Foundation Review #2 Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation

Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation in 02 Pale £25 for 30ml

I'm the first to admit, that I LOVE ILLAMASQUA! I love their branding, I love their campaigns, I love their makeup counters, I love their product and I love what they stand for 'Release your alter ego'! 

I've previously spoken about their Theatre of the Nameless Autumn/Winter 11 Collection here and how excited I was for it, and there's reviews to come on some of those products!

Today I'm going to talk about the Skin Base Foundation and how I got along with it.

Packaging; The small, hand sized bottle is pretty neat, and is made out of a thick plastic (good for travel as there's no risk of breakage). The clear container means the shade you choose is visible. It's light, because it isn't glass. The squeeze nozzle is excellent, I've become accustomed to using Revlon Colorstay (review here) so this controlled application is a treat, there's no risk of any excess leaking out. Good packaging.

Shade; Firstly, I think it is phenomenal that Illamasqua offer this foundation in 18 shades, so there really is a shade to suit everybody. I am matched to 02 (I'm usually the palest in any collection, but 01 is pure white!- I suppose because they're a brand who cater for evening/professional makeup. The drag queens and cabaret acts I used to work with loved Illamasqua.) 02 shade is super pale, it does match me well but can be a little ghostly looking at times, obviously I add warmth later with contour/blush and so on.

Thick consistency

Skin Type; Illamasqua state this foundation is suitable for all skin types. I have found it to be more on the dry side, so I wouldn't recommend it to those with dry skin unless you are extremely well moisturised! This foundation doesn't contain an SPF, so although it's great for flash photography it's lack of sun protection factor must be taken into consideration. Illamasqua state that Skin Base Foundation 'is undetectable in a professional HD environment.'

Formula; The consistency is thick however the coverage it gives is up to you. A really small amount can be applied to create a light medium coverage, or you could build on this to achieve a near full coverage if so desired. A definite plus is that although it is fairly thick, it never feels cakey-  it becomes a second skin and is comfortable to wear. At times it can be more difficult to blend due to it being thicker than most liquid foundations. I find the lasting power to be good for around 6-7 hours with primer. On busier days however it can slip off areas that are more oily on me such as my nose and chin.
Although I think that this foundation is pretty great, I do prefer it mixed in with another foundation or BB cream rather than used solely on its own. (Try it!)

Tips;

• It goes without saying that good skin will shine through foundation. Establish a good skincare routine and this foundation will look flawless. Due to it's slightly dry nature, it may cling to any dry spots you may have .
• I can normally take or leave primers, however I would recommend one to be used with Skin Base to help prolong its longevity throughout the day.
• A little goes a long way, the smallest amount will cover the entire face, so don't squeeze out too much! (30ml will last you a long time) 

The outcome of this Skin Base Foundation is ah-maz-ing. I am really impressed with it, the coverage lasted all day and once it has settled into the skin it looks quite natural (though lets face it, it is still obvious you're wearing foundation!)

I don't think I'll use it everyday because it's lack of SPF is a flaw for pale skinned me. I'm not around flash photography enough for SPF to really matter in that respect,  everyday.

Do you use Illamasqua products? Have you tried Skin Base Foundation?