Three Full Coverage Foundations For Fair Skin: Revlon, Nars, Estée Lauder. Review, Pics

Having fair skin is sometimes anything but.

See, the trouble with pale skin is trying to hide anything on it. I mean, when you think about it, you are usually trying to hide something red, like a spot, with something that is significantly lighter in colour.

I have bad skin that requires a pretty full coverage foundation and I need to know if the palest shade of a particular range can do the job. I have been trialling different bases since I first began experimenting with cosmetics in my teens but I can finally say I have a top three that do the job and cater for even the most ghostly of us.

• First up is Revlon Colorstay for Normal/Dry Skin (€17.80). Funnily enough this was my favourite foundation way back in my teen years but I have recently rediscovered its power. As I mentioned in this post about waterproof makeup, it really adheres to the skin and lasts incredibly well in all conditions. It has a demi-matte finish so requires little to no powder, depending on your taste, and the palest shade - 'Ivory' - sits on the border of being possibly too pale for me. Unheard of!

• Next up is Nars Sheer Glow (€40). Don't let the name fool you, there is nothing sheer about this. It has a medium to full coverage and is really buildable. It took me a while to figure this foundation out as I find it has the tendency to go on a little streaky but patience and buffing is key. As the name suggests this leaves a glow to the skin which looks overwhelmingly greasy at first but dries down to a subtle healthy glow. This doesn't have the same lasting power as the other two in this post but it does have the most natural finish. The lightest shade I own is 'Siberia' which has a slight yellow tinge to it that may not be suitable for some skin tones but they do two other light shades; 'Mont Blanc', a pink tone and 'Gobi' which looks more neutral.

• Finally we have a classic - Estee Lauder's Double Wear (€36.50). I had heard incredible things about this foundation for years but only recently got around to picking one up. I wasn't disappointed. This has great lasting ability, looks flawless on the skin and is neither heavy nor cakey. This just gives the most flawless complexion and has elevated itself to my new favourite foundation of all time. I bought it in an outlet store in Florida and the lightest shade I could see was 'Cool Bone' which I actually think is the slightest touch too dark for me but a little online research has led me to find that there is lighter available in the form of 'Shell' which I may try out next.

The key to wearing full coverage foundation is to use something like a Beauty Blender (there are plenty of cheaper dupes too) to get a really even, airbrushed finish. Stay away from the flat foundation brushes at all costs as they will pack on far too much product and with a full coverage foundation, less is most definitely more. I don't believe full coverage is something that should be feared but I do feel that it should be used only when completely necessary.

What do you think? Are you a fan of a fuller coverage? And do you have any other recommendations for us pale ladies?