Calling all flakey oily peely powdery fine lined ghosts!

Now, I watch my fair share of HGTV, so I fancy myself an expert in all things construction. As we know, you can't build a house without a foundation. I think if you try to do this, the wood that you built the walls with gets wet, becomes soil, and ground hogs come and live in it, like a smurf house. True story. 

The same thing will happen to you if you don't use proper foundation on your face. Well, a similar thing at least. I'm pretty sure that woodland creatures won't live in your ear holes,  but as with a house, a good foundation sets the stage for a good face, I guess. I don't really know where I'm going with this, but you get it. I hope. Its the crucial first layer when applying your makeup. 

Once upon a time I didn't have to even think about foundation.

Lets take a walk down memory lane... East Islip, 1999. Twenty-one year old Heather can go anywhere with nary a trace of makeup on her face. School. Work. Lily's on a Thursday for ladies night. Redness? Fine lines? Dark spots? Wrinkles? Brow furrows? Nope. Nothing. Nada. 

Look at me in my Forever 21 shirt drinking a Captain and Diet, not worry a damn about forehead creases. Oh, those were the days.

Then I turned thirty and all sorts of things started to go wrong. Years of furrowing my brow ala Arnold  of Different Strokes fame (whatchu talkin' bout, Willis?) have left permanent indentations in my face. Little lines around my mouth... ugh. Without makeup, for some reason, they're not as noticeable, but when I put on foundation, after 30 minutes or so I feel like it just sinks into every little crevice on my face and screams out 'HEY I'M CLEARLY OVER 30!! YOU DON'T HAVE TO PROOF ME FOR LIQUOR!!" 

I'd go foundation free, but I also have a bit of redness and a mild case of rosacea. I am a mess! 

Now I  have spent the last 6+ years trying to find a foundation that I am happy with - to no avail. I repeat - every foundation that I have tried has failed me and I cannot find one that works with my skin! Please help! Cream, Powder, Liquid - I've tried them all. 

My personal skin issues are probably the same as many of your issues:

1) the beginning of fine lines around my eyes and frown lines

2) slight redness, especially in my nose area

3) brow furrows and lines on my forehead

4) I look a little tired UNDER my eyes, even after 8 hours of sleep

5) My skin is oily but also tends to dry out around my nose and between my brows.

I found and fell in love with a liquid foundation from Clinique - Superfit Makeup. It went on smooth. It didn't settle into my little lines. I was in love.

And then, they discontinued it. 

 A rep from Clinique told me that they were replacing my beloved Superfit with the foundation below - Even Better Foundation. Despite its name, it was NOT better. It was heavy. It flaked. It settled right into the ridges between my brows and above my lips. It was returned, and I was sad.

As I have sensitive skin, I thought I'd make the foray into the mineral makeup scene. I tried Bare Minerals powder foundation. Although it looked great when I put it on, after about 2 hours it was just GONE. Its like my skin couldn't hold onto it - and I don't even have oily skin! By lunchtime it didn't even look as if I had put on any makeup at all the morning...

Lets move onto my current foundation - its the one that I've settled on that is just "ok." Its actually the third "type" in a line of ever evolving Clinque powder foundation products. I think its called Perfectly Real Compact makeup. The coverage is good, but like the Bare Minerals, it doesn't last all day. Usually around 3pm it starts to fade. It also sometimes makes my nose look a little peely. I'm underwhelmed, but haven't tried anything better yet.

I also tried mineral makeup from Physicians Formula. I found this to look a bit too "powdery" on my face - it was as if you could see a white coating of powder, especially on my nose.

I tried this CoverGirl Simply Ageless cream foundation, as it promised me that it would not sink into my lines, but, alas, it lied.

I actually just picked up this BB cream foundation from Physicians Formula the other day, and I am wearing it today. I'm undecided. I like the amount of coverage - its not too heavy, but it does mask my redness. And I don't have the powdery-peely look that some of the powder foundations seem to give me... but its a little wet? greasy? something. It will probably be great in the cooler weather, but its making me feel a little slimy today.

I bought this CC powder foundation from Physicians Formula and returned it today. It made me look like a ghost.

I also picked up this liquid foundation - can you tell I'm on a Physicians Formula kick? I haven't tried it yet, though.

Suggestions are welcome!! Please help take me from this:

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