Survival Of The Fittest: The Great Foundation Cull of 2012

We're moving shortly after Christmas so in between fighting a losing battle to keep the current place tidy for viewings and worrying about the dog farting just as a potential tenant arrives, I'm trying to pare down my belongings to avoid carting rubbish from here to our new place. It's the perfect excuse to go through my make-up stash and have a bit of a purge, and my overcrowded foundation drawer has been crying out for attention for quite a while.

I kept a few in reserve, of course. Here's what made it through the Great Foundation Cull of 2012...

ONE
The very first foundation I ever had was Elizabeth Arden Flawless Finish Cream Makeup, and while I now gravitate towards lighter feeling formulations I'll always have a soft spot for full coverage. Estée Lauder Double Wear Light has been my cover-all of choice for yonks and when I need a day-long foundation that I can really rely on to perfect my whole complexion and resist budging or smudging without any prep or powder, this is where I always turn.

TWO
I've been sloooowly working my way through a tube of Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation for what feels like the longest time, not because I don't like the foundation itself but because the shade I have (52) is just fractionally too dark for my skin; I keep meaning to pick it up in shade 51 but never seem to quite get round to it.

Possibly because I'm not entirely convinced that all my problems with it are down to a poor colour match.

I find its medium coverage and natural matte finish grand for casual wear, although I do need to use it in conjunction with concealer to take care of blemishes. I also need to wear it over primer and set with a smidge of powder if I want it to last past lunchtime without separating across my oily t-zone. Oh, and I can't say that I notice much in the way of a 70% increase in radiance when it's on, and the claim of 16 hours' wear time is completely ridiculous.

I'll continue to use it up - sloooowly - because it's pretty good as an everyday foundation, but it's nothing to write home about and I don't intend to repurchase.

THREE
Vichy Dermablend manages to hold onto its place in The Drawer not because I rate it as a foundation, but because I like to use it to provide extra coverage on areas that need a bit of additional camouflage (a technique I picked up from Lisa Eldridge.) I can count on one hand the number of times I've worn it all over, and on each occasion Himself has said "what's wrong with your foundation, it looks all funny?" It feels heavy, occlusive, and mask-like, looks odd around my pores, emphasises flakiness, and starts to look shiny and slip off my skin after only a couple of hours when I wear it as a true foundation.

You got lucky, Vichy Dermablend. Very lucky.

FOUR
Although I don't technically (or, eh, in any sense at all) have a bottle Lancome Teint Idole 24 Hour Ultra in my foundation drawer right now, I have cleared out a Teint Idole shaped space for it. As I can't get my perfect shade match in Europe - yes, I know there are 18 shades available- I have it spirited home from the US by visiting friends and family.

That's right, people: I have my foundation flown in from the States. I am basically the Mariah Carey of foundation divas.

My make-up mule this time around was Ellen Waxpert (thanks again, missus!) and I cannot wait to take delivery of my new bottle this weekend. It's neck-and-neck with Double Wear Light as my desert island foundation: Double Wear Light has the edge on coverage and staying power, but Teint Idole makes my skin look utterly uh-mazing when buffed on with my MAC 187 stippling brush. It blends effortlessly, looks flawless, dries to a semi-dewy but not greasy finish, and lasts all day (not quite the 24 hours it promises, but I'm willing to overlook that) while feeling weightless.

Did any of your favourites survive the cull? What foundation are you loving right now?