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We put a *lot* of the best foundations to the test for mamabella (and MBman’s male makeup section) and it’s all getting a bit unwieldy.
It’s difficult for us to definitively say one is better than the other because while we prefer a medium coverage, others prefer full. While our skin is oily, others’ will be dry. In summary, a foundation that works for us may not work for you and it’s disingenuous to think otherwise.
With this in mind, we’re attempting something quite substantial. Over on TikTok, our Editor-in-Chief is testing as many foundations as she can (before she gets bored or runs out of money…). For each entry, she’s listing:
She’s then brushing each foundation onto an orange, and blending it using a sponge, before brushing the foundation onto a strawberry. Finally, she’s leaving a drop of each foundation on a blotting sheet overnight to see how much oil is released.
Following feedback, she also recently added ratings based on vegan and cruelty-free status and is adding links to the individual shade finders for each brand.
FURTHER READING: How we test foundations | How to find your perfect foundation match | MUA explains how to get flawless makeup | Best foundation for oily skin | Best high-street foundation UK | Best full-coverage foundation UK | Best foundation for mature skin
CLICK THE IMAGE BELOW TO GO TO THE RESULTS LIST. IT’S A WORK IN PROGRESS AND IS DUE TO CHANGE REGULARLY
mamabella | mamabella For the orange and strawberry test, each foundation is scored either 1, 3 or 5.
For the oil test, each foundation is being ranked out of 10 with a score of 10 meaning minimal oil is released, and a score of 1 meaning a lot of oil is released. We understand that this the amount of oil released isn’t always a bad thing.
The total of each category (excluding price) is added together. The price is then taken off this total to determine a foundation’s final score.
Not only do we feel this to be a fairer way to test the best foundations, but it also allows us to compare one against the other. Once the list starts filling up, we’ll be able to filter the results allowing us to find the best full-coverage foundation with SPF under a tenner, or the highest SPF rating versus price and so on.
We’ll then be updating our best foundation, best foundation for mature skin, best foundation for oily skin and best foundation for dry skin with the winners.
If you’re keen to see how the list is shaping up, follow our Editor here or view the list as it evolves here.
Victoria is founder and editor-in-chief of mamabella, freelance journalist and Mum. She has a passion for empowering people to feel beautiful whatever their age, size, skin type and budget
