Alcohol-free foundation

In the cosmetic arsenal of a modern woman, as a rule, there are many products for creating the perfect makeup. However, among all this variety, it is foundation that, as if by magic, can transform your appearance in a matter of minutes, hiding small wrinkles or masking skin imperfections. That is why special attention should be paid to its acquisition, so that instead of a wonderful transformation, you do not turn your face into a mask.
In this article we:

Basic criteria for choosing the best foundation

When choosing a foundation, you should be guided not by its cost, although this is an important detail, but first of all by the main characteristics of the product.

1. Individual skin type

This principle should be decisive when purchasing. It turns out that the composition of any foundation is focused primarily not on the shade of the skin of the face, but on its tendency to be oily or, conversely, dry. For example, in a cream for oily skin types you will not find oils, and a product for dry skin excludes alcohol among its ingredients.

1. Color palette

Of course, the color scheme of the chosen foundation should be based on your skin tone. According to the basic rules of cosmetology, you should choose a tone slightly lighter than natural to avoid unnaturalness. Although now “smart” tint products that independently adapt to skin color are very popular.

The consistency of foundation creams can be light, perfect for the summer season, or denser, with a high camouflage effect. Most often, manufacturers produce this product in the form of a liquid fluid, airy mousse or stick. The thicker the texture of the cream, the more coloring pigment it contains.

1. Additional features

Quite often, foundation has a wider range of capabilities than just masking or matting. You can, for example, find creams labeled “SPF” that protect against the harmful effects of sunlight. It is not uncommon now to find “foundations” with a lifting effect that tighten wrinkles.
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Which brand of foundation should I choose?

Ubiquitous advertising has long penetrated the cosmetology market, stubbornly dictating which brand should be preferred. However, everything here is purely individual, because we are all different. According to the results of the popular vote, the majority of women highlight the high quality of foundations Sisley (France), Max factor (USA), L'Oreal (France). They are not inferior to them in their characteristics and Maybelline (USA), Bourjois (France) or Revlon (USA).
However, in the budget price category the domestic brand is in the lead "Freedom", which many women also highly rated in reviews and are not going to change it to Western brands.

Even in 2016, many continue to believe that foundation clogs pores and ruins the skin. We discuss the most persistent misconceptions

It will take 2 minutes to read

Text: Makeup.ru editors July 26, 2016

This statement was relevant in the distant past, when tonal products were imperfect. Their presence was noticeable both literally and figuratively: it was hard for the skin to breathe, and the face looked more like a doll mask. Modern formulas do no harm. Moreover, cosmetologists recommend using foundations, choosing lighter textures in summer, and, on the contrary, denser textures in winter, as they protect the skin from pollution, sudden temperature changes and the harmful effects of sunlight.

This impression can arise when incorrectly selected foundations emphasize wrinkles and relief. In addition, the skin looks dull when powder is also applied to a thick layer of tone. Apply foundation in small quantities, blend thoroughly with a brush, fingertips or sponge. Choose light shades that match the skin color of your neck. If wrinkles bother you, choose products with nourishing or moisturizing ingredients, such as plant extracts or hyaluronic acid. And pay attention to the anti-age mark on the packaging: such products will help your regular cream fight to preserve youthful skin.

This statement is only partly true. Check the composition of your foundation. If it has alcohol in it, it can actually make the thin skin around the eyes drier and unable to produce enough oil to protect itself. If there is no alcohol, you can safely use the cream all over your face: it will not emphasize wrinkles.

There are debates about the dangers of silicones on every beauty forum. Makeup artists recommend following this logic: if a product is created using modern technology, it will not cause harm. On the contrary: silicones create a layer on the surface of the skin that not only evens out the relief, but also reliably protects it from the adverse effects of the environment, and also retains moisture.

Foundation can indeed provoke inflammation, but only if the product is chosen incorrectly. If your skin is prone to breakouts, choose oil-free creams designed specifically for acne-prone skin. Vichy has these, for example. Also pay attention to your diet and habits: limit the amount of fatty and sweet foods in your diet, thoroughly cleanse your skin, always remove makeup at night, and do not touch your face with your hands during the day. Keep the brushes and sponges you use to apply cosmetics clean.

Personal experience of ELLE editors

The importance of foundation in a woman’s cosmetic bag is difficult to overestimate. An essential product, it masks skin imperfections and protects it from the negative effects of the environment. ELLE editors used personal experience to find out which foundations will instantly return a radiant and rested look to your face.

Nadezhda Strelets, content director at Elle.ru

I can’t live without foundation—I can live without any other beauty product, but without foundation I feel like I’m naked. I received two completely different products for testing - it was all the more interesting to see which one my skin would respond to better. First, I took the Chanel Perfection Lumiere fluid for a test drive. I didn’t specifically read the release in order to leave an objective review. So, the product is light, with a classic consistency - moderately liquid, but absorbed quite quickly, which complicated the application process. It was not possible to spread the cream evenly with a brush, so my fingers were used. Yes, the product is not very easy to apply, you need to try to distribute it. Perhaps this is where the cons end. Let's get to the positives. The fluid stays in such a way that you can not be afraid of “losing face” in both heat and cold. Covers perfectly, evens out tone, and barely noticeable pigments create a feeling of rested and fresh skin. At the same time, it is fixed on the skin somehow very delicately, without creating the effect of a cement mask, despite the fact that the skin looks flawlessly matte. In a word, this foundation is so wonderful that I am ready to confidently recommend it to my friends and ELLE readers.

With the second product of the test, the L’Oreal Alliance Perfect foundation, I had a similar story: it was difficult to distribute. In this case, due to the fact that the texture turned out to be very liquid, like water. However, the promised effect of absolute fusion with the skin has happened - the product really seems to adapt to the characteristics of the skin, while the range of beautiful beige shades will allow you to find your ideal tone.

Daria Tatarnikova, production editor of Elle.ru

I have high requirements for foundation: it should be light, but at the same time hide all skin imperfections well. In addition, it is important for me that the decorative product provides care at the same time. And it’s absolutely ideal if it’s a product from my favorite brand, Guerlain. I found such a product especially for me: I got Guerlain Parure Gold to test, a foundation that fights aging and instantly brightens the skin. I won’t sing praises for a long time, I’ll just say that this is my ideal foundation: it is absolutely invisible, provides an even color, a feeling of smoothness of the skin, and gold particles create the feeling that the face is glowing from the inside.

I also had luck with the second product I tested. Complex daytime corrective CC cream Rosaliac from the pharmacy brand La Roche-Posay is a super-delicate product that is suitable even for those with the most capricious and sensitive skin. Despite the fact that, as befits a CC cream, it combines care and a decorative effect, concealing the product magically! It mattifies and corrects all types of redness - even those that arise from cold, allergies, and alcohol. In short, it’s difficult to find a more suitable option for winter.

The third one I tested was a foundation with the beautiful name Milk Aquarelle from Rouge Bunny Rouge. The delicate texture of the product surprised even me, an experienced beauty-holic. The cream melting on the skin perfectly evens out the tone of the face, making it literally porcelain. Redness goes away, unevenness is not visible, and to avoid peeling, I recommend pre-moisturizing the skin. A nice bonus: water lily extracts and shea butter also care for the skin. I didn’t notice any obvious flaws in the cream, but its advantages are so convincing that I give it a solid five!

Anna Volkova, fashion editor at Elle.ru

Over the past week, my skin has seen more foundation than it sometimes experiences in a year. This time I got to test four foundations completely different in formula and functionality: from a light BB primer to a dense product that masks any imperfections. I will tell you about each of them in detail.

As the name suggests, the Smashbox Camera Ready BB Water foundation promises to give you a tone so perfect that your skin will look perfect even in front of a camera lens. Let me make a reservation right away: in fact, no. BB Water has a lot of advantages: a very light formula (it’s really liquid, like water), ease of application (the product goes on smoothly and doesn’t clump), the presence of an SPF 30 filter and the complete absence of oils or alcohol in the composition, that is, it does not clog pores and does not dry out the skin. All this plus a healthy glow in natural and artificial light and moderate hydration make this product ideal for the happy owners of skin without visible imperfections. It can disguise minor unevenness and pigmentation, but to solve more complex problems you will need a dense concealer in pair with it. I'm sure this light formula will be used with a bang in the summer. For winter, for example, I need heavier beauty artillery, so BB Water is not forgotten, but postponed until the warmer season.

The universal product Artistry Exact Fit Beauty Balm Perfecting Primer turned out to be a BB cream and a primer in one bottle. The brand assures that it works equally effectively both on its own and as a base for your favorite foundation. Test like this: I tested both options, and I liked the first one better. As a stand-alone product, BB Perfecting Primer does a good job of evening out tone, moisturizing the skin and hiding minor imperfections. After application, there is no desire to consolidate the result with a good layer of dense foundation or powder - the skin looks healthy and even radiant, as if it had been brushed over with a small amount of highlighter.

But after applying a layer of another foundation on top of the BB primer (all in the name of experiment), the feeling of a mask remained. Perhaps it’s all about choosing a tone that “makes friends” with an Artistry product: traditionally, it’s better to choose a product from the same line when pairing.

One of the bestsellers of the beauty giant MAC - Studio Sculpt SPF 15, unlike its predecessors, on my list turned out to have a dense formula that masks all the imperfections that come its way. Due to this, it requires special care when applying and choosing the appropriate shade, otherwise there is a risk of getting an undesirable mask effect. Otherwise, I had pleasant impressions from the MAC product: it goes on smoothly, hides all unevenness, inflammation and stains and protects against UV radiation.

The last product in the review, Catrice All Matt Plus, turned out to be the most affordable of all four. The German brand, which I had never encountered before, suddenly turned out to be a real discovery. The All Matt Plus foundation, the packaging of which promises a matte effect and even coverage for up to 18 hours, honestly justifies all the loud claims of the manufacturers. Moreover, this effect can be achieved with a light formula that moisturizes the skin and does not contain oils. So, Catrice foundation has been on my list of beauty favorites since the first test, becoming a real find in the mass market segment.

Sabina Agayeva, editor of the “Stars” and “Lifestyle” columns

Foundation is the main beauty product in my makeup bag. When the skin is smooth and even, it is a decoration in itself, even in the absence of makeup. Colleagues know that I have the darkest skin in the editorial office, so they immediately distributed creams of dark shades with a dense texture for me to try.

The first “test” - Yves Saint Laurent Le Teint Encre De Peau foundation turned out to be extremely curious. Firstly, it is so liquid that when you dip the dispenser brush into the foundation reservoir, it seems like you are dipping a pen into an inkwell. Secondly, despite this consistency, it is quickly absorbed, does not spread and provides a fairly dense coating. Moreover, after shading, it remains on the skin as a velvety powder with a mattifying effect. From the outside, this density is completely invisible, but it is very important to quickly and thoroughly distribute the product over the entire skin, otherwise it will immediately dry out in a spot in one place: when applying the cream, it is better to use a sponge or a large brush. There is no feeling of tightness, dryness or, conversely, a dense mask left on the face; the formula is completely weightless, at the same time very durable, instantly masking minor skin imperfections and facial wrinkles. A very comfortable product. I'll probably use it even in the summer. 10 points out of 10.

The Sisley Phyto-Teint Expert foundation, which I tested second, turned out to be very similar in the final result to the aforementioned Yves Saint Laurent: the finish of the cream is not glossy, but rather powdery. I have always had a very positive attitude towards Sisley cosmetics, and this time my expectations were also met. I used the shade 3 Natural. I thought it would be unusual for my dark skin, but it turned out that the cream has a brown undertone - what I need (yellow turns me into an Indian who has been sitting in a solarium for too long). The product was shaded in a thin layer without any problems, which means that additional skills and products were not needed: I moisturized the skin with day cream, applied Sisley Phyto-Teint Expert foundation on top with my fingers and shaded it with my fingers. The density is quite high, due to which the durability is excellent: just right for the winter, but in the summer I hardly want to return to it. And most importantly, there is no effect of excessive tanning, the cream blends into the skin. But I couldn’t appreciate the care bonuses promised by the manufacturers of the foundation (it supposedly transforms the skin day after day). However, I don’t expect such miracles from a foundation.

Elena Bolshakova, editor of Elle.ru

I can honestly admit that I use foundation exclusively “on the go.” But the first product that I got to test was Dr. Pierre Ricaud - did not at all resemble a foundation in its usual sense. It contains two components: Lumino Source fluid and Ma Teinte SurMesure color concentrate. Just don't think that they need to be applied in layers: quite the opposite. The fluid from one tube must first be mixed with the concentrate from the second - voila, we get the consistency that we will use. I would like to note that the fluid has a very interesting rose gold color. It can also be used as an additional moisturizer, without adding a color concentrate. Indeed, after application, the skin acquires a soft, pleasant glow. The foundation itself lays down in a very uniform tone. Moreover, you need to rub it in until the cream adheres to the skin: if you make at least one extra movement, it will immediately roll off. But most importantly, this does not affect the color in any way, so all these side effects can simply be shaken off with either a towel or napkin. By the way, foundation Dr. Pierre Ricaud leaves no traces. That is, it is absorbed into the skin like a regular cream and is just as easy to wear.

The second product, Make up for ever Ultra HD, is a foundation in the classical sense of these words. What can you say about a cream from such a respected and beloved brand? It applies perfectly, lays down smoothly, does not roll down and wears beautifully. Although, again, you shouldn’t overdo it. If you apply too much, it may float. And be sure to pay attention to how he behaves in the area of ​​the wings of his nose. If the cream is not sufficiently blended in this area, it can become mischievous.

I used Make up for ever Ultra HD not only on its own, but also in conjunction with the legendary Make up for ever HD High Definition Primer. The effect when applied was approximately the same.

And now about the shortcomings. This product must be powdered, because without additional helpers your face will definitely shine. By the way, it cannot be said that this foundation has a very dense texture - rather the opposite, so if you want a “Photoshop effect” on your face, then this is definitely not about Ultra HD. But for natural everyday makeup it is perfect.

Valeria Klimenko, junior beauty editor, assistant at Elle.ru

Foundation is the number one product in my makeup bag. I'd rather give up mascara and lipstick than the right shade, which I'm sure can completely transform my face. And although the most beloved and irreplaceable CC cream of brand X has long been in my arsenal, I did not refuse the editorial task, giving a test drive to four foundations at once.

First up was the Givenchy Teint Couture foundation. As the owner of combination but dehydrated skin, I appreciated the creamy but almost weightless texture of the product. The cream was instantly absorbed, leaving not only a stunningly even tone on the face, but also a very pleasant fruity aroma. I was a little surprised by the fact that after applying Teint Couture the skin felt slightly powdery. And indeed, by the end of the day the skin practically did not shine - the foundation has an excellent mattifying effect. I’ll definitely take note of Givenchy’s bestseller.

The name of the second product, Vichy Teint Ideal, translates as “ideal tone.” And indeed: the foundation perfectly corrected the complexion, hiding all visible skin imperfections. Let me tell you a secret: in winter I allow myself a little cheating and apply products a shade darker than my skin tone to my face, as is the case with Vichy Teint Ideal. Thus, you get the feeling of skin slightly gilded by the sun, thanks to which the face looks fresh and rested. An excellent option for Russian bad weather!

Clarins Instant Concealer is designed to cover the most problematic areas of the face, but I decided to try using it as a full-fledged foundation. The product has a rich, dense texture, making it ideal for the cold season. In combination with a light moisturizing fluid, Instant Concealer gave a good result, but I would not recommend using it with a nourishing fatty cream - the skin looks overloaded, and by the end of the day an oily sheen appears in the T-zone. I will use the product if I go to the skating rink with friends this weekend: it will perfectly protect my skin from sub-zero temperatures and cold winds.

Finally, the fourth product, the flawless Zero Dafault Yves Rocher coating, perfectly moisturized the skin without leaving a feeling of tightness. The product perfectly prepared my face for further makeup: I applied blush and bronzing powder without any problems and was very pleased with the result. The skin acquired a perfectly even tone and slight radiance, and at the end of the day it was enough to just refresh the face a little with mattifying wipes to get an effect comparable to the makeup you had just done.

Hirst Shkulev Publishing

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