The Perfect Foundation

I find that foundation is a very hit or miss product for me and it's quite difficult to find the perfect shade, coverage and consistency.

I have a slight olive tint to my skin, so a lot of foundations make me look an orangey colour, which I really can't stand. Although I do like looking tanned, there is nothing worse than when your face looks a completely different colour to the rest of your body.

For many years I struggled to find the right shade, settling for the lightest shade of tinted moisturiser, (which wasn't even sold in the UK, only the US), as all the foundations I tried were just too dark/orange. I was happy with this for a while and still use it in the summer when my face is tanned or I want stronger SPF in my make-up; but I felt that it was too dark for my skin all year round.

I then went on to use a powder foundation which seemed to suit me very well for a long time. This was until I bought a new one (in exactly the same colour) and found that it was patchy, two-toned (not in a good way) and coming out darker than usual. I'm not sure if it was just a faulty compact, but it really put me off using the foundation again.

On the other hand, when I'm in a rush to get ready, I don't even bother wearing foundation, I just wear concealer in the places that need covering up. I have found the perfect shade of concealer, (No7 Quick Cover Stick in Medium), which gives great coverage but makes my skin look natural, the barely there look. Therefore, I wanted to find a foundation that made me feel the same way.

After years of trial and error and frustration, I have finally found the perfect foundation: MAC Studio Fix, Powder Plus Foundation in NC20.

The thing that I love the most about this particular foundation is that you can't tell the difference between the colour on my face and the rest of my body. Unlike other products, I don't have to extravagantly blend the lines between my face and neck, there are no lines to blend! It's easy to apply, gives great coverage, last for hours and doesn't dry out my skin.

Don't settle for a foundation just because you've worn it for years or you can't be bothered to shop around; keep searching, once you find the perfect shade, you'll feel more confident because of it!

Get Gorgeous Skin With Cover FX

During my recent Beauty adventure, I discovered an amazing makeup range called Cover FX, which I just had to share with you all.

Launched in the UK in 2010, by Lee Graff, a corrective makeup specialist and Jenny Frankel, a chemical engineer; this makeup range has a vast selection of foundations, in a whole array of shades, as well as concealers, primers, bronzers and many other products.

I found that four of their products stood out to me the most; these were Skin Tint (tinted moisturiser), Powder FX (mineral powder foundation), Eye Prep (primer) and Mint Glaze (lip treatment and primer).

After trying them out for myself, I can truly say that they're all must haves for your makeup bag!

The first of the fabulous four that I tried was Skin Tint - £36.00. This tinted moisturiser is a brilliant product to have, especially now that summer is just around the corner, as it contains SPF 30. Not only will this moisturiser protect your delicate skin from the sun's rays, it will also give it a gorgeous, healthy glow. It comes in 6 different shades and is so light that it glides onto your skin. You barely even feel like you're wearing any makeup!

The second amazing product I used was Eye Prep - £42.00. Having always been a fan of eye makeup, finding this product was a godsend! This primer not only helps smooth out lines and wrinkles, it helps reduce puffiness and dark circles under the eye, whilst ensuring your shadow, cream or liner stays put for hours. All I'd say about this product is that you should make sure it dries before you apply your eye makeup, in order to get smooth, even coverage.

Next to be tried was the Powder FX mineral foundation - £31.00. When it comes to foundation, I much prefer using powder, as it gives my skin an amazing matte effect, which liquid foundation rarely does. I find that it gives much better, more even coverage and this particular foundation did all that and more! It’s made from pure minerals and helps reduce the appearance of imperfections. Not only does it give great coverage, it also contains SPF 10 and is suitable for sensitive, oily and acne prone skin, as it's free from parabens, oils, fragrances and waxes. Quick tip when buying this product, be careful about which shade you pick, as there are a huge variety of colours and it's very easy to select a shade too light or dark.

The final must have product I used was Mint Glaze - £22.00, their lip treatment and primer. When it comes to lips, there is nothing worse than a dry, chapped mouth! This wonderful product helps improve, treat and smooth lip lines, whilst preparing them for products. What's great about this glaze is that it's not sticky, it gently sweeps across your lips, leaving them feeling refreshed, hydrated and tingly!

Cover FX is huge in America, but is just starting out in the UK. You will find it on the House of Fraser website - click here and the Harvey Nichols website - click here

I'm sure that this brand will be just as huge here as it is in the States, so try it for yourself before it becomes the next biggest thing!