It’s the beginning of a new decade, and for most of us, it probably feels like a clean, new slate—a blank canvas where we can be as creative as we want in coloring our lives with love, laughter, and adventure. Which is why I thought it would be fitting to focus this month’s picks on the very products that build the foundation for our makeup looks—products that create a smooth and flawless base before all the artistry begins!
Below are base products that I’ve tried, tested, and even repurchased throughout the years. These are all products I swear by, and I hope you find your next holy grail base here!
I want to start this list with my favorite drugstore foundation: Maybelline’s Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation. It gives a light to medium coverage that’s so easy to build and blend using just a Beautyblender, and I love how it doesn’t feel like I’m wearing foundation whenever I use it. This product is such a staple in my makeup kit that I actually used it during my engagement shoot for my wedding last year!
I think L’Oreal’s True Match Liquid Foundation set the bar for drugstore foundations for me. I was first introduced to the product back in 2015 when I was invited to be a part of its launch campaign and became one of the True Match Ambassadors where I represented the W3 Nude Beige shade. It gives a medium to full coverage, and I find that the best way to blend it for an extra smooth finish is with a Beautyblender followed by a paddle brush!
Would you believe that Rimmel’s Stay Matte Primer replaced a high-end primer in my makeup kit that I never repurchased again because I preferred the drugstore brand’s primer more? As someone who has oily skin, I stay away from primers that give a dewy finish and prefer ones that give a matte finish instead. The Stay Matte Primer has become my ultimate favorite, and it’s been used in all my makeup looks since 2017.
Ellana’s Blur Makeup Primer was always a staple in the Calyxta HQ, and whenever I felt like doing a quick makeup look in the office, I’d consistently reach for it from our vanity area filled with testers. True to its name, it really does blur out fine lines and large pores—which makes it so much easier to apply my foundation after!
RCMA’s Five-Part Series Favorites Palette was my first purchase as a certified makeup artist back in 2015. I bought all three palettes, because I wanted to have a wide range of shades that could cater to my different clients. I also used it on myself, because the coverage was so smooth and flawless! It lasted longer compared to my drugstore foundations as well. Nowadays, I like alternating this with Maybelline’s Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation!
Written By:
Gretchen Gatan
Managing Editor
Gretchen is a writer, makeup artist, and the beauty and lifestyle blogger behind Greta’s Junkyard. Her love for beauty all started when she discovered the wonders of doing her brows with a good eyebrow pen. Despite her girly ways and obsession with skin care, she loves watching wrestling and gets competitive while playing Ultimate Frisbee.
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