Today I'm reviewing the Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation which I've had in my collection for some time. I always thought I didn't like this foundation so never really bothered to use it but another month has passed where I haven't had the funds to justify buying my Estee Lauder Double Wear so I figured I would try it out again. Skin Base comes in 26 shades, contains the standard 30ml of product and costs £33. I actually own a few shades as this was the foundation that came in my kit when I studied make-up, the shade I wear is 04.
The packaging is nice, the bottle has an unusual square shape which is typical for Illamasqua. I think it would feel more luxurious if this was a glass bottle but it is a squeeze tube with a thin nozzle so you can control the amount of product you use which I do like.
I must say I am actually pleasantly surprised by this foundation, I don't think this will ever be my favourite but I have been enjoying using it much more than I expected. This is a buildable medium to full coverage foundation with a natural finish that blends easily on the skin. The one thing I was never keen on was the shade selection, I find the shades to be quite yellow/orange toned but I am able to make it work on my complexion they just aren't my favourite for colour selection. I will compliment Illamasqua on the number of shades they have which do range from white to a super dark shade that looks almost black (both pictured above), these two shades are especially good for any make-up artist to have in their kit as a small drop of either can be mixed into foundation and allow you to custom create shades.
Once applied Skin Base looks really good but after around 6 hours it will start to break down slightly, it will start to cling to dry areas of the face and sit in pores. Natural oils in my skin definitely start to show through throughout the day (I have combination skin and get an oily t-zone) but you can keep things looking good if you touch up every few hours and add a little powder. It's also worth mentioning that this foundation isn't transfer proof so if you want to make this last as long as possible avoid touching your face.
I am enjoying this foundation and will continue to use it but I don't think I will repurchase this in the future as I don't love it as much as my Estee Lauder foundation which costs roughly the same amount, I would be tempted to try out this foundation in a different shade if it was a lower price but as it stands I won't be rushing out for a second bottle, if I could change anything I would make this a little more long lasting and slightly less yellow in undertone.
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