Foundation files

This is a list of foundation and concealers that match my skin colour. I’ve compiled this list to show colour matches across various products I’ve used. It includes purchased products only (excludes samples) so that I can write about whether or not I reacted to the product. Send me a message if you’d like to know more about my thoughts on any of these tried and tested products.

For reference, I have yellow undertones and find that light to medium shades are generally the most suitable. I need my makeup to last a full day- other than on my wedding day, I don’t touch up throughout the day, except for lipstick if I’m wearing any. My skin is normal but breaks out easily.

Product	Shade	Comment
bareMinerals Original loose powder	Golden beige	Looks very yellow in the tub but is a perfect match. I think bareMinerals is a highly underrated brand. The tub travels well, product overs great coverage and wears better throughout the day as it soaks up natural oils. Clever, multi-use product that can be used as a concealer or mixed with liquid. Must be used with the Original Veil for best results.
bareMinerals Original loose powder	Golden fair	A bit too light but still ok to finish the pot. See above review for finish/ consistency etc.
Bobbi Brown serum concealer	Porcelain bisque	Great for under eyes and highlighting forehead and nose. Looks sheer but highly pigmented. Long lasting and feels skin-friendly. I’d repurchase when I run out.
Chanel Natural finish loose powder	67 Iridescences	Very glittery! The powder itself is incredibly finely milled.
Cover FX Contour pallette	G light medium	Perfect colour shades and photographs beautifully. Creamy, flawless finish. Can be used as a concealer. The palette is phenomenal value for money compared to buying the individual shades. The G+ medium 2 custom cover drops is a great colour match and I wanted to love the product but I still haven’t got it right- seems to cling to pores and show up issues I didn’t realise I had!
Fenty match stick	Bamboo	Great for quick application. Lasted way longer than I expected. Creamy, radiant finish but still softly matte. The shade Mocha is perfect for contouring! Functional, cute packaging.
Giorgio Armani Silk	4.5	Powdery, velvet finish. Sheer. Feels light and smells nice. ‘Silk’ is the perfect name for it but doesn’t last because there’s nothing for my concealer or powder to grip to, although it does fade evenly. Perfect colour match.
Go Ken Doh UV Face Powder SPF 50	Soft beige	This powder is air light. Natural coverage with a hint of fine shimmer that leaves a soft glow. If I’m in a hurry and just need to set my concealer, this is the powder I’ll use. Bonus points for having SPF 50, which I like to layer. Underrated, top quality product
It Cosmetics Bye Bye Undereye Illuminating Concealer	Medium	Holy grail concealer. This is my daily concealer which I use for under eyes and face blemishes. Thick and creamy, spreads easily and setting is preferred, but not critical. I use this on spots too. This is quite light for a ‘Medium’ product. The labels are a bit tricky- I’d suggest going in to Sephora for a colour match with this brand.
It Cosmetics Bye Bye Breakout	Medium Tan	The online shade finder suggested Medium Tan but it is 1-2 shades too dark. It clings to lumps and bumps, so it somehow made pimples look worse on me. I usually grin and bear through a bad product but this one had to go.
Laura Mercier tinted moisturiser	Nude	Perfect no-makeup makeup. Ticks all the boxes. Beautiful with and without setting powder, though I personally prefer powder for extended wear.
MAC Studio fix powder powder plus foundation	C3	Holy grail powder. If I can’t get my hands on C4, I’ll get a C3 and will happily use it interchangeably (with a slight preference for C4). This stuff is magic.
MAC Studio fix powder plus foundation	C4	Holy grail powder. I have repurchased this over and over again. If I use a foundation that’s not the right tone or colour, setting with this resolves the issue. C4 is my perfect colour match but isn’t sold in every country. Leaves skin flawless but never cakey.
Mac studio fix fluid	C4	Mac colours that should be like-for-like may as well have their own range. After buying C4 in the Mac Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation, I thought I’d be C4 in everything, but turns out I’m not C4 in anything else. It’s a pretty close match, very yellow but settles beautifully. Natural finish. Sadly it makes me break out. Bonus points for SPF. Buy the pump!
Mac face and body	C4	About 2 shades too dark. Very runny consistency and a bit messy in the lid (but no leakages, thankfully). Super natural coverage but not as sheer as Giorgio Armani Silk. Highly recommend. Buildable coverage and best to layer small amounts. Makes skin look juicy!
MAC Pro Long wear concealer	NC25	Holy grail. My perfect shade and baseline for comparing other colours. Always in my travel toiletries to mix with moisturiser for foundation. Lasts forever!
Mac Studio Sculpt	NC20	Not too light or dark, just too pink. Photographs beautifully. Slightly mousse-like consistency and leaves skin matte and glowy. The finish strikes the perfect balance between natural and flawless. I’d repurchase in the right shade. Bonus points for SPF.
Mecca cosmetics in a good light	Dark	Sales rep recommended me the Dark for a wash of colour. Faded in patches by late afternoon but I think if I used a lighter colour, it wouldn’t have been as noticeable. I still used the whole tube. Great concept but not enough staying power for me.
Nars radiant creamy concealer	Custard	Perfect match and applicator; I’ve repurchased twice because it is a fool-proof product but not good value for money.
Nars sheer glow	Fiji	Could’ve gone a bit darker but there are so many shades in Nars that I think I could use a few colours interchangeably
Nars sheer matte	Santa Fe	Preferred matte for longevity and velvety texture when I had both but haven’t repurchased either. Worth trying!
Shu Uemura lightbulb liquid foundation	764 Medium light beige	Perfect colour match and thick, creamy consistency. A bit too pigmented for my preference but perfect for sheering out with an illuminator/ primer. Top quality product.
Shu Uemura lightbulb powder foundation	774 light beige	Velvety texture and just the right amount of shimmer. Softer/ more moisturising than Mac Studio Fix. I purchased one shade lighter for super soft highlighting and can still use this all over. Not as long wear or flawless as Mac Studio Fix.
Shu Uemura lightbulb powder foundation	754 medium beige	Velvety texture and just the right amount of shimmer. Softer/ more moisturising than Mac Studio Fix. I purchased one shade lighter for super soft contouring and can still use this all over. Not as long wear or flawless as Mac Studio Fix.
Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer	25S Light medium sand	Thick consistency, skin-friendly ingredients, long lasting…this ticks all the boxes. Better value for money than Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer. Tarte overall is a highly underrated brand!