So when I fist started wearing foundations as an adult I went to the higher brands because they had the shades for darker skinned people. Most brands leave me looking red. I don't really have red undertones (I'm more of a warm gold) so looking red just annoys me off because it makes my face look like I've got a rash or something. This experience isn't uncommon if you have dark skin. Normal stores just do not stock for our skin type and we end up wearing stuff that wither makes up look really ashy or like we've got sun burn.Anyway I started off with MAC match master in 9. Realised it was too dark then go the 8.5 and realised it made me look read when it oxidised. Then I got number 8 and it was just right. (Goldilocks life).
However since then I've also realised that MAC isn't the most ethical of brands for multiple reasons and I don't really to be paying over £20 for one foundation even if it lasts me a year. I also noticed that I go dry patches that showed up through the foundation and whilst that's mostly to do with my skin type - which is dry. I think that mattifying liquid foundations is something I need to leave for hitting the clubs. The make up artist in the MAC store said just wear a primer. I'm not sure this was the best advice tbh, I think the look and my skin would have been improved if I had moisturised my skin better or just not used such a drying product but anyway. Disclaimer: All of these swatched look identical fyi / I have dry/normal skin / This is what I look like with natural looking foundation). With all that said and done - Here are my top 4 tried and tested drugstore foundations!!!
This is my go to foundation for everyday wear, it's medium coverage but buildable and not overly drying at all. It's top quality is how it leaves your skin feeling hydrated and is light weight. It blends well to match my skin colour and ticks all the boxes for what a good foundation should be like. I do think that this is the darkest shade available that I've seen though,
This is usually the darkest version that boots/superdrug has in stock. I do like this foundation and it works well it's just not that wow for me personally. But it is affordable and does the job and offers a look that's not exactly matte but not cakey or dry looking. I think this might be the original FIT me formula. I know when I see people use it online they different looking bottles but the ones in UK shops are plain looking so who knows?
Ok the body shop isn't quite a drug store but this is still quite affordable. I was really excited about this foundation when I first got it because I thought I was a great dupe for my mac match master liquid foundation. However, after a few wears I realised that even though the colour is identical, the body shop foundation is very dewy, it's supposed to be semi dewy but even on my dry skin I'm on that thin line between dewy and oily looking when I wear this. It does give me a natural fresh skin look though and us highly moisturising. This is the second to last darkest colour in their range.
4. L'Oreal Paris True Match Foundation (8.N Cappuccino) - £9.99
This foundation has really good coverage. The only bad bits is that it is very watery and has a bit of an orange tint when you first put it on. My friends did confirm that I didn't look orange and my foundation looked fine when I got outside. I think that I would wear this more in the summer though, because it's more of a warmer toned foundation and I tend to go for cool tones only in colder months. I've also seen this come in different packaging, I'm pretty sure they are all the same product though? This is the darkest shade I've seen in the shops.
So there you go, decent foundation that won't break the bank.
Take care
Susuana Amoah
So recently I got around to cleaning my vanity table. The first thing I did was have a clear out. So 10% of things either went in the bin or in a care package for a friend or in my vanity case. When that was done it was time to tackle the main issues - getting foundation all over my white table, having a load of brushes but not an efficient system where I can easily access my most used ones. On top of that I needed a system for being able to quickly access primers and end of day skin care stuff. Basically I needed to create a station that enabled me to do my face within ten minutes and take off my face within 5. In addition I needed it to be easy to clean and cat proof. Cosmo sometimes thinks of my vanity table as a little play station so I needed to make it difficult for him to steal things and run away with them!
So recently I got around to cleaning my vanity table. The first thing I did was have a clear out. So 10% of things either went in the bin or in a care package for a friend or in my vanity case. When that was done it was time to tackle the main issues - getting foundation all over my white table, having a load of brushes but not an efficient system where I can easily access my most used ones. On top of that I needed a system for being able to quickly access primers and end of day skin care stuff. Basically I needed to create a station that enabled me to do my face within ten minutes and take off my face within 5. In addition I needed it to be easy to clean and cat proof. Cosmo sometimes thinks of my vanity table as a little play station so I needed to make it difficult for him to steal things and run away with them!
