Our beauty and wellness editor Laura Mulley has recently fallen in love with a brilliant high street foundation from Boots, even ditching her high-end formulas
If there’s one make-up category that gets me more excited than any other, it’s the best foundations. If my skin is looking amazing then I’m less concerned about what the rest of my make-up looks like, and I reckon I’ve tried and reviewed my face bases that any other product in the hunt for the perfect one – and, during a recent clear-out, I think I’ve found it.
I recently sorted out my make-up bag, discarding any products that no longer delivered the radiant, healthy-looking results I was looking for, and came upon an old, and unexpected, favourite: No7 Stay Perfect Foundation SPF30. Costing £16.95 from Boots, it’s less than half the price of some of my other formulas, yet I think delivers seriously impressive results.
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Pros
- My shade perfectly suits my ‘neutral’ sin undertone
- Medium coverage that doesn’t look dry or cakey
- Lasts well all day
- Feels hydrating
- Doesn’t settle into fine lines, pores or dry patches
- Good value
Cons
- Not for you if you prefer a sheer or light coverage (although it can be thinned out)
- Dries quite quickly, i.e. not one if you prefer a very dewy finish
No7 Stay Perfect Foundation review
I’ve been stuck in a bit of a rut recently where all my usual favourite foundations either look great when first applied but then quickly fade off, or settle into fine lines and patches of skin texture after a few hours. This one, however, does neither. It appears quite thick when first applied but blends out beautifully, and feels cushiony and comforting on the skin – something you don’t always get with typical ‘long-wear’ foundations.
I’d say it has a totally ‘medium’ finish – neither glowy nor matte – and skin looks naturally blurred (but without any silicone-y or completely shine-free finish), and fresher and healthier.
It also, as its name suggests, it stays looking ‘perfect’ for hours, far longer than most of my other favourites – I wouldn’t go as far as to say it lasts for 24 hours, as it claims, but at least most of the day.
This is a personal note but my shade, Macadamia, is also the most perfect match for my skin tone, with a truly neutral undertone (so many I find are either too warm or too cool for me). It makes me look, I think, instantly healthier. Neutral undertones, however, can look a little grey on some skin tones; if you’re prone to looking sallow, you may want to opt for a warmer tone. Overall the shade range is good, at 36 shades, although not quote as good as brands such as Estée Lauder and Fenty Beauty.
Since rediscovering this I’ve actually thrown away some of my pricier foundations, and at this price, I would 100% repurchase it.
Two other beauty editor-recommended foundations I’ve recently bought and love are Patrick Ta Major Skin Hydra Luxe Skin Perfecting Foundation, £52, which gives a gorgeous glowy finish, and Makeup Forever HD SKIN Hydraglow Foundation, £35, which is similar, if a little less spangly.
