You've probably heard it before - expensive doesn't always mean better. (Or maybe you've heard expensive IS better.) Of course, being on a budget, I've found this to be true time and time again for cosmetic products. That's why I do what I do here. :)
Recently, I've been trying out two different foundations - both high-end and low-end - to see if the pricier brand truly was better in terms of quality, wear, and coverage. Surprisingly, though, this was not the case at all. Here, I report my findings to you, uncovering the pros and cons of both products.
Naturally, everyone's skin will react differently to cosmetics, but this is based solely on my personal experiences with them.
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First up, the high-end foundation!
While venturing to Sephora post-Christmas with a gift card, I decided that investing in a good, quality foundation would be beneficial to me. Seeking good coverage and an oil-free foundation, I was recommended Laura Mercier Oil-Free Foundation in Porcelain Ivory. It comes in 12 shades, is oil-free and layerable, and contains antioxidants to help counteract harmful effects of the environment.
Price: $42/1 oz.
This foundation looked fine on me in the store. The lighting in the store, however, isn't exactly true to real life. The foundation still felt soft on the skin and gave a nicely matte finish with great coverage, but did not appear natural on my face. When I got home and tried it for several weeks after, it turned out to be too dark and yellow-toned for my skin. The entire line is yellow-based, which is meant to "accommodate most women to help them achieve the most natural, no-makeup look." However, no matter how thinly I tried to apply the product, it was very obvious it did not match well.
In addition, I found the foundation difficult to blend and spread with both a foundation brush or a soft makeup sponge, despite varying the amount of product and using my Smashbox Photo Finish Primer with every application. I have a feeling this is at least partially due to the fact that it tends to dry quickly. It didn't apply well to the drier areas skin on my face (I actually have combination skin), and thus had an uneven appearance that was overall a bit unappealing.
In the end, this might work better for my skin if I get a little more tan, or if my skin miraculously becomes only one condition all over. Other than that, though the coverage was good, I found it hard to use and blend.
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So what about the low-end foundation?
Next, I searched the local drugstore for a promising find, and got one - CoverGirl TruBlend Liquid Makeup in Ivory. (Note that there have been some complaints about the new formula, but that I had no such problems when I used it.)
TruBlend is meant to be super-blendable, natural-looking makeup with light to medium coverage - depending on how heavily you apply and whether you layer. It's intended for normal skin, but is still oil-free, and even in my oilier areas I noticed only minimal shine and no greasiness. I didn't wear powder over the foundation, either, though the TruBlend line also includes matching concealer, powder, and blush.
Price: $6.99/1 oz. - on sale at CVS, usually about $8.00
This foundation was such a relief to use after my past problems with many other products, including the L'Oreal TrueMatch I used to purchase. It does have a very liquid-like consistency, moreso than other thicker foundations, but this helps it glide on skin and blended amazingly well for me, even in my dry areas that are usually so hard to cover.
The most obvious con of this foundation is that it is a little on the "sheer coverage" side - it won't mask major imperfections, but when layered, does a great job of giving a natural-looking, soft finish. Note that it is not completely matte as long as it's drying, and can look just a little dewy at first - so if you're worried and prefer 100% matte, layering powder over it is definitely suggested.
After applying two layers on the first day, my boyfriend wondered if I was even wearing makeup - he couldn't tell! This foundation comes in 15 shades, and I found it to be much less yellow on my skin, more neutral. It was also quite a bit lighter than the Laura Mercier, which was also a huge relief for such a pale girl like myself! It matched perfectly!
The product applied well with both a sponge and a brush, and again, blended so well into my skin. If the coverage was a little heavier and the formula just a little thicker, it would satisfy more people. As it stands, it's still most likely my favorite (or close) of all the liquid foundations I've tried.
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So, there you have it - the low-end product gets my vote! I gave both a fair trial run, and actually purchased the Laura Mercier long before the CoverGirl so I could have enough time to use and evaluate it properly. In the end, though, the CoverGirl simply had better chemistry with my skin, which requires good blendability, neutral tone, and a natural-looking finish with decent coverage. For the time being, I may have found my new HG foundation. ;)
In the future, I will be trying the Laura Mercier foundation a bit more to see if it behaves differently, and I might even give her tinted moisturizer a try when I have the money (I've heard good things). For now, however, I'm loving my CoverGirl.
Left: CoverGirl TruBlend Liquid Makeup in Ivory; Right: Laura Mercier Oil-Free Foundation in Porcelain Ivory(Please note that the CoverGirl was not completely dry, so it looks more shiny than it would normally.)
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