I can't recommend this £6 (!!) foundation enough – here's why
We've all been there: it's mid-month, payday is a good few weeks away and you've just hit pan on your favourite bronzer, or your go-to cleansing balm has come to its dregs or God-forbid the last drop of your £40+ foundation has been pumped. Real beauty girl issues, perhaps, but when the budget is budgeting, there's no worse feeling. *Weeps in Cost of Living*
So, I took it upon myself to test out some of the market's most affordable base products in an attempt to save those pennies. One that stood out? Collection's Lasting Perfection Matte Foundation that is currently on sale for a measly £6.39... aka, one and a half Tesco meal deals... bargain!
Price aside, does it actually work? Well, continue reading to find out my thoughts, complete with wear test photos across a 10-hour period.
What skin type does the Collection Lasting Perfection Matte Foundation work for?
As its name would suggest, the Collection Lasting Perfection Matte Foundation works best for those looking for a matte finish; in particular, it's great for those wanting to keep shine and oil at bay, aka moi.
If that doesn't sound like you, then Collection has you sorted, the brand also debuted the Lasting Perfection Satin Foundation. It looks natural on the skin with its satin, dewy finish while still being full coverage.
Finish and coverage
Not only am I a matte foundation lover (thanks, excess sebum production) but I am also all for a full coverage base (hi, hello hyperpigmentation!). On the Collection website, it states that this formula is 'full coverage' and 'instantly covers blemishes, dark spots, redness & textures', which I would wholeheartedly agree with.
In just one airy, mousse-y pump ( *bats away Dream Matte Mousse flashbacks*), I was able to cover my entire face. To blend, I used the Huda Beauty base brush to maximise the coverage.
Top tip: Opt for a dome-shaped brush head with densely-packed bristles to make picking up product and application easy.
Tacking onto the above claims come a promise of the foundation being able to 'mattify and refine pores'. Now, while I would say it certainly dries down matte, the pores across my T-Zone are still visible – as you can see in both wear-test pics. Alas, as someone with huge pores like Regina George, this isn't abnormal for me and therefore, not a deal-breaker.
Ingredients-wise, the vegan formula is infused with everyone's favourite, niacinamide which helps to control excess oil, while an inclusion of vitamin E nourishes the skin and SPF30 protects. It's the skinfication of makeup that we love to see, ladies and gentlemen.
At the start of the day 8:45am:
Shade range
Collection's Lasting Perfection Matte Foundation is currently available to shop in 28 shades spanning 'fair', 'light', 'medium', 'medium/deep' and 'deep' categories, all varying c00l, warm and neutral undertones. Of course, while I can't speak for any of the shades other than mine, this range of variation is in line with competitor products.
Naturally, there is more to be done but we can only hope for expansion – and for an affordable high-street brand, 28 shades ain't too shabby! Cosmo Beauty Director, Keeks, tested shade 16W and its her shade match for winter.
One important note, however, is that I found the foundation did oxidise... womp womp. This means that it changes colour and appears darker or more orange when the pigments in the foundation react with the air and oils on your skin. Although not ideal, I did choose to wear shade '9N Vanilla Neutral' as although it was a tad lighter than my go-to shade, once it oxidised, it worked well.
Lasting power
Before I get to my very high-tech wear test, I would like to preface – as I already have several times – that I do have incredibly oily skin. So much so that two hours post-application requires ample blotting, followed by consistent check-ups throughout the day. And that, my friends, goes with or without foundation on my face. 'Tis a hard life.
With that in mind, I started by applying this base just before 9am in the morning, which, to my surprise, looked pretty untouched come 11am. Mid-afternoon I found myself even more surprised (read: the woman was too stunned to speak) when I glanced in the mirror to find that although a lil shiny, my foundation had *not* separated.
At the end of the day, I was on the more dewy side, as expected, but overall, the foundation had not gone cakey. And if I wanted to continue its wear throughout the night, I would have been happy to blot followed by a dose of powder for a refreshed look.
At the end of the day 6:06pm/7:22pm
Final thoughts
As a makeup enthusiast (and someone who makes a living out of reviewing the best products in the industry), I like to see beauty as an investment – putting my money into products that I will get much use and joy out of is never too big of a commitment. However, that doesn't necessarily mean parting with a bucket's load of quids, proven by this >£10 foundation.
All in all, I would no doubt recommend this foundation for the oily skin girlies looking for a full-coverage base. Just be sure to colour-match correctly (or even go for one shade lighter than your supposed match)!
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