The Best Alternatives to Foundation - Tinted Creams and Skin Tints
Updated Jun 1, 2021 - Originally Posted: Jan 11, 2019
If you’ve ever gone searching for an alternative to foundation, you’ve probably been told to use a tinted moisturiser or BB cream, but more often than not these embody all of the traits that most people hate in foundation, plus more. Whilst tinted moisturisers can be a great alternative to foundation, they’re often thick, greasy, prone to oxidization, take more work to apply and blend than regular foundation, have poor staying power, and an even worse shade range. Whilst there are some great tinted moisturisers (BareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Recovery Gel for example) they’re not necessarily the only option when searching for an alternative to foundation.
This is not a generic list of tinted moisturiser recommendations, but rather a list of skin pick me ups. Moisturisers, creams, primers, and other products that nourish, give a naturally gorgeous glow and the illusion of an even skintone.
Dr. Jart Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment SPF 30
If you’re after the perfect product to moisturise skin, correct redness, AND provide sun protection, look no further than Dr Jart Cicapair. Whether you suffer from redness, sensitive skin, or just want a product that will make skin look great without all the woes of foundation, this product is a total must have. Upon application the product is a slightly thick green cream, but it quickly dissolves into a perfect, universal beige tint which counteracts redness, blurs pimples, and dries down to a skin-like matte finish. Moisturising and lightweight, the formula has an added bonus of SPF 30, making it the ultimate all-in-one foundation replacement.
MAC Strobe Cream
A cult favourite product and one of MAC’s most famous, the MAC Strobe cream is a multi-use product loved by makeup artists, models, and beauty addicts worldwide. A lightweight moisturising cream, this is a product that can do wonders for the skin when worn alone. Available in many different shades of shimmer, this cream is the perfect pick me up for dull, tired, and lackluster skin. Best of all the variation of shades can help provide subtle colour correction to the skin: peach and red; which can help correct dullness and blue tones in the skin whilst gold can help with redness. There’s no need to worry about looking shimmery or glittery either, the shimmer particles are so fine they blend into skin seamlessly giving an iridescent, subtle glow. It’s a multi-use product too, use it in place of foundation, as a primer, mixed in with a foundation, or as a highlighter!
Laura Mercier Radiance Primer
Designed as a primer to be worn underneath foundation, this product is just as beautiful on its own. With a slight champagne yellow tone it helps to subtly counteract redness, blue tones, and dullness in the skin. The addition of light reflecting particles bounce light off the skin helping to diminish and soften the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, scarring, and freckles. It looks absolutely beautiful when worn alone, or as a substitute for foundation, for an even more flawless finish try buffing the product into the skin using a full, dense, buffing brush.
Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter
A unique, multi-use product, Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter is a product unlike anything else you’ve ever tried. A light to medium lotion, this “flawless filter” is really like a filter for your skin, blurring everything in sight. The formula has a medium tint (and comes in a multitude of different tints for different skintones) and packed full of the finest, light reflecting micro-particles to exist. When applied as a replacement for foundation is provides a gorgeous glow to the skin which looks natural and picks up light from different angles to give a 3-dimensional look. Best of all the product can also be used a primer for foundation/concealer, as a highlighter after foundation, or mixed in with your moisturiser, foundation, or primer for a subtle glow.
It Cosmetics Confidence in a Cream Rosy Tone Moisturizer
A new launch from It Cosmetics, the Confidence in a Cream Rosy Tone Moisturizer is perfect for anyone with dull, lackluster, discolored, or aged skin. Packed full of nourishing, and hydrating ingredients the rich cream gives a luminous glow to the skin whilst also resurfacing and re-texturing. A subtle pink rosy tint helps to enhance the appearance of the skin, brighten, and diminish the appearance of dark spots. It’s perfect as a supplement for foundation and gives skin a gorgeous healthy glow and colour. Side note: also check out the L’Oreal Perfect Cell Renewal Rosy Tone Moisturizer, they both have similar ingredients and purposes ( both feature Peony Extract and Lipohydroxy Acid as key ingredients) plus It Cosmetics and L’Oreal have the same parent company, so this is a great drugstore alternative!
Shop This Post:
Dr. Jart Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment SPF 30
MAC Strobe Cream
Laura Mercier Radiance Primer
Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter
It Cosmetics Confidence in a Cream Rosy Tone Moisturizer
Also mentioned:
BareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream
L’Oreal Perfect Cell Renewal Rosy Tone Moisturizer
Photography credits: ASOS, @maccosmetics, John Lewis
Story by: Evangeline Sarney
Originally published: January 11th, 2019. Updated June 1st 2021.
HOW TO STOP FOUNDATION SEPARATING ON YOUR FACE
If you are having issues with your foundation separating, moving or rubbing off of your nose, chin, or forehead then watch this tutorial and check your products to see if you are using them correctly.
This is the first aspect to address when having foundation application issues as it’s a quick and simple way to determined whether it’s the underlying cause of the patchiness.
If you are using your products correctly the next thing to look at is your skincare; if your moisturiser is too oily it could be causing a premature breakdown of your base makeup, if you’re of an oily skin-type then you may need to change your skincare routine to specifically target excess oil.
Using a liquid exfoliant that contains Salicylic Acid (BHA) in will help to remove any dead skin cells that build up (particularly on oily skin) and prevent pores from clogging. Using an Oil Control Primer over the skin prior to makeup will help to absorb excess oil, minimise the appearance of pores and aid the longevity of your makeup.
Paula’s Choice is a favourite skincare brand of mine - I’ve not been sponsored to mention them in anyway, shape, or form, my personal experience purchasing their products has always been positive, and I would highly recommend them.
Avoid buffing powder over your skin after applying liquid foundation, this can disturb the foundation underneath and cause your makeup to look cakey and patchy. Use a light pressing, patting, or dusting motion instead.
BeautyBlender Bounce Liquid Whip Long Wear Foundation Review
BeautyBlender’s new Bounce Foundation is a launch that had everyone talking from the moment it was announced. Now available in Australia (exclusive to Sephora) the foundation is easily one of the most ground-breaking formulas on the market and it’s actually one of the few foundations I’m most personally excited about. A few years ago, what stood to be my favourite foundation was discontinued (an old school formula of Rimmel Match Perfection Luminous Light Perfecting Foundation) and I have been on the hunt for a formula that performs just as good ever since, a hop skip and a bounce into the future and I found it.
A lightweight air whipped style texture is the overall formula of the foundation, it’s not thick or greasy in any way shape or form, but instead takes the place of a mousse consistency which feels soft and comfortable on the skin. The unique texture also has a slight blurring effect; it smooths over imperfections and texture on the skin so if scarring or flakiness are two issues you encounter you can rest assured this is a foundation that will not accentuate these.
The formula can be applied with either a beauty blender or a brush, a beauty blender will allow you to have more control and slowly build up the coverage whilst a brush will allow you to apply and blend product seamlessly without a sponge absorbing the foundation and wasting product. In my person experience I found a combination of both brush and sponge gave the best results.
Once applied, the foundation settles down to a soft, natural, and demi-matte finish which allows for just a hint of natural shine from the skin to come through without being greasy or overly matte, the flawless airbrushed finish the foundation gives is undeniable, it makes skin look incredible and naturally perfect. Every skin type will have success with the finish of this foundation, but it can also be mattified further with powder or made super dewy if skin is prepped with hydrating and illuminating products.
Staying power is another key attribute of determining whether a foundation is a good one, and whilst the 24hr claim may be a little far stretched, the staying power is impressive and the foundation manages to stay put with a flawless finish for hours on end. A primer will give you a longer period of wear time, but the foundation has great staying power on its own, and even without a primer, setting spray, or powder, the foundation looks great and lasts well.
Housed in a bottle with an airless pump (which also has a “lock” to prevent the product accidentally leaking) the product stays fresher for longer and allows you to control the amount of product you wish to use. It doesn’t stop there though, the best feature of the packaging is undoubtedly the “palette” functionality, pumping the product automatically dispenses it onto a stainless-steel palette from where you can mix and work product into your brush/tools without having to use the back of your hands.
Oxidization can often be a concern with foundation, but it’s not one that’s warranted with this one. According to beauty blender the pigments have been dried down completely before being added to the foundation so there’s no possibility of the pigments and shades shifting and darkening.
Above: Full Makeup Look, Bare Skin, Foundation Only
The shade range is pretty standard, but there is definitely some room for improvement and expansion of the shade range. Whilst I was able to find a perfect match for my porcelain skin tone (I wasn’t even the lightest shade for once!) others on the opposite end of the spectrum may have some difficulty finding a perfect match.
The verdict? BeautyBlender Bounce Foundation is 100% worth the hype, and I would not hesitate to claim it as one of my all-time favourite foundation formulas, if this is any example of what is to come from BeautyBlender in the future, then I cannot wait to see what comes next.
Shop This Post:
BeautyBlender Bounce Liquid Whip Long Wear Foundation (AU)
BeautyBlender Bounce Liquid Whip Long Wear Foundation (US)
Max Factor Pan-Stik was first launched in 1947 and has become one of the most famous foundation sticks in history. An easy product to use, perfect for tossing in your handbag, touching up on the go, traveling, or simply just giving a little more coverage in the areas where needed, stick foundations can be a must-have. Although stick foundations definitely come a long way in the past 70 years, they can still use a little help here and there to perform at their very best. We’ve rounded up a bunch of tips and tricks you can use to improve the application, wear, and finish of even the most difficult formulas.
Warm Up The Product
Unlike liquid foundations which easily melt and blend into the skin instantly, stick foundations may require a little more work. Due to their solid formulation they can often lean on the waxy side and they may need a helping hand to blend into the skin easily. Swiping the stick across the back of your hand can warm up the product, causing it to soften and apply and blend more easily.
Use a Brush to Blend
Stick foundations generally need to be worked into the skin to look the most natural and beautifully seamless. Whilst sponges and beauty blenders can be a great beauty tool, they often tend to be incompatible with stick foundations due to their tendency to absorb excess product. Instead, try using a dense kabuki style buffing brush to work the product into the skin and effortlessly blend it, alternatively you can also use your fingers.
Mix Formulas!
Mixing formulas, textures, and products can be a great way to make a product more user-friendly (provided they are compatible) mixing a little moisturiser or with your foundation stick on the back of your hand can give the product a more hydrating tendency. Mixing a primer can change the effect of the product to be longer lasting, mattifying, colour correcting, or illuminating. For the very best results, face oils and primer oils (Such as Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Radiance Drops) can completely reinvent a dry, waxy, foundation stick. A drop or two of oil can make a product more emollient, giving it more slip and making it an easier consistency to work with.
Use it as Concealer
Stick foundations provide great coverage, but they can often feel thick and heavy when used on the whole face. Because of this, stick foundations make great concealers! Simply swipe the product underneath your eyes (or use a brush or your finger to apply the product to the skin) over redness or pigmentation. For breakouts and pimples use a small precise brush to carefully spot conceal the product onto the affected area as using the stick directly may spread bacteria.
Do you have any advice for fixing a foundation that looks off? I can't return the one I have, and it looks like a bad spray tan on me. Thank you so much<3333
You often spend ages in store trying to find the perfect foundation which is not an easy task so it’’s pretty disappointing when you get home only to realize it isn’t the right shade. This sucks. We’ve all been there, so luckily we’ve got a few tips up our sleeve to help you fix up what is often regarded as one of the biggest makeup mishaps.
Apply a Small Amount
The more product you apply, the more colour pay off you’re going to get! If your foundation is not a perfect match, avoid building up and applying a large amount of foundation to your skin which make the mismatch more apparent. Instead, apply a small amount of product and really buff it into the skin so the shade looks more natural.
Mix it!
Moisturiser, primer, serum, these are all viable options for formulas you can effortlessly mix with your foundation. The lighter coverage the product, the lighter the colour will be. This is one of the best options for fixing foundation that’s too dark, but it’s important to note that this may drastically reduce the amount of coverage your foundation provides.
Use Lightening Drops
Lightening and whitening drops are one of the greatest makeup innovations to come out of this decade. (there is also a darkening variation if your foundation is a little too light) Designed to help change the colour of your foundation without changing the formula, these couldn’t be easier to use. Just add a drop or two (depending on how dark the foundation is) blend together, and then apply to the skin as usual.
Use it For Contouring
It’s not the best option, but unfortunately when a product is too dark for your skintone there isn’t an awful lot you can do so you may have to just grin and bear the money you lost. An alternative is to use the product for contouring or as a bronzer. You could also stick to using the foundation in the summer or mix it with a lighter shade to give a subtle hint of warm colour to the skin.
When you hear the word La Mer, a picture of a fancy $600 face cream probably comes into your head, but the brand that is known for its luxurious skincare also have a range of foundations and base products to perfect skin. Although the products may not be very friendly to your budget, what theylack in affordability they make up for in quality.
La Mer Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation & La Mer Luminous Lifting Cushion Foundation
La Mer The Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation
Long-wearing foundations can be tricky and most tend to be thick, drying, and cakey (which is why it’s often best to pick a foundation you love based on its finish and team it with a fantastic primer) but the La Mer The Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation is this one is none of the above, it’s long-wearing, re-imagined. Ultra-light and creamy, this foundation blends into the skin easily and has a soft, ultra-natural looking demi-matte finish, it makes skin look like skin, perfect, flawless skin. Easily blendable, the long-wearing function is prompt to kick in. It’s important to blend, build, and apply as quickly as possible as you only have five minutes playtime, after which you may find the foundation starts to become difficult to blend (the product can start to streak, catch, and cake) Apply and blend in just the right amount of time, and let the foundation and dry down, and you will be left with a beautiful demi-matte finish with a subtle glow that looks natural and perfected. Those with ultra oily skin may find the finish of this foundation too shiny on its own in which case a mattifying primer, setting spray and face powder could come in to play. It should be noted that like most long-wearing foundations this foundation does suffer from the dreaded oxidization error, so it’s best to go for a shade lighter than your skintone to avoid a mismatch. Quick-setting and oxidization aside, this foundation gives a flawless, soft, natural-looking coverage that’s hard to dupe.
Above slides: 1. A full face of makeup with the Luminous Lifting Cushion used as a base. 2. Bare skin prior to any makeup. 3. The La Mer The Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation on its own. 4. The La Mer Luminious Lifting Cushion on its own.
Shop:
LA MER The Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation
LA MER The Luminous Lifting Cushion Foundation
