Temperatures are rising, bases are sliding… unless you’re using one of these.
It’s the surprise that greets us every time we face the bathroom mirror at about 6pm.
Just where has the foundation we applied so carefully (or haphazardly at 8.43am) gone?
The humidity here in the UAE routinely seems to perform a wondrous disappearing trick on our base, making the office-to-ladies-night transformation more than just a quick blot and slash of lippie.
Read:
Bookmark This: Here Are The Best Facial Treatments In Dubai
7 Of The Best Relaxing Spa Deals Around Dubai This Summer
And it’s getting tiresome. So, in a bid to stop our foundation pooling somewhere around our neckline, we’ve pulled together some of the best long-wearing formulas on the market.
All of the below have been tried and tested by us (we promise), and have survived a full day at work, still as evident on our skin at 10pm as they were when first applied.
Got any other recommendations? Share them in the comments below!
(Honourable mentions go to Maybelline’s Matte + Poreless Fit Me Foundation, MAC’s Pro Longwear Nourishing Waterproof Foundation – especially good for drier skins – and NARS’ All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation. Whittling down the below was quite a process).
Estée Lauder Double Wear Light Stay-in-Place Makeup, Dhs225
The heritage brand’s original Double Wear Foundation has a worthy place in the beauty Hall of Fame, but we’re even bigger fans of this equally budge-proof, but much sheerer, oil-free formula. Drying to a radiant matte finish and offering medium coverage, the lightweight, fluid texture is very buildable and truly does stay in place all day. The only downside? It doesn’t come in a huge array of colours compared to the original Double Wear. However when it comes down to longevity, this is our holy grail product.
Revlon Colorstay Foundation, Dhs83
There’s a reason this high-street option often pops up on many a beauty blog and vlog – it gives high-end coverage and smudge-resistance, but with a drugstore price tag. There’s an impressive range of shades, and it comes in options for normal and dry skin or oily and combination complexions. Finish-wise, you’re looking at something in the velvet-matte category, with a medium-to-full coverage, depending on how much you work it into the skin. Pro tip: layer this one over a primer, to avoid any patchiness.
Kat Von D Lock-It Foundation, Dhs175
If coverage is your No 1 priority in a foundation, we don’t think you can beat this incredibly pigmented formula. With a creamy texture that dries to a matte finish, this foundation is lauded for its range of shades, and makes easy work of hiding blemishes, scarring, pigmentation and redness. It’s also cruelty-free, vegan-friendly, fragrance-free… basically, anyone can use this. And if full coverage isn’t your thing, we had success sheering this out by mixing it with our usual daytime moisturiser. Note: it is fairly thick and dries quickly, so you’re better off applying in sections rather than trying to buff into your whole face at once.
Read:
Bookmark This: Here Are The Best Facial Treatments In Dubai
7 Of The Best Relaxing Spa Deals Around Dubai This Summer
Giorgio Armani Power Fabric Foundation, Dhs240
We’re longtime fans of the brand’s Luminous Silk foundation (and it’s still our evening-event base of choice), but Armani’s newest release might just trounce the old favourite on a day-to-day basis. Power Fabric gives high coverage, but a surprisingly natural, almost undetectable matte finish, yet it’s relatively thin texture means it’s no hassle to blend. We needed a lunchtime blot on our combination skin – this isn’t an oil-free foundation – but there was no wearing off (and the SPF25 is an added bonus against summer’s scorching sun).
L’Oreal Infallible Total Cover Foundation, Dhs89
While you’re hard-pressed to find a fuller coverage than Kat Von D’s Lock-It, this high-street option comes remarkably close. It’s got an almost mousse-like texture that blends out well with a brush, and looks impressively non-cakey given its thicker formula. It held up well against humidity, with no creasing, and took a thorough double cleanse to remove at the end of the day. The finish veers towards demi-matte, so if you want a long-lasting base but with a hint of radiance, this is a solid choice.
Image: Getty
