Maybe I’m growing up. Maybe the weather is just too hot. Either way, I’m finding myself reaching more and more towards a low-coverage base. Foundations with lots of coverage are just feeling too heavy and too mask-like right now. My skin is feeling pretty good at the moment, and I’ve got some freckles going on so August is hereby sponsored by The Barely There Base. A glowy primer, a serum foundation and an easy to wear concealer.
The Primer
So, this will come as new surprise. I’ve used the Laura Mercier radiance primer for literally years. It’s very good. It comes in a huge bottle that lasts a while in my makeup bag – it’s the gift that keeps on giving. Formula wise, it’s smooth and illuminating and it manages to add an extra boost of hydration as well as creating a great canvas for foundation to adhere to. Primers are my makeup obsession, and this one is definitely in my top five of all time.
The Foundation
The star of The Barely There Base is this new foundation from Clarins; Skin Illusion is a ‘natural hydrating foundation’. It’s a serum texture that envelops the skin in a cushiony finish, looking really natural. The pipette dropper means you can dab a few drops directly onto the skin and then blend in with brush, sponge or fingers. It’s not by any means a sheer base, as it does impart some coverage, but it remains really skin-like. Thanks to the inclusion of a few plant-based oils, it gives a lovely soft and dewy finish to the skin. Ingredient wise, it promises to protect against UV, pollution and free radicals. It comes in 22 shades and it’s available at the end of the month!
The Concealer
The finishing touch for this super glowy and super lightweight base is the Glossier Stretch Concealer. The little pot has one of my favourite formulas ever – the first time I tried this I was a little underwhelmed but fast forward six months and I’m obsessed. It’s lightweight, yes, but the magic of that means that it does move around the skin nicely so it never looks heavy or creased around the eyes. I tend to just dab it on under the eyes with my fingers, as it takes about two seconds to blend. It’s not one for covering serious dark shadows but a great pick for looking undetectable.
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