My Current Foundation Situation

I’m currently uncomfortable with the size of my foundation stash, especially with the amount of liquid foundations that I have. You see, foundation has a shelf life or expiration date which is usually about a year for liquids and two for powders. When you have too many open at one time it’s harder to use them up before they expire. I’m guilty of keeping makeup WAY past the expiration date, but lately I’ve been really trying to do better since my skin is doing great and I’d like to keep it that way.

I plan to use up all of the liquid foundation in my stash before purchasing any new ones. This shouldn’t be too hard as half of them are already almost done. The powders are mostly new except for the MSFN on the far left, it’s packaging gives away it’s age lol. In the meantime, here is a rundown of what’s currently in my foundation stash and when I use them. All products are listed from left to right and the name links to the full review.

MAC Matchmaster Foundation

This is my favorite foundation for everyday wear when I need more coverage, especially when I’m recovering from a breakout. I use shade 8.0 and it’s a perfect match for my skin. It provides great coverage, stays put all day and keeps my oil under control. Most important it doesn’t break me out. I’m down to the last few uses but definitely plan to repurchase when I’m done.

CoverGirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 Foundation

This is my go to when I’m going out and in the Summer months when I need full coverage since it stays matte all day and keeps the oil at bay. Soft Sable is a great match but I noticed that sometimes it gives an olive cast to my skin when flash photography is used, making it look off. I’ve also noticed that when I wear this for more than a day or two straight I develop cystic acne. For that reason I don’t use it as much as I used to. I’m almost done with this bottle but I have another unopened bottle so it will be a while before I’m done with it. I’m not sure if I’ll be repurchasing though when I am.

Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation

This is my go to foundation for everyday wear when I don’t need that much coverage and want a more natural look. Cappuccino blends in great with my complexion and all I need is a small amount to look polished. It stays put all day and controls oil well in the colder months, but in the Summer it tends to break down and not last that long. I’m almost done with this bottle and probably won’t repurchase right away as I’ve been wanting to try the Urban Decay Naked Foundation in it’s place.

Revlon PhotoReady Foundation

This used to be one of my favorites and I’ve been buying it off and on for years, though I don’t use it as much as I used to. It’s buildable and provides natural looking coverage, but I’ve noticed lately that when I use Cappuccino alone it sometimes makes me look orange when it oxidizes. It looked better when I mixed in a little Mahogany but I don’t like to have to purchase two shades to get a good match. I’m almost done with this bottle and don’t really plan to repurchase as the MAC Matchmaster does the same and more but matches my complexion better. It’s getting harder to find anyway so I’m not sure if it’s being discontinued.

Black Radiance Color Perfect Oil Free Liquid Makeup

I really like this foundation. It has medium but buildable coverage, blends well and stays matte all day. The problem is that I also need two shades to make this one work. Rum Spice is a little too light and yellow and needs to be mixed with Brownie for balance. Brownie is too dark to be worn alone but can work by itself in the Summer. It will be a while before I finish both but I don’t think I’ll be repurchasing as like I mentioned earlier, I prefer not to have to mix two shades to get a foundation to match my complexion.

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural

I currently have MAC MSFN in Deep Dark (left) and Dark (middle.) I’ve had Deep Dark for years and always thought that it was a perfect match but recently noticed that it’s not. It is too dark and too red after it oxidizes and only works in the Summer when I’m tanned. I picked up Dark a few months ago and never looked back. It looks light in the compact but blends perfectly with my complexion after it oxidizes. This is my go to on those days when I’m going for a natural look like on the weekends and when I’m on vacation. I either spot conceal or apply a tinted moisturize all over and set with MSFN and I’m good to go. I will continue to repurchase.

MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation

This is the very first foundation that I fell in love with years ago and it’s my current favorite. I’ve been using it almost everyday (when I’m wearing foundation) for the last two months. It provides great coverage, stays put all day, does a pretty good job at controlling my oil and best of all it is quick and easy to apply. I’ve been getting some much needed extra rest since my makeup routine is shorter in the morning. I’ve been using NW45 for years but I’ve been noticing this Winter that some days it looks a little too red. I may pick up NC50 to try, but I will continue to repurchase.

I will be glad when I find that holy grail liquid foundation that makes me toss the others to the side and repurchase over and over again. Until then I’ll stick with rotating my faves.

What do you have in your foundation stash?

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