol, methylparaben, ethylparaben, ci 77491, ci 77492, ci 77499 (iron oxides), ci 77891 (titanium dioxide).

Last updated January 2016

 

– Paula’s Choice: All Bases Covered Foundation SPF 25
INCI: Aqua, Titanium Dioxide (11,3%) (Nano), Isohexadecane, C12-C15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Silica, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/Dimethicone, Hexyl Laurate, Tocopherol Acetate, Polysorbate 80, Polyethylene, Alumina, Magnesium Sulfate, Aluminum Stearate, Sodium Chloride, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben.
May contain : Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxide (CI 77499, CI 77492, CI 77491).

Last updated January 2016
– La Roche-Posay: Toleriane teint fluide
INCI: Aqua/Water, Undecane, Tridecane, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Pentylene Glycol, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimenthicone, Hexyl Laurate, Magnesium Sulfate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Acetylated Glycol Stearate, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Ethylhexyglycerin, Tristearin, Cellulose Gum, Acrylates Copolymer, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Aluminium Hydroxide, CI 77891 / TITANIUM DIOXIDE, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499 / IRON OXIDES, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499 / IRON OXIDES.

Last updated January 2016



I have previously written a blog about BB creams. In my view these products cannot replace a moisturiser or a sun protection cream. In general a BB cream gives a less adequate covering than a foundation, thereby making it less suitable for skin with impurities, such as scarring and pigmentation spots. However it is a good option for unblemished skin.

ADVICE BB CREAM

– L’Oreal Nude Magique BB cream
Aqua/Water, Isododecane, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Cyclohexasiloxane, PE1- Dimenthicone, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Butylene Glycol, Dimenthicone, Isoeicosane, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Boron Nitride, Phenoxyethanol, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimenthicone, Sodium Chloride, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Hexyl Laurate, Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer, Isostearyl Neopentanoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Triethyl Citrate, Methylparaben, C9-15 Fluoroalcohol Phosphates/C9-15 Fluoroalcohol, Phosphate, Tocopherol, Panthenol.
May contain: CI 77891/Titanium Dioxide, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499/Iron Oxides.

Last updated January 2016
– Essence all in one BB cream
INCI: Aqua, Isododecane, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, C15-19 Alkane, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Hydrogenated Tetradecenyl/Methylpentadecene, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Sorbitol, Polymethylsilsequioxane, Sodium Chloride, Tribehenin, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Alumina, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Methicone, Dimethicone, Penthaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Talc, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499 (Iron Oxides), CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide).

Last updated January 2016

 

Because, despite the wealth of make-up products, I haven’t managed to find a foundation that meets all my requirements, I am now in the process of developing my own foundation. I hope that this will on the market by the summer of 2014! But up until then you can get to work on the products above. If you have any suggestions then I would love to hear them!

Kind regards and enjoy the Christmas festivities,
Jetske.

(Research Physician Cosmetic Dermatology)

You can also read the blogs:
The Recipe for Beautiful Skin‘,
The Recipe for Beautiful Skin: Part II‘,
All about Spots, Pimples and Acne‘,
Different Types of Pigmentation‘, and
The BB Cream, Hot or Not?’.