I have been on a quest to find a perfect foundation lately and tried several from the mid-to-high end range. Unfortunately, a few came short mostly due to the shade mismatch. It is not very fun to talk about the stuff that didn't work out for me (especially when I paid quite a bit for them) but I hope these comparison swatches would be helpful for people who are trying to buy foundation online (I mean, ordering makeup online is hardly a priority these days but it is the only way if you must).
Actually, the shade Swan is a pretty good match for me but the formulation is a bit off. I know that many folks with oilier skin types swear by this one and I myself do enjoy it occasionally. I wear this foundation when I have to shoot a video or perform on stage because it gives flawless coverage and lasts for many hours without budging. Still, I find the finish a little too thick for me to love every day and I don't like that sometimes it clings to dry patches.
I love the consistency which is not too thick nor too thin. It goes on effortlessly with fingertip application. It provides light-to-medium coverage and a slightly dewy finish that looks very healthy and youthful. In other words, it's perfect for daily use! BUT, the shade B10 is no good for me. B10 is pretty much the lightest neutral color from the range. I might have liked BD10 more because it is more yellow, but neither of them is light enough to match my skin tone. (BR05 is lighter but has pink undertones.)
This is a major bummer because I LOVE the formulation. This foundation has been around for a long time but the beautifully luminous finish is still one of the best that I have experienced. In the past, I have used up a few bottles in 10 Limpid shade which is not available in the US. I bought 07 Ivoire hoping that it would work for me if not perfectly match, but alas, it looks way off on me. Funny I bought this from a counter after testing it on both on my face and neck, so go figure.
It seems there are more options out there nowadays but most major brands still don't offer lightest shades with yellow undertones. I like base makeup with yellow undertones because it matches my neck better, but since my actual complexion is more neutral, I can get away wearing lightest shade with pink undertones as well. However, most foundation colors with pink undertones tend to oxidize badly on me after a few hours and end up looking ruddy.
I am still keeping Too Faced Born This Way foundation but sent the YSL and the Chanel to my mom since she is a shade darker than me and actually likes foundations with pink undertones, so it's not a total loss. On the other hand, I did find some excellent foundations with both great formulations and color matches. I hope to talk about them soon.
*The items mentioned here were purchased by me. This post contains affiliate links. Thank you if you choose to use them.
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