Comparative Foundations

For years I've been trying to find the right foundation for my skin.  I've been wearing makeup since the 8th grade and have tried at least ten different foundations.  The ones that covered up my acne or acne scars made me break out, powders failed to provide the right amount of coverage, and many brands did not have the correct shade for my skin tone.  Below is a list of just some of the foundations I've tried, their prices, my rating for them, and are in no specific order.  Enjoy!

Paula Dorf Perfect Glo Foundation $45: 4 stars
Though expensive, this foundation is a very light, smooth, cream foundation that is oil free and never dried out my skin.

 Neutrogena Healthy Skin Liquid Makeup about $12: 5 stars
My top rated drug store foundation.  Neutrogena makeup is probably the best makeup you can get at a drug store.  None of it will feel heavy or be harmful to your skin.  

Neutrogena Microclear about $12: 2 stars
Although this makeup was weightless and provided great coverage it dried out the parts of my skin that weren't broken out.

Clinique Even Better foundation $27: 5 stars
I wore this foundation for a very long time.  It lightened a lot of the scarring on my face and didn't make me break out.  I only switched foundations because the sales rep suggested it provided too much coverage for me.

Clinique Acne Solution $27: 4 stars
Again, another really great foundation by Clinique.  Great for frequent breakouts, but can be a little too drying in the winter.

Clinique Perfectly Real Makeup $27: 5 stars
This is my current foundation that provides the most natural looking coverage I've ever gotten from makeup.  What's great about all Clinique foundations is that theres a shade that matches my skin tone perfectly, which is a lot more difficult to match than you'd think.

 Paula Dorf Liquid foundation $42: 4 stars
This is just like the first foundation on the list, but in a true liquid and not a cream.  Great coverage.  Don't let the price push you away.  There's twice as much foundation in this bottle than what you'd get at the drug store, making it actually not too much more expensive than what you're already buying.  

Almay Smart Shade Makeup  around $10: 1 star
Covered absolutely nothing.

Covergirl Clean Oil Control Makeup  around $7: 2 stars
Plenty of coverage, but very heavy to wear and leaves behind a very strong, unusual smell.   It also did not control the oils on my face as far as I could tell.   

L'Oreal Paris True Match Roller around $15: 1 star
This is the same formula as the regular True Match foundation.  The roller does not actually enhance the look of the makeup. 

Revlon Photo Ready Foundation around $11: 1 star
Very heavy to wear and does not look airbrushed as advertised.  

L'Oreal Paris True Match around $9: 1 star
Despite its name I could not find a color that matched my skin tone.  It comes in various shades in categories called Warm, Cool, and Neutral.  I have no idea what that even means and I don't believe many women will know which category their skin fits into.  I wore this makeup twice before I got the worst breakout of my life.  I looked so bad that this foundation could not cover my pimples.  I was so embarrassed that I would not have gone to school if I had not had a final exam.  This clogs pores, makes skin oily, and is heavy to wear. 

Proactiv Creme Foundation around #25: 3 stars
Descent amount of coverage, however there is so little foundation in one compact that it is hardly worth the buy

Bare Minerals Loose Powder $27: 3 stars
This balances the skin's oils, but I am not the biggest fan of powder foundations, especially loose powders.  It makes a big mess.  

Forever the honest,
Stephanie Lato