The heading of this post says it all – I want to know your No-Fail Foundation.
That one foundation that you will automatically reach for when you want to put your best face forward. The one foundation that you know leaves you with a beautiful glow without too much effort.
That one foundation that you reach for over and over again, and repurchase, because you just can’t live without it. That one foundation (or maybe more than one) that you are never without and that you can slap on any which way, and still have people oohing and aahing over how beautiful your skin looks.
THE ONE! Or maybe Two, or Three LOL! 😀
I have a ton of foundation on hand, but when push comes to shove, I automatically reach for any one of these below. I do it almost without thinking, knowing that any one of these will sit beautifully on my skin all day long without sliding or oiling up, and in some cases, even look better as the day wears on.
I list them in no particular order.
Cle de Peau Beaute Radiant Fluid Foundation is my holy grail foundation that, without fail, offers me a photoshop finish every single time. I am almost finished with one bottle and already have another in place because I simply cannot be without this. If I want to put a good face forward, this is the one I know will give me the radiance and even skin tone I seek. You can read my full glowing review here.
The Bobbi Brown Skin Nourishing Glow Foundation is another firm favourite. I reach for this one when I want a higher coverage foundation that gives that beautiful, air-brushed finish to skin. Unfortunately for some of you, this one’s only found in the Asia-Pacific region for now. But if you have access to it, I highly recommend it. Because the coverage is high, I only use a little each time, but it also means I have to use less, or no concealer. It’s great for hurried mornings when I have to get my face on in 10 minutes and out the door, or risk being stuck in traffic for an additional half an hour. My full review on this foundation is here.
The Lunasol Skin Modeling Liquid Finish Foundation has been a favourite for many years, despite its name change. I hope they never discontinue this one, and if they do (as the Japanese are wont to) then I hope they maintain the formula. The coverage in this one is lowest of the ones featured here, but it still offers very good coverage and a beautiful, skin-like finish. Not cakey or heavy at all. Just beautiful, natural looking skin. I’ve reached for this one over and over, and I still continue to do so. I talk more about why I love it in my full review here.
The Shiseido Syncho Skin Lasting Liquid Foundation is one that grew on me with use. I find that with this, less is more as the coverage is fairly high, and better yet, this is one that looks better as the day wears on. So, if I know I have a long day that may involve me being out in the sun or driving around, and being faced with heat and humidity, this is the one I reach for. Even with that glow of perspiration, this foundation looks amazing – looks even better, in fact, with a little oil. I know there’s a new glow formula which I haven’t tried, but I love this one, and I reach for it almost instinctively, depending on what my day ahead has to offer. I elaborate further on this in my full review.
The common thread running amongst the 4 No-Fail Foundations I have picked out are that they are medium to high coverage formulas. I don’t use very much, but I do find that if I want a foundation that can work for me both day and night, it is best to go for one with a higher coverage. I can use a sheer layer in the day, and then build it up for the evening.
You may also notice that 3 out of 4 are by Japanese brands. I maintain that the Japanese brands make the best foundation in the market. They usually have a very lightweight texture, but with a coverage, buildability and comfort that is second to none. The down side is that most Japanese brand foundations cater mostly to the light or at best, medium skin tones. Deeper skin tones will not be able to avail of their beautiful textures. The Bobbi Brown Skin Nourishing Glow Foundation is one that comes close, albeit with a heavier texture, but has a wider shade selection.
I’d have included RMK but mine is too old so I don’t use it anymore, and RMK is no longer available in Malaysia. But RMK makes amazing foundations as well.
I love playing with liquid foundation, and a new foundation always makes my head swivel around, because I just love trying new ones out. I also like many different foundations, some of which I picked out here, but there’s a difference between like and love. And when you love something, I think it loves you right back coz these No-Fail Foundations look amazing on me LOL! 😀
What are your No-Fail Foundations?
Go on then, pick one. Or maybe 2 or if you can’t choose, list them all 😀 Curious minds want to know!
Paris B
There!!! That!!! The cdp up there!!! I’m almost finishing my bottle and I’m trying to stretch it till I land in KL to pick up a spare. My other alternatives are Helena Rubenstein – also on its last legs and Koh Gen Do- also running out. I plan to replenish when I’m back in Asia.
I have the Koh Gen Do in the red tube. Not terribly impressed though, did I buy the wrong one? 😛
I don’t usually reach for these types of foundations on a daily basis, since most of my stash is now cushion foundations (or do they count? lol), but whenever I want to feel ~fancy~ and use a brush instead of a puff, I go for my bottle of Kose Visee CC Watery Foundation. I really like how it’s lightweight and has sheer-to-medium coverage, with a very natural finish. It also lasts quite well in our hot and humid weather, although I do have to use a primer underneath for that. 😀
Haha of course cushion foundations count, if they’re your no-fail! 😀 I can’t count any cushion foundation as a no-fail simply because they tend to fail me at some point LOL! I don’t ever get as lovely a finish as I do with a regular liquid foundation.
HI PB, my no-fail and also my ONLY foundation is the Shiseido one. I agree with you that it wears better on my skin as the hours go by. I’ve tried some sample of the Glow version, but I still prefer the Long Last version. Presently I am intrigued by the Suncare BB Sport, which i saw you featured in your Insta Stories. Do share a review on it, will you?
It’s really impressive how well it wears doesn’t it? I like when the oil comes through coz it seems to look even better then! I haven’t sampled the Glow one yet, but I may not coz I have a feeling it might slip and slide a little due to the texture and formula. I’ll share my thoughts on the BB Sport tinted sunscreen soon! 🙂
I have the Shiseido Syncho Skin Lasting Liquid Foundation and loving it. Gives medium coverage which you can easily disperse with fingertips for sheer cover. And it stays put on the face despite I have this bad habit of touching my skin very often.
Heh don’t touch your face so much! 😉 But yes, that Shiseido one is pretty impressive – I like how it looks after a few hours. Seems to look even better!
I still haven’t found the perfect foundation yet. But I’ll definitely take a look at those you mentioned here! Thanks for the review! 😀
You’re welcome. These are perfect, but they are truly no-fail for me!
Oops. My daily to-go “foundation” has become the Laneige BB cushion since becoming a mum. It’s fail-proof and fast, and coverage is natural. I can layer it on for more coverage if I want to. If I have more time, I put on a primer beneath it for more lasting coverage 🙂
Hey, if it works for you, it works for you! 😀 While I like some BB Cushions, I rarely reach for them when I want to put a good face forward. More often than not that honour is given to a liquid foundation 😀
I love Luminous Silk by Armani, and the liquid Ultra HD foundation by MUFE.
And I’ve read exceedingly good reviews about Givenchy’s Matissime Velvet Radiant Mattifying Fluid Foundation, so that’s the next one I’m going to buy.
Oh I think I have the Ultra HD foundation by MUFE – it’s very good! I haven’t tried the Givenchy but I remember trying the Armani one many years ago. I loved it but the colour match was off so I had to sell it away. Wish it’ll come back so I can get myself colour matched again. I hear their foundations in general are amazing!
I love Stila’s Sheer Color Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20. I’ve probably gone through 8 bottles of this stuff, but it has recently been discontinued. 🙁 It was the one foundation (TM with decent coverage) that would always work, no matter whether my skin was flakey, ruddy or misbehaving in any other way. It would gloss over everything and not cling to problematic areas. I am now on the search for something to replace it. I have and like Charlotte Tilbury’s light wonder, IT cosmetics CC cream SPF50 (both last well, but are not quite as forgiving as the Stila; the CC cream has quite impressive coverage), Burberry Fresh Glow mixed with the Fresh Glow primer (less coverage, but lasts well and is pretty forgiving), Jouer luminizing moisture tint (least coverage of all and works only in the summer shade-wise) and Zelens Youth Glow, which I mix with an illuminating primer as well (Burrberry or Kanebo Sensai Illuminating; this provides the most coverage of them all).
I used to adore Armani Matte Skin Foundation until they discontinued that one. I always preferred it to the Luminous version. Whatever I love, you can rest assured that after a few years they’re going to discontinue it. 😛 (I am also looking at you, Becca dual concealers in the palest shades and Becca cream blushes!)
I usually own just one or two foundations that I truly love, so the list above shows, that none of them really ticks all the boxes. I guess I have to branch out a bit into Asian brands, but the problem is that most of them I have to order, and it’s really difficult to find a good match. Also, I am very pale and most European brands don’t cater to my skin shade or don’t sell their palest shades in a foundation in Austria (which is totally illogical, because there are lots of pale people here). Actually, your RMK reviews got me very interested, and I’ll test them at Selfridges when I go to London on holiday this summer.
BTW, thank you for all your great reviews! I hardly ever comment on your posts, so I thought it was time to express gratitude for all the in-depht info you provide! I really love your blog. 🙂
Gosh, Stila. Haven’t heard the name for a while! It sounds like you have tried a whole bunch of foundations over time and know what you like 🙂 Asan brands are great, but as you’ve said, it’s not easy to get them outside of Asia. It’s always a gamble buying foundation online, because it’s so tricky to know whether or not it’ll match your skintone. RMK is very good, and if you’re going to London, do check them out. Thank you for reading my blog and enjoying it. I truly appreciate it! 🙂
my all time favourite foundation is matis response blanche – asian version of their BB cream. it is just the best foundation ever, and i thing i have used already 10 tubes during 5 years and i will be using this BB till i die or till they discontinue. (not sure which one is coming first)
Ooh that is so interesting, I’d never heard of this one before and I’m intrigued! If you’re so loyal to it, it must be very good 😀
Alas, still haven’t found my holy grail foundation yet!
And that’s part of the fun – the search! haha 😀
I didnt know the luminizing was a new release! I picked that up last week and i must say it’s one of the most beautiful glowing foundation i’ve had in yeeeaaars! I tried the armani and was so disappointed. It was far better than luminous silk. We’re in the middle of summer so i stopped using it because of the glow factor. I also have the bourjois healthy mix(my favorite during the winter months) so i think my new favorite for the fall/winter season would have to be the shiseido luminizing foundation. It’s like your skin but so much better,i currently have some blemishes right now so i mixed it with the estee lauder double wear light and it lasted the whole day.
I was actually so impressed that i went back the next day to get the syncho. I will have to test it out tomorrow although i’d rather use it on my days off but hearing you rave about it makes me want to use it on a work day!
Oh you’ve gotten me intrigued by the Shiseido glow foundation! I guess I’ll have to take a look at it – it just launched here not long ago. I’m not sure if it’d be too glowy for me here, seeing as it’s perpetually hot and humid all the time LOL But I’m definitely intrigued enough to try to get a sample and test it out, thanks to you! 😀
Just a warning,it has literal shimmers so when you check it on natural light it’s there! As for the finish and longevity, it’s lovely.
Ooh thanks for the warning! Sounds like a dim light foundation right there haha! I’ll check it out, thanks!
For me it has to be the Koh Gen Do Maifanshi Moisture Foundation! I don’t think it’s available in Malaysia (Yet?) but you can get it in Singapore. That’s actually my number 2 foundation because my extreme favourite foundation has to be the Tom Ford Traceless Foundation Stick which is expensive but EXTREMELY difficult to get, not to mention they’ve seem to have changed their shade coding and naming- I used to use 02 Pale Dune, and then bought 03 Fawn when 02 Pale Dune went “missing”, which when I swatched, was about the same colour, and when I repurchased 03 Fawn by shade name it turned out to be a 04 Fawn! Can’t get any information on the new shades/numbering/naming any where online (Only the old ones where 02 is still Pale Dune and 03 is Fawn), and you can only get them from the US (I’ve been to Singapore and South Korea searching for it to no avail so I resort to buying online) so far, so it wasn’t worth the hassle any more. Too bad because it was seriously the best foundation I’ve used so far.
Ah Koh Gen Do isn’t available in Malaysia yet, that I know of. I do have one of them, the one in the red tube, that I got from Singapore a while back. I can’t remember if that’s the one you mean? I’ve worn it a few times but haven’t been terribly impressed unfortunately. I’ll have to try it again – do you have a specific method of application you use? I haven’t tried the Tom Ford one but it does sound amazing. Perhaps when it comes in here, which I’m told it will eventually 🙂
I love the Shiseido Synchro Skin Lasting Foundation too, and the Bobbi brown Skin Nourishing Glow Foundation! I also like the NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint mixed with Becca Backlight Priming Filter. The combo gives me a more dewy finish. Ah, also Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick. It’s so easy to use and the shade match is almost perfect!
Oh I like the BB Stick Foundation too! So handy and portable. I don’t have the Becca Backlight Priming Filter but it’s interesting to blend it with the Velvet Matte Skin Tint. I’ll try it with a different similar product and see how I like it. I do like the VMST too, for lazy weekends. So easy to just slap it on and go 😀
Have to say Born this Way from Too Faced. Always looks good on me. There’s also a new foundation coming in September from the brand Sensai (don’t know if this Kanebo-brand is exclusive to Europe?) which I looooove, it’s my holy grail foundation. I do like the Koh Gen Do Aqua, however it’s one step down from the Sensai and Too Faced foundations…
I heard a lot of good things about the Born This Way foundation, but I found the shades far too warm for me, so can’t wear it 🙁 But happy it works for you! I don’t think we get Sensai (I believe it’s the Kanebo brand but sold outside of Asia only) but a new Japanese foundation always excites me! Perhaps we’ll get something similar here. I didn’t try Koh Gen Do Aqua because we don’t get the brand here. I did buy the Moisture Foundation in the red tube, but wasn’t too sold on it. Maybe I’m using it wrongly LOL! Thanks for sharing Emelie
For me Surrat Surreal Skin Foundation and Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue are my no fail options
Thanks for sharing Erika 🙂 I haven’t tried anything from Surrat yet – was overwhelmed when I visited their counter LOL
I am swore to my RMK gel creamy. But I am also trying the Shiseido Synchro Skin Glow Foundation, which I am also loving for my dehydrated and oily skin.
I mix the 2 to get the perfect shade.