Skin-y love at first swipe: Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation SPF15

What's the most difficult thing to find in a basic makeup kit? I reckon it's foundation. The cons of using the wrong one can most definitely cause a lot of *facepalm* moments:

• Hello, espasol face! - When you end up wearing a shade lighter or the finish is brighter than your natural skin tone. You end up sporting a ghastly look, as if you've gone to the tropics and put a bag up your head. Save your dignity, beware of flash photography.
• Hello, cake face! - When you end up wearing the wrong texture in the wrong season. Lightweight in winter makes you look all patchy, like a human dalmatian. Heavyweight in the summer transforms you into an abstract oil painting. Most of the time you just end up looking like sort of cake with the fondant icing about to crack.
• Hello, overbaked face! - When you end up wearing a shade darker than your natural skin tone. You end up looking like you've lathered every inch of your body with Super SPF except you've missed a massive spot: your face.

I've tried and tested foundation variants through the years - from drugstore to high end brands, from powder to mineral to liquid types. Quite frankly, I've never been 100% happy with anything I've used. In fact, as I don't even like putting much of it when I do, I've discarded using foundation and have switched to moisturisers and BB/CC creams instead.

I've ran out of my current CC cream so I found myself on the hunt for a new one. I wanted to check Bobbi Brown's version and I was actually pretty pleased with the result. I was about to pay for my product until the sales assistant asked if I wanted to try the Skin Foundation range. Thinking I had nothing to lose and that I won't be swayed, I said yes. 

I ended up trading the CC cream for the foundation because it was definitely love at first swipe. I mean, look at these photos (all shot under the same lighting and same camera settings):

Left: before foundation // Right: after foundation

Pretend that mole is some sort of facial blemish. Post application, it looks less visible, no? The finish makes the skin smoother and healthier as well, don't you think? The pores look minimised and the colour has blended perfectly with my natural skin tone.

Left: before foundation // Right: after foundation

See how the paper cut (*tears*) looks rather faint and the wrinkly wrists are a bit smoother. This is on minimal application, mind you. The foundation is lightweight so even when you build up the coverage you need, it still feels quite natural and you don't get that fondant tightness on your face. No wonder it's called Skin Foundation - it feels like and looks like normal skin.

There are heaps of shades to choose from (16, perhaps more) so I'm sure there's one or two that would be suitable for you. Just make sure you know your 'bases' and 'undertones'. I found out that that I'm 'peachy and yellow' so I'm using shade #4 (Natural).

I think it does everything it says on the tin, er, box.

This is possibly the first foundation I've been super ecstatic about - so much so that I'm actually blogging about the darn thing - and recommending it! I wish it had higher SPF, but that's nothing an SPF base can't fix. It's £30 for 30ml which I think isn't bad for a good product. I reckon if, like me, you prefer lightweight foundation that does light to medium coverage then this might just be perfect for you, too.

As with everything you put on your face though, make sure you 1) test it out first; 2) have an expert help you choose the right product you need; 4) wear sunscreen; and 5) remember that a clean, happy face is better than any frost gunk. =)