Hello my lovelies!

You might have noticed I'm a bit of a foundation fiend, with a penchant for buying the next big thing as soon as it pops up in shops. I'm restricting myself now, though, as no one needs more than five foundations on the go - it's a bit ridiculous! I'm happy with this selection for different reasons, so I thought I would share my thoughts on the five foundations I use on a regular basis (as you can see by the smudges - they are well-loved!):

Now, Double Wear is probably my holy grail of foundations - it covers all my spots and dark patches, does not require powder, and more importantly truly stays put all day, even after a sweaty run! (not that I wear make up for going jogging...cough). It does have its negative points, such as caking if applied with a less than light hand, or sometimes it can feel extremely heavy on the skin, but I've yet to find a product that can match its longevity and so I keep repurchasing! I own this in the shade 1N1 Ecru, which is a perfect match for my NW15-20 skin.

Chanel's Perfection Lumière is second only because it doesn't last as long as I would like, even with a primer. I love the coverage and the feel of it though, so it's a foundation I wear on a weekend when I'm not spending 12 hours out and about! MAC Studio Sculpt is in there for the same reasons, although the formulation is slightly different. I find this one can be quite shiny on me, but that's nothing a dusting of powder can't fix! Both of these are the lightest shades I own and are therefore perfect for my winter skin - the Chanel is shade 12 Beige Rose and Studio Sculpt is shade NW15.

Ilamasqua's Skin Base was a total impulse purchase - I had heard great things throughout the blogosphere and found myself drawn to their counter on Selfridges one evening! The sales assistant was so lovely I bought it - and it is a foundation I enjoy wearing as it makes me feel all glowy. The only downside is that it really doesn't last all day on me, so it isn't one I reach for on a weekday. This is shade 7.

Finally there is MAC Studio Fix! I actually own this in NW20 and NW15, having purchased the former last year when I was considerably more tanned! I've recently splashed out on NW15 ( I say splashed out - I actually got 15% off at Debenhams) and this is far more suited to my skin tone now. Of all the foundations this is probably the shade that blends into my skin best (same applies for Studio Sculpt, obviously!) I do think it oxidises a little though, but it works wonderfully as a summer foundation for when I don't feel like caking on the Double Wear. 

I apply all of these with my Real Techniques buffing brush, which gives me the best finish of all the brushes I've tried. I also use a primer (Philosophy's The Present, at the moment) to help ensure that my make-up stays put while I'm at work. Obviously foundation is a subjective product, but if you have oily, blemish-prone skin like mine, I would heartily recommend all of the above!

What are your favourite foundations?