Foundation Search - Bobbi Brown
For a while I've been satisfied with my small collection of high-street foundations but, well...just a bit bored! I don't want to settle for 'they'll do' with a makeup item that forms the base of my face for the day. So I've been on the hunt for a higher end foundation that I'll truly feel in love with rather than just settling for.
My skin type
Foundation is an intensely personal and unique-for-everyone choice. Although I would class my skin in the bracket of combination/oily skin - it's not the same everyday - sometimes I have dry patches, sometimes it's oilier than other times. I'm guessing it's down to environmental factors and whatever skincare products I've been using, time of the month, etc - there are all sorts of variables, so ideally I'm looking for a foundation that can work with however my skin is behaving on a particular day - does a foundation that can do that even exist?
Also, if my research is based solely on my skin needs, I wouldn't want to class these posts as definitive reviews as they are going to be really particular to me.
But I'll write about how I find a particular product - just keep in mind, what works for one person may or may not work for somebody else.
My needs/wants
I'm looking for a medium to full coverage foundation that looks reasonably natural (so dewy where I need and matte enough for my oilier areas). Texture and longevity are important. I'd prefer a foundation where I don't have to use a powder over the top and I don't want one that's going to slide off my face within a couple of hours. I definitely don't want one that will stick to any dry patches, or one that shows up the downy hairs on my face.
Not asking for much, am I?!
Bobbi Brown - Intensive Skin Serum Foundation SPF40
30ml - £45
When I first asked at the Bobbi Brown counter to recommend a foundation for my skin type, the assistant showed me this. She gave me a full face of this and used other Bobbi Brown skincare products to prep my face. I felt like she'd layered it on quite thickly (but then, it always feels odd when someone else does your foundation). My first impressions were somewhat skewed as my face felt very heavy with product and I also felt very 'obvious' as I left the counter to walk around and see how it settled on my face.
The heavy and slightly greasy feeling didn't leave me so I don't feel that the product settled in at all. I checked my face in a shop mirror about an hour later and was horrified to see that my face looked like it was dripping off. I was extremely greasy and my laugh lines were highly pronounced with foundation caked into them. Not at all impressed!
I didn't have a sample of this to try at home so in fairness, maybe had I applied it myself, I might have felt slightly differently, but I did not like the heavy, oily feeling of this foundation.
On a side note, my 72 year old mother actually purchased this serum. She also had a full face tried on her in the Bobbi Brown store in Brighton (at a different time) and immediately bought it. She said that she felt slightly oily but was hoping it would sink in. I did keep urging her to walk around in it for a while, asking her "Are you sure you don't want to wait a while?" and giving her the wide-eyes 'warning' look, but she was happy to buy straight away. As it turns out, she's really loving her serum foundation. So it just goes to show - YMMV (your mileage may vary) - what suits one person may not work for another.
Bobbi Brown - Long-Wear Even Finish Foundation SPF15
30ml £34.00
Whilst in the Bobbi Brown store in Brighton I thought I'd give her another chance (!) and tried some of the Long-Wear Even Finish Foundation.
This time I was ready for how to play it right and asked for a colour match and a sample so I was able to try it at home over a number of days to get a true reflection of how it would work on my skin.
I was given a sample in the shade in Beige.
To be honest, I'm not entirely sure that it was the best shade match for me and this goes to show that your own eye for shade matching versus any number of assistants may and probably will vary. I'm guessing to get a really good idea of what the best shade match for you is to go in to several different outlets and request shade matches - if you have the chops for it, that is. I personally find it quite embarrassing and slightly 'wrong' to sample stalk - even though, when push comes to shove, this is the best way to get exactly what you need!
It wasn't a huge sample, but there was enough to try this out on three different occasions at home.
I wasn't a fan of the runny consistency of this foundation - you had to use more to get any coverage. And after that, I didn't feel the coverage was very good either, considering this is billed as a medium to full coverage foundation.
It's also meant to be natural looking, which I would agree with and it's comfortable to wear, feels hydrating and doesn't cake, patch or streak.
Importantly, it didn't make me feel greasy either and I didn't need to wear powder over the top.
However, I just thought the coverage was too weak and even building it up didn't really resolve this.
So in contemplation - this won't be going on my foundation shortlist.
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