High End Foundation Wardrobe

I don't know about you, but I'm of the view that foundations are worth going high end for. If it's going to be all over your face and form the base for all your other makeup, then I'm willing to spend a bit extra if it means a superior product. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure there's no shortage of affordable foundations that work brilliantly, but I just haven't tried that many (the one notable exception is Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum, which is hands down the best "drugstore" foundation I've encountered). I'm currently rotating between five (yes, five) high end foundations and thought I'd dedicate a post discussing them and their relative merits and shortcomings.

l-r: YSL Le Teint Touche Éclat in B40, Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in 4.5, Chanel Vitalumière Aqua in B20, Dior Diorskin Nude BB Creme in 002, Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation in 013

l-r: Chanel Vitalumière Aqua in B20, Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation in 013, Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in 4.5, YSL Le Teint Touche Éclat in B40, Dior Diorskin Nude BB Creme in 002

My favourite of the bunch is YSL Le Teint Touche Éclat in B40 (reviewed here and featured in my 2015 favourites). This is probably in my top 3 of all foundations I've used, second only to NARS Sheer Glow. It's so instantly beautifying, melts into the skin without texture or application issues, diffuses imperfections and unevenness, gives you that airbrushed, dewy (but not oily), soft focus glow, has fairly good coverage while not masking the skin, and is particularly kind on dry skin. If I want my best chance at a good skin day, especially if I'll be photographed, I'll reach for this or Sheer Glow.

My second favourite would have to be Chanel Vitalumière Aqua in B20 (reviewed here and featured in my 2014 favourites). It's such an excellent everyday foundation, especially when your skin is in decent shape. What I love most about it is that it's probably the most transfer-proof foundation I have, possibly because it's water-based, so it really adheres to the skin and isn't easily wiped off. The finish is more on the satin side than the YSL, and coverage is light to medium, but it looks so natural and undetectable while enlivening and perfecting the skin.

Next we have Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation in 013 (review here) and Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in 4.5 (review here). I find these two pretty similar, with the main differences being coverage and finish. The Armani is a bit higher coverage and has a more semi-matte finish than the Koh Gen Do, which is more liquid in consistency and has a fresher, dewier, more translucent finish. Other than that, I find the two interchangeable. Both have coverage on the light side, so I tend to use 1.5 pumps rather than my usual 1. They're solid everyday foundations that feel lightweight, look natural on the skin, hold up decently and don't get too oily throughout the day, and generally perform well so long as the skin is cooperating (i.e. not going through a dry or blemish-ridden patch). As the Armani sets more matte than the Koh Gen Do, I like the effect of spritzing a hydrating mist all over to make it less dull and flat, and minimise any cakiness from powders I've placed over my foundation.

Finally, there's Dior Diorskin Nude BB Creme in 002. As I mentioned in my current makeup menu, I'm not the hugest fan of this one but I'm forcing myself to use it so it's not completely neglected. I don't know what it is about the Dior, but the slightly thicker, mousse-like texture doesn't entirely agree with my skin. It's probably targeted more for oily/combination skin than dry or dry/combo. It feels a bit tackier and heavier when applied, and doesn't give my preferred glowy finish. This one is a lot more satin, bordering on matte. It can highlight dry patches and doesn't apply as evenly as my other bases. I find fingers work the best, applying a small amount of product into the skin in sections, but usually I use a brush since it's quicker. I try to make it more serum-like and easier to blend by mixing a drop of face oil into one pump, then finishing with Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Water or MAC Fix+ to give my complexion more life, dewiness and moisture.

Colour-wise, I would say I'm between NC 20 and NC 25 (probably closer to NC 25). Of the 5, the Chanel is the best colour match for me, with its beige/yellow tones. The Koh Gen Do is a touch too light, especially in the summer, and much too pink. The Armani also leans pink (or peach-toned), and is slightly dark when compared with my neck (I learned this the hard way when inspecting my face in natural daylight while waiting for the train). The YSL is also a bit darker than my natural skin colour and the colour's not perfect either, but at least not too pink (it's more golden brown/orangey, when I need yellow or neutral/beige). The Dior is yet again, pink-toned with a warm brown tint, though it does have enough yellow in it to make it work. So long as we're not scrutinising too closely, all of them match me well enough (with the exception of the Koh Gen Do, which I should have bought in 213) and most are probably my closest matches with the shades available.

Dim Light in a Foundation

Koh Gen Do Maifanshi Aqua Foundation SPF25 PA++ is a timely reminder of the importance of not buying a new foundation in a rush and without any prior research. It was my last day in Japan and I had some cash to burn, so when I stumbled across a Koh Gen Do stand at some pharmacy looking shop, I immediately decided to buy one of their foundations. I'd heard of the brand before but didn't really have any detailed concept of their products or ethos, except that their foundations appeared to be well-received by beauty bloggers/vloggers, on the pricier side and not widely available. While there were testers available, it was next to impossible to accurately gauge what my colour match was in the shop, so I opted for the seemingly least problematic shade, 013.

l-r: NARS Sheer Glow in Fiji, Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation in 013, Make Up For Ever HD Foundation in 118

The main issue I have with Maifanshi Aqua Foundation is entirely my fault: I picked the wrong shade. As you can see in the above swatch, my two other most frequently used foundations, NARS Sheer Glow and Make Up For Ever HD Foundation, are considerably more yellow-toned. I would say that the MUFE is the best match for my skin tone (it has more neutral/beige undertones), while the NARS is close but sometimes too yellow and slightly dark. The Koh Gen Do in comparison, leans pink which is completely at odds with the natural undertone of my skin. Reading reviews after I'd already purchased the foundation, I think I should have picked 213. I did actually try 213 as well as 113 in the shop, but 113 seemed noticeably too light for me (though apparently it's meant to be the same lightness as 013, but just yellow-toned), and 213, although yellow-leaning, seemed a touch too dark.

Wearing NARS Luster blush

The first few times I tried Maifanshi Aqua Foundation, I applied it with my fingers and used at least 1.5-2 pumps, and I wasn't impressed with the result at all. Maybe it was because I'd just stepped off a plane (though I had washed my face and moisturised with a rich cream to prep), but contrary to claims of it being soft-focus and blurring imperfections, it seemed to accentuate every dry patch I had. The colour was also grotesquely off, much to my deep dismay. My face looked like I'd applied a liberal layer of Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light. It was that exact same undesired effect that I complained about when I reviewed Dim Light, in that my whole complexion seemed darker, warmer, more tan and peach/pink-toned. I wanted a foundation that matched my skin colour, gave me good coverage, provided a natural but illuminating finish and that made me look fresher and more alive. This foundation just made me stare in the mirror critically examining what a flop decision I'd made in purchasing it.

The only way I can make Aqua Foundation work is if I apply a very light layer (one pump or less for the whole face) with a fluffy brush like the Real Techniques Multi Task Brush on properly exfoliated/moisturised skin, and then spend time patiently concealing any marks, blemishes or areas of redness with my NARS Creamy Concealer in Custard. This method is a bit of a pain in the ass since I'd much rather have a foundation that already gives me adequate coverage rather than having to go in with a concealer to finish the job, but it's the only way to get around the unwanted pinkness.

The foundation itself has a light, watery texture and is scant on coverage unless built up, which I wouldn't recommend (at least if you're like me and have purchased the wrong shade). Somewhat ironically, a light-handed application gives me a more dewy, softly luminous finish than if I apply the foundation any heavier. Staying power is ordinary (it's definitely considerably faded by the end of the day, especially if not worn with a primer or set with a powder in the morning), and I found nothing of particular note in terms of oil control or how transfer-proof it is.

Another puzzling aspect of this foundation is that I can't seem to find any information about it being SPF25. The Sephora website and other US stockists list it as SPF15 but the packaging seems identical. I don't know if it's some geographical discrepancy or newer formulation, but some clarification on the issue would be helpful.

Overall, I'm not enthused with Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation despite high expectations (i.e. my brain attributing a general elevated quality standard to any cosmetic product made in Japan). I will continue to use it purely because it was expensive and it seems like a waste to neglect it entirely, and because it's an acceptable daily foundation so long as my skin's behaving and I can bothered to conceal afterwards. The whole experience has reinforced to me that buying the wrong shade foundation is akin to throwing your money in the bin.