It’s been a very long time since I tried an Elizabeth Arden foundation, so I was excited to get my hands on the latest arrival, the catchy named Flawless Finish Perfectly Satin 24HR Makeup SPF15. For the benefit of this review, I’ll be referring to it as Flawless Finish, just to make both your and my life just that little bit easier…
Flawless Finish is an oil-control foundation designed to keep oilier skins looking just on the right site of matte without looking heavy or mask like. It’s available in 10 shades with the lightest being Alabaster which is the one I’m using. It’s a great match for my pale skin.
The finish is definitely satin (hence the mention of ‘satin’ in the title) which is a very flattering finish for spot-prone or blemished skin as it has a blurring effect without being too matte or too dewy; an overly dewy finish on oily skin can look like you’ve spent the last 4 hours on the rowing machine, so it’s always a good to find a foundation that balances between the two extreme finishes.
For the past couple of months, apart from a couple of major breakouts, my dominant issue has actually been dryness as, for the most part and touch lots of wood, my spots appear to be under control. Consequently, I needed a lot of hydration as a base for this foundation to stop it looking dry. Therefore, I would recommend doing the same (lots of moisturiser followed by a moisturising primer) if you’re prone to dry patches.
It’s worth pointing out that I’d used the Pixi Glow Mist in the above picture hence the dewier finish. Alongside a flattering finish, the cover of this foundation is very impressive and up there with the big names of high coverage. It’s easy to apply, buffs in well and stays in place for most of the day. As you can hopefully see in the before and after pictures above, it gives a very good high yet natural cover. If my skin were a little bit oilier I think this would be the base I’d reach for every day. At the moment, my skin is a little too dry for it, but as soon as that changes I’m likely to get through my bottle pretty quickly! It’s £28 here – link.
*PR Sample
