It's officially reached that time of year where I'm on the hunt for a long lasting matte foundation to keep my face looking flawless.
For me personally, summer is all about the dewy lightweight foundations, and as it gets colder I want something a little more longer lasting. The problem with full coverage foundations is the fact they can look and feel cakey, so it can be so hard to find the perfect one.
I took a trip to my local Superdrug because I was after a darker affordable foundation to wear whilst I was wearing fake tan. What I wasn't expecting, was to come out of the shop with my 'holy grail' foundation.
READ MORE: John Lewis £65 boots are the 'comfiest boots I've ever worn'
When I was younger, I swore by Estée Lauder Double Wear priced at a hefty £35. Although a little really can go a long way with this product, I'd never found a more affordable alternative that felt generally nicer on my face - until now.
I'd always been a big fan of Collection, particularly its 'Lasting Perfection' concealer, which to me, is just as good as the NARS creamy concealer priced at a hefty £21.60. Available from most beauty stores including Boots and Superdrug, I thought I'd give the Collection foundation a try since I love their other base products so much.
The product description reads: "A matte finish vegan foundation lasting up to 16 hours. The NEW Lasting Perfection Foundation now has SPF30 for added sun protection. The 6-in-1 formula primes, conceals, covers, smoothes, protects & mattifies. Seamlessly blending onto your skin, this medium to full coverage foundation will leave you with an all-day flawless complexion. Now formulated to perfectly match all shades of Lasting Perfection Concealer, making it easier than ever to shop your base."
For a foundation that claims to last 16 hours, I was pretty dubious to say the least. Even something as pricey as the Estée Lauder Double Wear starts to separate and go a little shiny after a full day of wear, so I was intrigued to see how this foundation worked.
The foundation
If you want a thin foundation, you're probably not going to like this one. It's very thick in terms of consistency, but it certainly doesn't feel thick when you put it on.
I was amazed at how thin and breathable this foundation felt on my face, considering it has a very high coverage. I'm someone that likes to wear quite a lot of foundation, and this one felt really smooth and soft on my face.
Now, let's talk about the finish, because I was utterly amazed. It made my face look practically airbrushed, and blended seamlessly with my Collection concealer and loose powder.
It gave my skin a really nice glow considering it had a matte finish, and the shade 'Cashew' matched my skin tone perfectly. I do think the foundation was extra effective because I blended it with other Collection products, so that might be something to bare in mind before purchasing.
I've been wearing this foundation for a full eight hours at work without having to touch it up once. If you want to completely make sure there's no risk of shine on your chin or forehead, just touch it up with some powder and your sorted.
I was really surprised at this foundation, and wish I'd discovered it sooner after spending a lot of money on other products. I'll be recommending the product to everyone for its value and sheer quality.
The verdict
This is definitely one of the best foundations I've used in a long time for its price. Of course, the thick matte formula isn't for everyone, but I absolutely loved the finish it gave me.
Just a top tip, because this foundation is matte it sinks into finer lines a lot easier, so make sure you smooth your skin with some powder after applying it and you'll be sorted. I'll definitely be repurchasing this product. Purchase the Collection Lasting Perfection Foundation here for £6.99.
Receive newsletters with the latest shopping news, deals and honest opinions from the Liverpool ECHO Shopping & Reviews newsletter by signing up here
READ NEXT:
