Porcelain Beauties: Rants and Raves for foundations

[tsukiyomi]

Loreal Visible Lift Firming in Soft Ivory is a nice shade of porcelain and very light. NC and NW 15 are too dark for me but I still wear them sometimes with a light powder over it because I like MAC's coverage. It's a shame that more companies don't realise that people come in VERY light shades.

[NoAddedSugar]

I'm NW15.

Several years ago I went on powder foundation hunt and tried everyone (stick foundations too) I could find. I finally settled on Mac Studio Fix in N2. I used it for several years, but then I moved to the UK and found my skin changed so the powder foundation made it drier instead of combating the oil.

I've had Custom Blend done ant PX and although I love the colour result, by afternoon it looks crap and not easy to retouch so I've used about half but got bored. Its also pretty damn expensive for a re-fill.

I've tried quite a few MMU brands available here but either couldn't get the coverage for the redness in my cheeks or just not the right colour match, or too drying.

I do like Bourjois 10hr Sleep effect, I use the lightest which is Abricote Claire...it looks good in pics, but sometimes I feel even then maybe its not light enough compared to my neck.

I've not tried a lot of other MAC foundations except Studio Tech and NW15 is a perfect match and good coverage but its way to heavy and goes cakey in the middle of the day.

At the moment I am using Chanel Teint Innocence in Faince, again the lightest colour, but it is a bit yellow. That is ok in that it covers my reddness but again when I compare to my neck I can really see the difference. Sometimes I think my neck is NC10 and my face is NW15!

I'm contemplating trying Mac HyperReel, Complete Coverage and the MUFE Velvet someone mentioned above.

Clinique never looked good on me or Bobbi Brown or Laura Mercier

Actually the best match I ever had was an Estee Lauder stick foundation but they discontinued the colour. It game in a groovy gold twist up case, I loved it

[Holls*]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this topic! I am so fair that people make fun of me (even though im proud of it.)I must say that i do live in the South so everyone around me is a golden goddess. Right now BE foundation is my HG, with MAC concealer of course. Its the only thing that stays on my face and hides my imperfections.

I'd love for us to have our own topic on the forums...

Holls

[NoAddedSugar]

Got a new semi-rave, I've only used it a few times so it may not last as a fave.

Esprique Precious powder foundation in BO300. This is a japanese brand so not easy to get hold of. I bought it from adambeauty.com which is in Hong Kong. I've been on a japanese MU kick recently and finally decided to start trying some foundations. So far so good. This colour is a decent match (there don't seem to be many colour choices with most Japanese MU but they usually have lighter shades) a tad on the yellow side but again I kind of like this because of my red cheeks etc. This however is not as yellow as TBS All in One 02 which can be quite yellow for me.

The coverage is good and it seems to like Clarins Beauty Flash Balm as a primer. Doesn't go all cakey and horrible at the end of the day. Does require touching up but the compact is really lovely and a nice huge mirror for applying my other MU.

So far a huge thumbs up. Although, I have gotten used to using my "radiance" style foundations and this is quite matte, but a quick dash of my Yogamode beauty powder and problem solved

[Kuuipo]

Laura Mercier on the high end. Because pale has so many different undertones and it should not look chalky. This foundation will not make you look embalmed!

[NoAddedSugar]

Another one from me:

Shiseido Lift Foundation in 100. This is really for dryer skins. On my oily combination it does a bit greasey towards the end of the day and wears off. However, the 100 tone is what I wanted rave about as it is an exact match for my NW15 pink toned skin. I want to try the colour in one of their less moisturising foundations to see if it is the same.

[dollparts]

I actually wear Manic Panic's virgin white powder.. that is how pale i am.. i have tried mac, and many others, but i am literally paper white...
and this is the only product that works!

[SparklingWaves]

I just bought Aveda's foundation in the color Vanilla and I really like it.

[jillianjiggs]

like another lovely lady mentioned, everyday minerals! i always felt i was very, very pale (which i am, but i guess i overestimated!) and tried out 'fair' from their samples and it made me look 5x PALER than i was. i wear sandy fair and it's a great match.

so for those super, super fair gals, get a sample of FAIR from everyday minerals .com!

[Ms.Amaranthine]

I wish I'd found this before I spent hundreds on my foundation hunt! I have wasted so much money trying to find the right color for me. It's good to know that I'm not alone though.

Quote:

so for those super, super fair gals, get a sample of FAIR from everyday minerals .com!

That's exactly what I had to do. The fair there is almost perfect for me. I'm glad to've finally concluded my three year search (I only started wearing foundation at 17). I've stumped so many women at the makeup counters. I hate that they'd always suggest that I learn how to properly blend and use darker shades. I like being so pale. I think it's gorgeous.

[cno64]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ms.Amaranthine

I hate that they'd always suggest that I learn how to properly blend and use darker shades. I like being so pale. I think it's gorgeous.

I completely agree! I'm 43, and as long as I can remember, people have been telling me that I'm "too pale."
My reply to that tactless remark is, "Too pale for what?"
And I've always made it a policy to match my pale skin as closely as possible when buying foundation. I don't think it works to try to "warm up" a pale face with darker foundation. IMO, that's a job for bronzer, though I personally never touch the stuff.
I have dark brown hair and green eyes, and I, too, love being pale!
It worked for Scarlett O'Hara!

[miinx]

I've had lots of success with Bobbi Brown foundations in the Alabaster and Porcelain shades. MAC NW/NC15s are FAR too dark, and make me break out to boot. I also wear bareminerals in fair.

[MissChievous]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cno64

And I've always made it a policy to match my pale skin as closely as possible when buying foundation. I don't think it works to try to "warm up" a pale face with darker foundation.

Ugh yeah, I think it looks terrible when a really fair skinned person wears darker foundation, and you can tell because their neck is so much lighter. It looks like a mask! I just match my natural skintone and then warm up the face by choosing a flattering blush or using a bit of Global Glow MSF.

[pinkhandgrenade]

I thought I was pale until I read this thread.

Now I feel dark!

Kidding.

MAC NC20 is the closest for me as far as MAC is concerned, but it still a little off.

So I'm loving Napoleon China Doll in Look 1, Colorescience Pass the Butter and Light as a Feather for mineral. I use Pass the Butter when my skin is being really pink, Light as a Feather when I'm looking sickly.

[daisydeadpetals]

I've been using alima minerals in C1 which is a perfect match. They have a really great color range for anyone looking for pale shades.

Even though I found a perfect match in mineral foundation I wanted a liquid that I could wear when I needed more coverage. The ma at mac matched me as NW20 at first and said that the lighter shade would wash me out. I got home and my face was orange compared to my neck! So I exchanged it for NW15 and it's still too peachy. I'm annoyed that their cool shades aren't cool enough! The search continues!

[Winthrop44]

Quote:

Originally Posted by daisydeadpetals

I've been using alima minerals in C1 which is a perfect match. They have a really great color range for anyone looking for pale shades.

Even though I found a perfect match in mineral foundation I wanted a liquid that I could wear when I needed more coverage. The ma at mac matched me as NW20 at first and said that the lighter shade would wash me out. I got home and my face was orange compared to my neck! So I exchanged it for NW15 and it's still too peachy. I'm annoyed that their cool shades aren't cool enough! The search continues!

Try applying your Alima with their flocked sponge - it really gives alot more coverage.

[NoAddedSugar]

I'm still using my Shiseido Lift Foundation as its the absolute best colour match I've had yet.

However, I started an MU class and I had bought some cream foundation from a shop in London called Screen Face. This is the lightest shade, I think its just called 01 and it was even a bit too light for me. I used it on my model who was super pale and pinktoned and it was perfect for her.

We did make-up on each other so she in turn used the new MaxFactor cream foundation, I think the colour was Creamy Ivory and then she used this ultra matte powder from maybelline over it. The coverage was excellent for all my problems although I felt really matte "looking" as usually I tend to use illuminating foundations and stay away from matte powder these days. No one else seemed to think it looked too matte.

I've been contemplating buying the MF foundation at least as the colour was quite good for me and ten times cheaper then Shiseido.

I had a quickie consult at Chanel a few weeks ago and the SA understood my issues as she had similar problems. She recommended and gave me a sample of Matt Lumiere in Clair. I liked the sample and so bought a bottle but then when I used it, something had changed. I felt it was too dark and not the right texture for me. Oh well.

Someday I too shall find my perfect Foundation.

[Lalai]

I have pale skin with a cool undertone and this is what makes my foundaiton shopping trips a waste of time. I also have really rosy cheeks so I can't really use foundation all over my face anyway without looking funny. On the other side rosy cheeks make you look healthy Usually the palest shade is not light enough OR is yellow. Nowadays my skin is in fairly good condition, though, so I stopped using foundation.

I had "Sandy fair" from everyday Minerals but it somehow made my skin look tired and sallow, I guess it wasn't cool enough for me. L'Oreal Infallible in Porcelain is good for me but only if I mix it with some moisturizer to make the colour less obvious. Now I use Kryolan's Erase stick in the palest shade (which really is light). I also use YSL Radiant Touch (in the cooler shad,e forgot the number), but for me it's more like a foundation in a really compact package rather than a highlighter

The assistants at make-up counters have no idea how to match my shade, that's why i never ask for help. They just try to match whatever they have on me even if it makes me look like I've slapped on tanning lotion

[Ode to Joy]

A few weeks ago I found out I am NC 15!

Can you tell me if Neutrogena has any makeup that could match my skintone?or any liquid mineral mu?

[redambition]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lalai

The assistants at make-up counters have no idea how to match my shade, that's why i never ask for help. They just try to match whatever they have on me even if it makes me look like I've slapped on tanning lotion

true - but they are also trying to get the sale

i much prefer honest counter MAs who will admit that they don't have a foundation that will suit me, rather than putting on one that makes me look like a BBQ chicken.

[seabird]

i use mineral powder foundation from a british brand lily lolo, seeing as it's the palest i've used yet. i really wanted a liquid foundation but i think i can compromise on the fact that this matches my skin really well. they also make their foundations in neutral, cool, warm and olive which is great as i'm neutral, and hardly any brands cover the whole range, just try and lump you into warm or cool. before i used this, i used chanel teint innocence in 05 faience, which seems to be a colour that they don't sell outside of the uk? it was nice, perhaps a little too dark/yellowy but it started to give me pimples on my cheeks. when i started using the mineral foundation, they went.

[Ode to Joy]

i wish I coul use mineral foundation, too, but it makes my skin soooo dry!

[Anaiis]

Mineral m/u is a godsend for us pale people! I can mix as much as I want LOL. Before MMU I wanted to buy white liquid foundation to mix with my other foundations but now I don't need to

[Starz777]

I'm NC15 too, also very oily t-zone and breakout prone.
Here's my list:

MAC Studio Fix
Aveda powder foundation in Cream
BE Fair (I mix in Medium for color in during summer)
Senna in Fair
Laura Mercier tinted moist. in Porcelain
Sheer Cover minerals in Frost


Thanks very much Shawna for recommending MUFE Matte Velvet +, I'm going to get some. Maybe I should go a shade up too. Is the second lightest neutral or cool? The only thing I can't do is "warm toned"...........I love the Duo Mat powder, but bought both 202 and 200 and they're too dark and warm..........has anyone tried 199 in Duo Mat?

Thanks

[Winthrop44]

Face Atelier in Porcelain is quite nice on me (NC15), although I might add a drop of the "0 -" to make it perfect.

Edited to say: I don't know what I was thinking when I evaluated the sample of this! I ordered the full size in Porcelain and even when I added my entire sample of "0 -" I looked like an Oompa-Loompa! Ugh, with the price of the product and shipping from Canada, a very expensive mistake!