Louise McSharry: These four new foundations are setting beauty world abuzz – but are they worth the price tag?

These days, you could watch videos about makeup all day long and still not have heard about every new product. Recently, beauty creators have been abuzz about a few new foundations. But with hefty price tags, which ones are worth forking out for?

The latest foundation to go viral is Laura Mercier’s Real Flawless Weightless Foundation (€49, via arnotts.ie). This product claims to deliver medium, waterproof coverage, with a skinlike, weightless finish. In my opinion, this has gone viral for good reason.

I never want my foundation to look or feel like a mask, and this really doesn’t. It blurs beautifully, softening the appearance of fine lines and pores while offering excellent, buildable coverage. There’s nothing not to like about this product and I have no hesitation in recommending it.

Last year’s big viral hit was Haus Labs’ Triclone Skin Tech Medium Coverage Foundation (€47.88, via feelunique.com). I resisted this for ages due to it only being available online but when I was getting my brows done before Christmas, Kim (brow and beauty aficionado insisted I try some on the back of my hand. Well, once I’d done that I had to buy it and try it properly for you. It is genuinely excellent.

The texture is serum-like, which means it feels light on the skin and blends beautifully but delivers medium-to-full coverage with just a light layer. It’s comfortable to wear and lasts beautifully, while delivering just the right amount of luminosity.

A third foundation which is gaining internet hype is Shiseido’s Revitalessence Skin Glow (€56, via spacenk.com). Like most foundation products being launched these days, this includes skincare ingredients, the most appealing of which to me is niacinamide (it enhances the function of the skin’s barrier). Like both of the previously mentioned products, this is quite a liquidy formula, which again means that it feels light on the skin.

Still, a little goes a long way. It delivers remarkable light-to-medium coverage for a product which also feels hydrating. Application is easy — it blends like a dream and never looks patchy or uneven, even after hours of wear. When I wear this foundation, my skin looks healthy, even and glowing. What more could you want?

If you can’t bring yourself to spend €50 on a foundation, no problem. Maybelline Super Stay Skin Tint (€15.95, via cloud10beauty.com) may be your man. Similar to those mentioned above, this is a lightweight formula which aims to deliver super-comfortable light-to-medium coverage. This reminds me of much more expensive products I’ve tried. The finish is dewy, whether you apply it with a brush, sponge or fingers, and it wears really well for a product at this price point.

Lost in translation

This week’s Something Old and Something New products are both ideal for slugging — but what is slugging? Slugging is the attractively named practice of applying a layer of thick product to your face at night after you’ve applied your skincare, to essentially keep moisture in and stop your skin from drying out. Do I think it’s essential? No. In fact, if you have oily skin, suffer from acne or have a skin infection, avoid it. However, if you suffer from dry skin in the winter it might make a difference.

Something old…

Growing up, Eucerin products were the solution to literally any skin ailment. As far as my mother was concerned, it was the only thing you needed in your beauty regime, and I respect that. Eucerin Aquaphor Soothing Skin Balm (€14.15, via mccabespharmacy.com) is a wonder product which soothes dry or cracked skin and ‘helps support the skin’s own regeneration process’.

A rich formula, it’s ideal for lashing on your elbows and knees when they start to feel rough, or on your lips when they’re sore. If you have kids (or you’re accident-prone) it’s great to have in the press as it can help with small cuts and minor burns. In my house, the placebo effect of ‘putting some cream on’ anything that’s sore on my four-year-old’s body is incredibly powerful.

... Something new

Let’s be honest, ‘ointment’ is not the sexiest product we’ll ever talk about. But whenever a new CeraVe product launches in Ireland, I’m going to pay attention. The American range, which was developed by dermatologists, consistently delivers reasonably priced products which are incredibly effective.

The latest to land on our shores is Advanced Repair Ointment (€15.50, via inishpharmacy.com), a product which promises to soothe and protect dry/rough skin. The entire range has an emphasis on ceramides, an essential part of the skin barrier, so it makes sense that an ointment by them which aims to soothe skin would be effective. Aside from using on chapped and/or broken skin, it’s also an effective product for slugging, if you’re into that kind of thing.