The Perfect Foundation, and Does it Have to be so Expensive?

Throughout the nine years of doing my makeup every single day I have tested out a ridiculous amount of foundations. When I was young and naive I would wear my mother's favorite foundation, the Maybelline Liquid Dream Mousse in the palest shade and go about my pre-teen life looking like a ghost from the neck up. The thing is, at the time I did not realize what my skin type was, the level of coverage I needed, or my actual shade. I was wearing a dry foundation made for oily problematic skin, while my skin was dry and surprisingly acne free while going through puberty. After looking at myself in pictures I realized my face was looking like a hot mess, and thus began my journey of finding the perfect foundation at a perfect price.

I would like to think in those nine years of makeup trials and tribulations I have found some products that actually work for me. Again, I have dry skin and a medium neutral skin tone so these products reflect what work on the type of skin tone I have. Lets begin!

• Maybelline Fit Me Liquid Foundation: Matte & Poreless $6

I wanted to start out with a tried and true favorite. I started wearing this foundation my sophomore year in high school and wore it every single day until the end of my junior year. After a while I got bored and forgot about it while trying other products. I went back to the Fit Me foundation my sophomore year of college and was again amazed at how great this foundation really was, and for only $6! There are 40 shades in this foundation so everyone should be able to find the perfect shade that matches them.

Now I know what you are thinking, Sama, you have dry skin why are you wearing a matte foundation? Very good question and that is because the formula on this foundation is totally screwed for what it is marketed towards. This foundation is actually dewy and more luminous than it is matte. Don't ask me why Maybelline decided to name this "Matte & Powerless" when it is most definitely a more glowy formula.

This foundation is often compared to the Makeup Forever Ultra HD foundation ($43.) The Maybelline Fit Me is basically the same formula for a fraction of the cost of the Makeup Forever foundation. I have used both foundations professionally and personally and I truly recommend the Fit Me for someone on a budget.

• Loreal Infallible Pro Matte foundation $13

I chose this foundation for my girls with dry to normal problematic skin. If you are dealing with breakouts this is the perfect foundation for you! This foundation is marketed as an air-light foundation with a demi-matte finish. I'm not sure if I agree with the "air-light" claim but this foundation really does have a beautiful finish. It is a lot harder to work with than other foundations on this list but the end result is worth it. This foundation ranges between $9-$12 and comes in 11 shades.

For this foundation I advise using a beauty sponge, like the Beauty Blender, to sheer out the foundation while blending it flawlessly. A trick I picked up is using a metal makeup tray and spatula. First squeeze out the foundation on the tray and then use the spatula to pick up a very light amount. After that use the edge of the spatula and glide it down yo



ur face. Then immediately take your beauty sponge and tap on the foundation to blend it out further. This way you are basically lightly coating the  foundation on top of your face and creating an even coverage. 

I told you this foundation was a little bit harder to work with but the coverage and finish is totally worth it in the end. This foundation is comparable to the Kat Von D Lock it Tattoo foundation. Both foundations have a very high coverage but Kat Von D has a touch more. If you think the Pro Matte Foundation is hard to work with Kat Von D is even harder. The foundation has a very dry consistency and is hard to blend in correctly. Save your time and your wallet with the Loreal Infallible Pro Matte foundation. 

• Loreal True Match foundation $10

This foundation is the OG of drugstore foundations. When I first heard of this foundation on a popular YouTube channel by Australian makeup guru Lauren Curtis, I knew I had to try it. This foundation has a very liquid type formula. This makes it very easy and quick to blend, perfect for days you're running out the door. 

This foundation comes in 24 shades that range in cool tones, neutral tones and warm tones. It will be easy to find your exact shade for all the products in the True Match range because they all have a code. When you find out what tone and shade you are you can buy that color concealer, powder, and even blush and bronzer. This makes it very easy for the less experienced people to know exactly which products to buy.

This foundation marketed for all skin types and has a natural finish with medium buildable coverage. This foundation is compared to the MAC Cosmetics Studio Fix Fluid foundation which has a very similar consistency and finish. The Studio Fix is a cult favorite by many professionals and bloggers but cashes in at $30. A plus about the Studio Fix is that it comes in a lot of shades but is not the best for sensitive skin. The foundation has been known to break a lot of people at which makes the Loreal True Match a safer inexpensive option. 

• Wet n Wild Photo Focus foundation $6

Last but definitely not least, I wanted to talk about my current favorite foundation. The Wet n Wild Photo Focus foundation has been a beautiful surprise and honestly everything I have been looking for in a foundation. This foundation has a medium buildable coverage and looks flawless in photographs. This foundation blends seamlessly and flawlessly on dry skin. The applicator is a plastic spatula type device so you just smooth it over and blend with either a foundation brush or a beauty sponge.

This foundation is so unbelievably amazing because it comes from the brand Wet n Wild which was known to just make mediocre beginner products. In the past couple of years this brand has been stepping up their products and creating really good really affordable makeup. This foundation is a testament to that and I plan on using it for a very long time. The photo focus foundation comes in 20 shades and is marketed towards normal to combination skin. As a dry skin girl I definitely recommend it and believe it will look flawless on every skin type.

This foundation is compared to the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk foundation ($64!). Both foundations are marketed as light to medium dewy coverage. The Giorgio Armani comes in 24 shades so that is a plus, but with the Wet n Wild foundation you are getting the same effect for a fraction of the cost.

Foundation is a the basis for a full face of makeup. You can have the most beautiful smokey eye but it won't look right without a face that balances it out. I hope these suggestions and tips help you out the next time you are on the hunt for a new foundation. Remember, expensive doesn't always mean good. You can find amazing products at your local drugstore. Happy foundation hunting!