My top 3 high end foundations for oily skin

Heena

6 years ago

The best high end foundations for oily skin in India

There’s one amazing quality I have acquired over the last few years shopping for base products, especially foundations. Can you guess what?

No, not time management.

It’s mustering the courage to ask for what I want even with my heart pounding at an unusual rate.

Mustering the courage to swatch a different shade other than what the SA is forcing me for.

Mustering the courage to come back into the store after 4 hours and trying a new shade and ignoring THAT look.

Mustering the courage to ask for a sample because the worst that could happen is her saying no.

Mustering the courage to not hit a woman because she has been going on and on for the last 15 minutes trying to sell me a shade with proper pink undertones and refusing to see how the foundation is settling into my pores.

Shopping for base products is not an easy feat with most SA/MUA’s acting like they know-it-all, we’re complete idiots and all Indian women need a shade 5 times lighter than their skin tone. And it gets all the more tougher with high-end brands because a lot of money (money that was supposed to be spent on food) is at stake.

If one of your new year resolutions is to buy a high-end foundation for your oily acne prone skin, my number one suggestion will be, to be COMPLETELY sure of the shade you’re going for. That, and this list which includes my suggestions for the best high end foundations for oily skin in India:

Estee Lauder Double wear foundation

If you don’t mind the price tag and are in for an investment, Estee Lauder double wear foundation is worth the hype. For me, it is the best high end foundations for oily skin in India.

It offers more than medium coverage and covers redness very well. The finish it offers is a soft-focus matte. I have worn it in the sweltering heat of Delhi and can safely say that it hardly moves. Even after 10 hours, it looked neat with just a little disintegration around the T-zone.

I am amazed by how breathable the formula is. I can’t even tell that I’m wearing it. There’s no calling attention to pores or cakeyness with it. Also, there’s little to no oxidization when wearing it even for an entire day.

I have to prep my skin more than usual with it in winter for wearing it on my dehydrated skin but I’m not complaining. It stays and stays.

My only complaint has to be the absence of a pump. It’s really not funny sporting a serious look and not being able to listen to your heart beat when you’re pouring the foundation from the bottle a little bit too carefully at the back of your hand.

I visited the store 3 times to make sure I got the right match. My shade is 2W2.

Price in India: Rs.3,300

Kat Von D Lock lasting foundation

It took me a while to get on board with this full coverage, heavy foundation but now when I know how to make it work for me, I lub it!

I purchased it in Paris and spent close to 20-30 minutes deciding my shade. The shade selection was quite overwhelming. If you’re looking for a full coverage foundation for oily acne skin that stays and stays, I recommend it.

You have to spend a while blending this foundation and make more than your usual efforts in prepping your skin with it on. With a few practice sessions, I found the result worth the trouble. If you have dry/dehydrated skin type, know that this foundation clings to dry patches and makes them a lot more noticeable. It’s crucial to go beyond a moisturizer to avoid it from bunching up around the dry patches on the skin. I wouldn’t recommend using it on your under-eye area as it does settle in fine lines a bit.

A lot of times, I just use a tiny bit of it and then, follow up with powder for daily wear. A little goes a long way.

I just wish I had gone for the next lighter shade I currently own (Medium54) because it does oxidize throughout the day.

Price: 34.50 Euro (Rs.2,756)

Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Foundation

I’ll start by saying that the old formula was way better than the new one. That said, the new one works amazingly well too for my oily skin.

If you want a foundation for oily acne prone skin that has a very breathable formula, offers a low-medium coverage, feels very comfortable and lasts for 7-8 hours without turning cakey as the time passes, I suggest you try this. Even after wearing it for 10 days straight, it didn’t cause any reaction on my skin. The finish is also very natural instead of being a flat matte. I have also noticed that it does dial down the size of pores. Once set with a damp beauty blender, it moves very minimally throughout the day.

Since it dries quickly, you need to work with faster hands. Also, this is a foundation I strictly limit only for summer because it has the tendency to stick to even minor dry patches and make them look noticeable.

My shade is Y245.

Price in India: I think somewhere between Rs.3,500-Rs.4,000.

Hope this post on the ‘best high end foundations for oily skin in India’ is helpful for you. Be prepared to feel uncomfortable when going for foundation shopping and have the courage to make requests for trying a new shade or getting a sample to be sure.

What’s your recommendation on the best high end foundations for oily skin in India? Or be it drugstore.