My Sister Asked For Foundation Recommendations

As the younger sister who's always loved all things beauty, I've become my sister Sophie’s unofficial makeup artist. When we were teenagers I would do her makeup before all the parties she had, and eagerly await the feedback from her friends the following day. She was often my model when I wanted to try new techniques and styles too! Since then, I have been Sophie’s go to person when she has a beauty or makeup related question.

Sophie’s makeup bag consists of products I’ve gifted her for birthdays or christmas, products I’ve recommended, or products I gave to her from my never ending makeup collection. Recently, she messaged me asking what foundations I would recommend.

I put together a list of foundations that I love to use both on myself and in my kit, keeping in mind my sister’s preferences, and what is easy to use.

Whether you’re looking to start your collection from scratch or looking for new additions, here are the foundations I confidently recommended my sister!

Foundations & Skin Tints

Foundation can be a difficult product to shop for because everyone's skin type and finish preferences are different. Rather than recommending one, I’ve added a few with different coverage and finishes.

Haus Labs Triclone Skin Tech Foundation

If you're after a foundation that gives beautiful coverage without looking heavy, this is one of my favourites. It offers medium to full coverage with a radiant finish. Although it can achieve a fuller coverage, it still feels lightweight and can easily be sheered out. I often reach for it on more mature clients who want a little extra coverage without emphasising texture.

Best for: balanced skin, dry skin, mature skin

Pro tip: Because the formula already contains so many skincare ingredients, I like to keep the skincare underneath fairly simple. Too many hydrating layers can sometimes make the foundation move around.

Benefit Porefessional Foundation

If you’re a matte gal, this one’s for you. This foundation blurs the skin leaving you with a matte airbrush finish. The coverage is medium to full while allowing your skin to look to look soft and not ‘caked’.

Best for: balanced skin, combination skin, oily skin.

Pro tip: Apply with a damp sponge for the best application

NARS Sheer Glow Foundation

This is my holy grail foundation - I use it on 90% of my clients. It offers a medium coverage while leaving the skin looking naturally radiant rather than shiny or oily. Works for almost everyone.

Best for: balanced skin, dry skin, combo skin (with a mattifing primer in the t zone), mature skin

Pro tip: This foundation doesn’t come with a pump! I’d recommend buying one and reusing it when you repurchase the foundation. The pump is much easier to control rather than pouring the foundation out everytime

MAC Face and Body Foundation

This is a kit staple as it’s a super versitile product! Because of it’s light coverage, you can use it alone for a beautiful skin like base, or mix it into another foundation to sheer it out and make it more skin like. It evens out skin tone while allowing freckles and natural glow to be seen. Perfect for an everyday no makeup makeup look.

Best for: balanced skin, dry skin, mature skin

Pro tip: This formula works best when you warm it between your hands before applying as the warmth activates the product.

Kylie Cosmetics Skin Tint

If you want something slightly lighter coverage than a foundation, this Kylie Skin Tint is for you. It gives a light to medium coverage while being lightweight and blurring. It gives more of a satin finish. It’s not glowy but also not matte - it’s the perfect inbetween.

Best for: balanced skin, combo skin, dry skin, oily skin

Pro tip: Use a foundation brush for this skin tint as it’s lightweight formula would get soaked up by a beauty blender, and work fast as it has a fast dry down time.

The beauty industry can be overwhelming and it's easy to feel like you need fifty different products to achieve a great makeup look. You don’t!

If you know your skin type and know what coverage and finish you’re after, it shouldn’t be too hard.

Build your collection slowly, invest in products you'll actually use, and remember that technique often matters more than the product itself.

Anna xxx