Mac Studio Fix Fluid Foundation; Review & Swatches of Shades

Mac Studio Fix Fluid Foundation SPF 15
Price: $27 per ounce
($32 with pump bottle)

Mac Studio Fix Fluid is a absolutely Mac's staple foundation and has held that position for some time. Ir has a reputation for it's liquid texture, matte finish, and nearly full coverage.

Interestingly; despite it's obvious popularity, Studio Fix sometimes gets mixed reviews from people who try it.

Smashbox Studio Skin Foundation, Review & Swatches of Shades

Smashbox Studio Skin Foundation; 15 Hour Formula with SPF 10

Price: $42

CRUELTY FREE!!!

Smashbox Studio Skin 15 Hour Foundation claims to blur imperfections by using special "light diffusing spheres" and providing medium-buildable coverage. Smashbox Studio Skin Foundation also promises to deliver flawless all day wear with a sweat resistent, humidity resistent, transfer proof formula...which happens to be hydrating.

Kat Von D Lock-It (Tattoo) Foundation; Review & Swatches of Shades

Kat Von D Lock It Foundation

Price: $34 per ounce

CRUELTY FREE!

Kat Von D Lock It Foundation is a cult favorite, full coverage foundation. Those who suffer from acne scarring, pigment disorders, (even those with tattoos) all flock to Kat Von D's Lock It Foundation and/or the (Kat Von D Lock It Concealer) to erase the most serious of woes and give them a blank canvas with a flawless appearance.

Makeup Forever Mat Velvet Foundation; Review & Swatches of Shades

(M.U.F.E) Makeup Forever Mat Velvet Foundation +

Price: $36 per ounce

Makeup Forever is undoubtedly best known for the amazing HD Invisible Cover Foundation and Full Cover Camouflage Concealer but the M.U.F.E. Mat Velvet Foundation + still touts some very big claims and promises to deliver a velvety soft matte finish that will last all day, absorb oil, fully conceal blemishes, and be appropriate for sensitive skin.

Makeup Forever Mat Velvet manages to achieve most of these claims but slightly missed the mark on one!

Nars Sheer Matte Foundation; Review & Swatches of Shades

Nars Sheer Matte Foundation

Price: $45 per ounce

CRUELTY FREE!!!

Nars Sheer Matte Foundation is one of several cult-favorite foundations in the Nars arsenal. Nars claims that Sheer Matte will control oil all day while leaving your skin looking and feeling silky soft, smooth, and radiant. Normally, having such contradictory claims would raise some red flags, but with Nars Sheer Matte Foundation they're actually spot on.

Laura Mercier Supreme Foundations; Review & Swatches of Shades

Laura Mercier Oil-Free Supreme Foundation & Laura Mercier Moisture Supreme Foundation 

Price: $47 per ounce each


CRUELTY FREE!!!*

(Laura Mercier Pulls From China)

With the introduction of Laura Mercier's new Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide Foundation, I figured it was a good time to go over two of Laura Mercier's classic foundations- the Laura Mercier Moisture Supreme Foundation and the Laura Mercier Oil-Free Supreme Foundation!

L'Oreal Magic Nude Foundation; Review & Swatches of Shades

L'Oreal Magic Nude Liquid-Powder Foundation SPF 18

Price: $12.99 for .91 ounces

(About $14.30 per ounce)

L'Oreal Magic Nude Liquid-Powder Foundation is, (along with Armani Maestro Fusion Foundation) the inspiration behind many new Liquid-Powder foundations made by L'Oreal companies such as YSL Fusion Ink Foundation, Maybelline Dream Wonder Fluid Touch Foundation, and Lancome Nude Miracle Foundation.

Keep reading to see how the original holds up against the "new & improved" versions!

CK All Day Perfection Foundation Review & Swatches of Shades

Calvin Klein's CK One All Day Perfection Face Makeup SPF 20

New for Fall 2014

Price: $30 per ounce

Calvin Klein has just released his newest Ck One Color face makeup product with the creation of the Ck One Color All Day Perfection Foundation which is complete with Broad Spectrum Sun Protection (that actually works)!

Calvin Klein 3-in-1 Foundation; Review & Swatches of Shades

Ck One 3-in-1 Oil-Free Liquid Face Makeup SPF 20

Price: $30 per ounce

Calvin Klein's Ck One line has produced the 3-in-1 Face Makeup SPF 8, Oil Free Liquid Foundation which claims to be a primer, serum, and foundation all in one. What is nearly as remarkable as these miracle three-in-one claims, is that Ck 3-in-1 Foundation has actually managed to get some of the highest user-ratings for liquid foundation on MakeupAlley, but does that mean it should be the last stop on the foundation train?

Becca Ever Matte Foundation; Review & Swatches of Shades

Becca Ever Matte Shine Proof Foundation

Price: $42 for 40 ml

(Approx $30 per ounce)

CRUELTY FREE!!!

Becca is an Australian cosmetic company who specializes in offering shades for every skin tone imaginable, and overeall they do this quite well, but shades are only half the battle!

The other factor in choosing  foundation is seeing how the product's formula and performance holds up; and that's what we'll take a look at with Becca Ever Matte Shine Proof Foundation!

Hourglass Immaculate Foundation; Review & Swatches of Shades

Hourglass Immaculate Liquid-Powder Foundation

(Mattifying Oil Free Makeup)

Price: $60 per ounce

CRUELTY FREE!!!

Hourglass is a brand that is popping up more and more in recent years having carved out their corner of the luxury cosmetics market with their Fluid Veil Foundation, their great primers, and more recently, the Hourglass Immaculate Liquid-Powder Foundation Oil-Free, Mattifying Makeup!

That name just sounds great doesn't it? Immaculate Liquid-Powder Foundation. It paints such a sophisticated, eloquent picture of what can be achieved by using Immaculate, the only negative side effect could be that it sets unrealistic expectations...

Makeup Forever HD Foundation; Review & Swatches of Shades

MUFE HD Foundation (aka Makeup Forever Invisible Cover High Definition Foundation)

Price: $42 per ounce

Makeup Forever (aka MUFE) was one of the first cosmetic companies to jump on the HD/High Definition trend. Before the release of HD Foundations, the term "High Definition" was reserved exclusively for TV. While there may be a very loose correlation between cosmetics and television, the likely hood that the two technologies would be compatible seems a bit of a stretch at first...

MAC Face & Body Foundation; Review & Swatches of Shades

Mac Studio Face and Body Foundation

Price: $27 for 1.7 ounces (per ounce OR

$50 for 4 ounces ($12.50/ounce)

Mac Face + Body foundation is absolutely one of the cheapest foundations available in department stores. At $12.50 an ounce, it's actually cheaper than many drugstore foundations but is it a beauty bargain or a case of getting what you pay for?

Marc Jacobs Marvelous Mousse Foundation; Review & Swatches of Shades

Marc Jacobs Marvelous Mousse Transformative Cream to Powder Foundation

New for Fall 2013

Price: $55 for....17.64 grams!!!

($3.11 per gram- standard for cream-powder formulas)

CRUELTY FREE!!!

Marc Jacobs has launched quite a few complexion products this past year, but how does his Transformative Marvelous Mousse Foundation stack up to the competition?

Laura Mercier Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide Foundation; Review & Swatches of Shades

Laura Mercier Flawless Fluid Foundation

Price: $48 per ounce

New for Fall 2014
CRUELTY FREE!!!*
(*Laura Mercier Pulls from China)

Laura Mercier has added a new foundation to her current line up with her just released Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide Foundation. This new foundation promises to deliver a matte finish for 12 hours with a lightweight formula.

So the question is; is Laura Mercier's Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide Foundation just another oil-free, long-wearing formula with a hefty price tag, or something really special?

Neutrogena Nourishing Long Wear Foundation, Review & Swatches of Shades

Neutrogena 12 Hour Nourishing Long Wear Liquid Makeup SPF 20

New for Spring 2014

Price: $16 per ounce

Neutrogena employed Hayden Panettiere as the official spokeswoman & model for their new 2014 foundation. Their Nourishing Longwear Liquid makeup is unique in that it promises to last a full 12 hours while simultaneously providing your skin with fantastic benefits!

MAC Pro Longwear Foundation; Review & Swatches of Shades

Mac Pro Longwear 15 Hour Foundation;

Price: $31 an ounce

MAC's Pro Longwear Foundation promises 15 hours wear and a few other things. You know what, I'll just post their official claims
"A comfortable, long-wearing foundation that gives up to 15 hours of wear in any environmental condition. Lightweight and creamy, applies and blends easily leaving the skin feeling soft and free to breathe all day while controlling oil. Specially treated micronized pigments help give a smoother, more flawless, natural finish with stay-true colour.
30 ml / 1.0 US fl oz"

It all sounds very technical & sciency with terms like micronized pigments, so did MAC create a makeup miracle or are they just trying to find a deceive the average consumer?

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation Review & Swatches of Shades

Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay in Place Makeup 
(aka Liquid Foundation);

Price $37 for 1 ounce

Estee Lauder's Double Wear line has become a legend in the beauty world and having acquired a very consistent group of followers & die hard users.

Lauder has used the original Double Wear Makeup as inspiration to create a plethora of cosmetics including Double Wear Maximum Coverage Camouflage Makeup, Double Wear Light Makeup, Double Wear Stay in Place Concealer & Double Wear Stay in Place High Cover Concealer.

 The newest addition is the Double Wear BB Cream Beauty Balm, and of course, there are numerous eye & lip products as well, but what about the inspiration behind these products?

CoverGirl Ready Set Gorgeous Foundation Review & Swatches of Shades

CoverGirl Ready Set Gorgeous One-Step Foundation

New for Spring 2014
Price: $9

CoverGirl actually Surprised me with the new Ready Set Gorgeous Foundation which is designed to be a one-step to gorgeous primer, foundation & powder all in one.

I was expecting a typical pinky-beige shade range and all of the usual caveats associated with CoverGirl foundations, but I was surprised with my findings...

Tarte Full Coverage Foundation SPF 15; Review & Swatches of Shades

Tarte Full Cover 12 Hour Amazonian Clay Foundation

Price: $38 for 1.7 ounce

Approx $22 an ounce 

CRUELTY FREE!!!

Tarte Full Cover Foundation is made with miracle ingredient Amazonian Clay and promises a whopping 12 hour wear-time. Does it live up to its claim? Well we put it to the test and you can see the results for yourself if you keep reading!