Diaries of a Fair Lady- Makeup Forever Face and Body #38 Review (Holy Grail Product)

Being Irish and having not an ounce of tropical heritage makes me extremely pale. So pale that most drug store brands (and high end brands, generally) do not cater for my skin tone. And so began my struggle to find a foundation that did not make me look like an oompa loompa. I thought I may share my attempts to find a foundation that matches me in a series which I have called Diaries of Fair Lady. Hopefully it might give some insight for any of you who share my pasty complexion. Where will I begin? A famous nun once said the best place to start is at the very beginning, and so that is what I will do.

Makeup Forever Face and Body was the first foundation I ever tried out. I was 14 years old, and having relatively clear skin, I ventured into Makeup Forever on Clarendon Street in Dublin to spend a voucher I was given. The makeup artist there recommended face and body in #38 for me to try out. I immediately fell in love. At first, I was reluctant to try a foundation, fearing the notorious foundation line that many of the girls in my class had, but once the makeup artist applied F&B to my skin I knew this was different. It actually looked like my skin, but better.


(l-r: shade #20 for when I have fake tan on, my well loved shade #38 sadly gone)



F&B is described on the Makeup Forever website as 

"light, fresh and meltingly smooth. It evens out the complexion and leaves a thin layer of powder on the skin, for a very natural finish.
Its long-lasting and water-resistant formula is also suited to the body. Recommended for all skin types, its light texture makes it especially suitable for mature and problem skin". 

I would fully agree with this statement. It is a beautifully sheer foundation that suited my young teenage skin at the time, but it can be built up to a medium coverage with a couple of layers. I would say it would last for 8 hours with a light brush of loose powder over it. 

My skin has become acne prone since hitting the age of 16, and I am often on acne medication/topical treatments that dry out my skin, but I find this foundation never clings to dry patches. During summer time, my skin becomes slightly oiler but I haven't found that this affects the lasting power of the foundation. However, if you have extremely oily skin, I would recommend setting it would powder just to make sure it lasts all day. It is an oil free, water based foundation so really shouldn't be much of a problem anyway.

Speaking of being oil free, I find this to be one of its major selling points. Being acne prone and having EXTREMELY sensitive skin means that products with oil in them, particularly those with silicone are a  major no-no for me! This foundation has never broken me out and even when I do have breakouts, a couple of layers of this foundation with a bit of concealer over those really ugly stubborn spots makes my skin look so much healthier than any other foundation I've tried.

Now onto the shade. I am pale, extremely pale. So pale that it is nearly impossible to find a foundation that matches me. I have a neutral skin tone and while #38 has pink undertones in it, its sheerness allows this shade to blend seamlessly with my skin tone. I have yet to find a foundation that matches my skin 

as well as this does. Word of warning though, any Sephoras I have been to in the US don't stock this shade so bare that in mind if you are planning to purchase at Sephora. They do however stock it online.

    (on first application)

(blended in. Please note my arm is significantly paler than my face/neck)

Pricewise, its not the cheapest at approximately 36 euro, but the bottle is relatively big and lasts so long. For me, foundation is the one thing I think is worth spending that little bit extra on and so I don't find the price an issue.

Overall, this product definitely a 10/10 for me, and I'd recommend it to any of you pale chicas out there! 

XOXO, 

B.