<span>T</span><span>here was a time when make-up launches were exciting, mostly because they were seasonal and few and far between. Now </span><span>something new emerges</span><span> practically every week. In the past three months in the foundation category alone, there have been </span><span>offerings from Pat McGrath</span><span>, Fenty Beauty, Anastasia Beverly Hills, Charlotte Tilbury, Milk Make</span><span>up, Dose of Colo</span><span>rs, Benefit</span><span>, Urban Decay, Beauty Bakerie, Sephora Collection</span><span>, Smashbox </span><span>and Guerlain.</span> <span>The upside is that all skin types, tones and coverage needs are catered for, but does</span><span> this plethora of products </span><span>bring</span><span> anything </span><span>revolutionary to the market? I'm not so sure. Take </span><span>Pat McGrath's Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Foundation</span><span>. I am a </span><span>big fan of the make-up artist's line,</span><span> and love </span><span>her luxurious lipsticks and eyeshadows, but her</span><span> base </span><span>provides minimal coverage,</span><span> can be built up to medium coverage at best</span><span> and costs a cool $68 (Dh249) for a mere 35-millilitre bottle. You could probably achieve </span><span>the same effect by</span><span> diluting a</span><span> thicker</span><span> foundation with </span><span>moisturiser or facial oil, or simply opting for </span><span>a BB or CC cream.</span> <span>I tested </span><span>the Anastasia Beverly Hills Luminous Foundation (Dh210), Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation (Dh160) and Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r</span><span> Hydrating Longwear (Dh175). Inclusivity is a </span><span>buzzword in beauty right now</span><span>, so expect </span><span>plenty of new shades</span><span>.</span> <span>Of the three, the </span><span>Anastasia Beverly Hills was my least favourite. Th</span><span>e water-resistant foundation comes in 50 shades and promises to be long-wearing, while providing a natural and radiant finish. Unfortunately, it turned </span><span>oily </span><span>quickly</span><span> and settled into my fine lines, not quite offering a natural finish. Setting it with my regular Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder didn't help, </span><span>and I had</span><span> to blot it more than once </span><span>to not look</span><span> </span><span>like a shiny disco ball. </span><span> </span> <span>Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation is the latest player in the game, and the 44-shade range is impressive. </span> <span>I like that </span><span>the brand offers cool, warm and neutral</span><span> variants of many shades</span><span>, so it's easier to pick the right undertone. For example, </span><span>I have a wheatish complexion, but my undertone is slightly cool</span><span> rather than warm. It's also great that there is no need to layer a pore-filling primer underneath</span><span> and that it does </span><span>give an airbrushed, flawless finish. While this product typically offers medium coverage, it layers easily</span><span>. Finished with the Air</span><span>brush Flawless Finish powder, it gave a smooth and natural but not excessively</span><span> matte finish</span><span>. The one issue I had </span><span>was that it didn't feel like the foundation had completely set on my skin – it</span><span> transferred even if I </span><span>touched my face </span><span>gently. Setting it with a stronger fixing spray should solve the problem</span><span>.</span> <span>The Fenty Beauty formula was my favourite. It, too, promises a dewy finish and is easier to work with than</span><span> the brand's previous offering, which many complained was too dry. It did not budge once set with powder, and remained </span><span>non-oily all day. It is probably the lightest full-coverage foundation in my kit thus far, and photographs beautifully to boot.</span> <span>If you still have trouble finding the best match for your skin and </span><span>specifications, head to </span><span>Harvey Nichols </span><span>in Mall of the Emirates, where Lancome can customise</span><span> your foundation</span><span>. The service</span><span> starts with </span><span>basic questions pertaining to skin type and the coverage you want, before a handheld device with a macro lens</span><span> camera picks up </span><span>the exact colour of your skin. A machine </span><span>dispenses </span><span>pigments into a bottle and</span><span> the </span><span>shade is</span><span> adjusted manually</span><span>. </span>
