We’re mad about K-Beauty, but sometimes the dewy look just doesn’t hold up well in photos, especially in hot and humid Singapore.
Image: F(x) Krystal for Etude House
These five new long-lasting foundations will keep the shine away but leave your skin looking soft and radiant at the same time – great for our weather and the perfect #selfie.
#1 ETUDE HOUSE STAY UP FOUNDATION SPF30/PA++
Etude House’s latest foundation comes in five shades and is said to give a smooth, even finish to bumpy complexions.
A quick swatch shows that the creamy-liquid formula spreads easily and dries to a natural finish that feels and looks like second skin. It also contains moisturising ingredients of emelass (a sea flower), raffinose and palm seed butter to prevent dryness and cakey foundation after a few hours of wear. Oily skin types may want to set the foundation with a light sweep of loose powder on the t-zone.
#2 YSL FUSION INK FOUNDATION
Every beauty junkie should already be familiar with the wonders of YSL’s Fusion Ink Foundation. The foundation had a mile-long waiting list in America and Europe before it was launched sometime in 2014 and is still highly raved about by the beauty community today.
We tested this ultra light-weight foundation for a week and loved it just as much as everyone else. The teeny dropper looks deceivingly useless but you’ll find that it deposits just the right amount onto the back of your hand for application. You only need a tiny bit to effectively cover the redness and imperfections on your skin and it truly lives up to its claim of long-lasting wear. (We aren’t going to test it’s 24-hour claim, but it lasts for more than 10 hours on normal skin.) There is no need to set the foundation with powder even if you have combination skin – love it.
#3 NARS ALL DAY WEIGHTLESS LUMINOUS FOUNDATION
Combination-oily skin types will love the Nars All Day Weightless Luminous Foundation. The lightweight foundation spreads easily, but quickly clings to the skin, giving it a radiant matte finish. This matte foundation gets its luminous finish from the manipulation of light using gold and green pigments in the formula. The gold combats dullness while green evens out redness on the skin. It is also said to reduce the appearance of skin discolouration over time with the inclusion of scarlet spiderling root extract.
The brand has repeatedly emphasised that only a single pump of foundation is needed – yes, Nars has finally fixed a pump to its foundation bottle – to cover the entire face, and it truly is that effective (and economical). We think oily skin types will be able to skip the powder on this one. Those with drier skins should take special care in properly hydrating their skin before application.
#4 ELIZABETH ARDEN FLAWLESS FINISH PERFECTLY SATIN 24H
Elizabeth Arden’s new Flawless Finish Perfectly Satin 24H foundation is a “smart” one. The foundation keeps your skin matte by “measuring” your skin’s oil levels throughout the day, and slowly releases oil-controlling ingredients to stop the shine without clogging pores.
The formula is also said to be climate-resistant, so it can withstand humidity, heat and moisture – perfect when you’re out and about in sunny Singapore.
The texture is that of a typical liquid foundation, but you only need a thin layer for medium coverage so it feels light and comfortable on the skin.
#5 ASTALIFT LIGHTING PERFECTION MOIST PURE LIQUID FOUNDATION
If you’re the sort who tends to flush easily, the Astalift Lighting Perfection Liquid Foundation is the one you should buy. This foundation works under the concept that skin looks the most flattering under red light, where dark spots, pores and wrinkles look less obvious.
So the brand has created a unique optical powder – found in this foundation – to reflect and diffuse red light, giving the appearance of translucent, healthy skin.
Huh? Won’t the reflection of red light show more redness in the skin instead? Well ladies, that’s what we thought too, until a dozen of us beauty reporters met makeup artist Larry Yeo while he was using this foundation. No one even had an inkling that Larry was hiding red-hot sunburnt skin until he removed the foundation on one side of his face – now that is one impressive foundation.
All-day radiant skin? No sweat, literally.
Etude House Stay Up Foundation SPF30/PA++, $26, is available at all Etude House Singapore stores. For more information, visit www.etude.sg and follow Etude House on Facebook and Instagram.
YSL Fusion Ink Foundation, $89, will be available from March 2015 at all YSL Beaute stores and counters. For more information, visit yslbeauty.com/en-SG, and follow the brand on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Nars All Day Weightless Luminous Foundation, $75, is available from March at the Nars counter and Sephora ION. For more information, visit www.narscosmetics.com, and follow the brand on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Elizabeth Arden Flawless Finish Perfectly Satin 24H, $69, is available at all Elizabeth Arden counters. For more information, visit http://www.elizabetharden.sg/, and follow the brand on Facebook.
Astalift Lighting Perfection Moist Pure Liquid UV SPF25/PA++, $72, is available at all Astalift boutiques and BHG Bishan. For more information, visit www.astalift.com.sg, and follow the brand on Facebook.