Lost In Foundation

There once was a time when buying foundation filled me with dread. I just didn't know where the start. Matte? Too dull. Light-reflective? Too shiny. Shade 1? Too pale, surely. So I would umm and ahh, and swipe a few samples onto the back of my hand. And sometimes, like you're supposed to, onto my jawline. I'd then go outdoors and peer into a hand-mirror (which, whether you're standing outside Superdrug or Selfridges, inevitably lends an air of lunacy), and left me none the wiser.

The choices seemed endless yet I'd always panic-buy the wrong shade or finish - until I started thinking in terms of a foundation wardrobe. Most women need at least 2 different shades, one for paler Winter skins and one for bronzy Summers (which needn't cost the earth - see my list below). Never purposefully buy a darker shade in the hope that it'll add colour to a washed-out pallor - it won't, it'll just make you look dirty. Leave the tanning to your bronzer and trust nature's choice, however milky.

My top tip is to pick your bases the way you choose shoes - you wouldn't wear stilettos to go camping (nor should you slap on a thick layer of base if you have great skin), and you wouldn't spend a fortune on designer shoes in the wrong size (actually, you probably would, but you shouldn't. And that's the point - a vanity case full of dodgy shades doth not a fresh face make.)

If you're thinking of choosing a new base, the list below are some of the best I've come across, and come in a range of shades that suit most skintones:

£ Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse Foundation - a deliciously whipped texture that glides onto skin without any heaviness. Good for normal and oily skin.

££ Prescriptives All Skins Mineral Makeup - a powder foundation, but don't let that put you off: buffing it into the skin gives a super-sheer finish that is at once shine-reducing, light-reflective and doesn't block pores. Good for normal, oily and spot-prone skin.

£££ Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation - the ultimate luxe in texture and packaging, this melt-into-skin liquid leaves no tell-tale tidemarks and lasts all day. Good for normal and mature skin.

Special mention -

££ Benefit You Rebel Tinted Moisturiser - this oil-free formula has an SPF15, and comes in just two 'suits-all' shades. I alternate throughout the year and find they make perfect 'no-makeup' daywear. Good for all skin types.