Finding the Palest Foundation

[lframe]

Very true, Lisa. I take Vitamin D supplements, as well. I research just about everything (it's a habit, an occupation, an obsession), and I've learned that the best, most easily absorbed, and most naturally-derived form of Vitamin D is Vitamin D-3 as cholecalciferol (in a soft-gel form). I currently take 3,000 IUs a day, but am considering increasing to 4,000. I'm told by my physician that even 6,000 IUs a day would be fine, as you simply cannot get too much of this good thing. Vitamin D-3 is a "wonder-supplement". It's great for improving bone strength, it's great as an anti-inflammatory, and it's wonderful for the cardiovascular system.

For more great info on Vitamin D from an extremely reputable and brilliant cardiologist's perspective, check out http://heartscanblog.blogspot.com/2010/01/getting-vitamin-d-right.html.

I take D-3 as well. When I go off the 50k IU's I will increase mine more as my energy levels have picked up considerably after increasing my D!

 

[JazzyDame]

I take D-3 as well. When I go off the 50k IU's I will increase mine more as my energy levels have picked up considerably after increasing my D!

Thanks for introducing Vitamin D to us readers. There's a huge deficiency of vitamin D consumption today, and it's such a vital supplement that we should all be taking for optimum health.

 

[TillyMilly]

Well, your skin is gorgeous! Let them rib away!

Thankyou Iframe. I too look younger then I am (I'm not far off 34) and I attribute it to avoiding the sun. I walk 3.5 miles a day so i think i get enough vitamin D then- I try to follow a paleolithic style diet (just ate a HUGE bar of chocolate today though- but I rationalise it as okay once a month ;0). I am fan of Mark Sisson's website 'Mark's Daily apple' and he had a post about vitamin D on it a while ago which was very interesting.


http://www.marksdailyapple.com/deconstructing-vitamin-d/

I have bleated on for a wee while that I have recently given up the acids on my skin- I'm trying to be kind to my skin and avoid anything that upsets my skin's acid mantle or lipid barrier- and after avoiding the sun all these years I noticed that I was getting sun spots and brown patches due to the acid making my skin photosensitive (you are supposed to use SPF 30 with acids)- now I'm trying to fade them....I haven't found any bleaches that work or aren't mega greasy- or that cause more photiosenitivity!

 

[JazzyDame]

Thankyou Iframe. I too look younger then I am (I'm not far off 34) and I attribute it to avoiding the sun. I walk 3.5 miles a day so i think i get enough vitamin D then- I try to follow a paleolithic style diet (just ate a HUGE bar of chocolate today though- but I rationalise it as okay once a month ;0). I am fan of Mark Sisson's website 'Mark's Daily apple' and he had a post about vitamin D on it a while ago which was very interesting.


http://www.marksdailyapple.com/deconstructing-vitamin-d/

I have bleated on for a wee while that I have recently given up the acids on my skin- I'm trying to be kind to my skin and avoid anything that upsets my skin's acid mantle or lipid barrier- and after avoiding the sun all these years I noticed that I was getting sun spots and brown patches due to the acid making my skin photosensitive (you are supposed to use SPF 30 with acids)- now I'm trying to fade them....I haven't found any bleaches that work or aren't mega greasy- or that cause more photiosenitivity!

Thank you for sharing this wonderful website, Tishka! It's a great resource concerning Vitamin D supplementation. We're hearing so much more about Vitamin D deficiency these days...it's good to know the facts!

I agree with lframe---you DO have a lovely, porcelain complexion! Do you use a liquid foundation or a powder?

 

[Blondie]

Vitamin D3 is one thing that most women with breast cancer have a very low level of.
I have b/c and now take my D3 everyday.
It is not a "cure all" but the studies are looking promising !!!

 

[RainEdayWoman]

I am a super pale redhead. Also a cosmetologist (specializing in skincare, color and makeup. I also have my own line of handcrafted soaps and bath products developed and made by me. Kissing Moons) that has tried pretty much everything under the sun to find the perfect fair complexion makeup.

Here are my recommendations...

If you desire a heavy coverage or prefer foundation over powder/minerals
Ben Nye - Belle Visage - VB00 with the complimenting powder

Light to heavy Coverage in the powder/mineral foundation try the products over at Lumiere Cosmetics you can sample through their selection (my initial samples have lasted me 2 years though I do not wear much makeup if any) they have some of the lightest in mineral shades I have come across and they cover extremely well.

Now for powder I recently came across the best I have ever found for light complexion over at Sephora
pressed-Laura Mercier Smooth Focus Pressed Setting Powder - it has a slightly green cast that covers any redness well, eliminates shine. Use it sparingly it is super pale but translucent a little goes a long way.

loose- Makeup Forever HD Microfinish Powder Wonderful setting powder as well as great for adding to Bare Minerals Fair to lighten it up if it is too dark (such as me I add about a quarter of the sample sized powder to my fair bare minerals) Would work well to tone down other loose powder foundations as well. It is translucent and have a really smooth feel. It makes mineral foundation go on a lot smoother.

I also suggest a mineral primer to keep minerals from caking up and taking on an orange blotchy appearance (also good for those more sensitive skin. It acts as a barrier and hold foundation in place.) the Microfinish Pwd is good for this and also Lumiere sells a primer and finisher that is really great.

I have seen other fair gals do well with the Nars foundations but personally they are all too dark for me.

I do not come here often though this is one of my favorite sites. I just get caught up in life but if I come across anything else I will try to come by and add on. I know how hard it is to find good makeup for fair skin.

 

[TillyMilly]

you use a liquid foundation or a powder?

I think in that photo I've got no base on - just a dab of MAC studiofinish concealer on my chin and under eyes and a swipe of mineralise powder in light. I was just nipping out to the local shops with my Mum so I did'nt bother with much.

I found that I actually prefer cream/powder foundations. I love MACs studiostick in NW15 (for pink undertones)- it's so much lighter than all the other shades in NW15- but it is now discontinued! I'm going to check out illamasqua for a replacement.

 

[MissHannah]

Laura Mercier does really excellent pale shades of foundation - I love her Moisturising Foundation in Porcelain Ivory. Unfortunately her stuff is very expensive in the UK - around £40 for foundation - so out of reach for most of us, but I think the brand is cheaper in the US.

 

[lframe]

Vitamin D3 is one thing that most women with breast cancer have a very low level of.
I have b/c and now take my D3 everyday.
It is not a "cure all" but the studies are looking promising !!!

I will be thinking of you and sending you lots of love and light babe.

 

[Odile]

I'm another super pale redhead and i just recently discovered Chanel Matte Lumière foundation in Porcelaine--I love it. I've been trying to find a shade that didn't turn me pink, yellow, or orange for years. Its a bit pricey but lasts forever--only problem is my color isn't available in France--apparently no woman in France is as pale as me...

 

[Christi.adell]

I've tried a few different high end foundations but I keep going back to a drugstore brand!
I love Revlon's Colorstay foundation in the palest shade. Some people find it finnicky since it dries quick, but I love it. Great coverage and pretty cheap.

 

[Polka Dot]

Fairest of the fair foundation

My skin recently took a turn for the worse. I'm working to get it clear, but in the meantime I've been using foundation to help cover it up. As a super-pale person, this isn't easy. I do have a few suggestions, though, from the inexpensive to the more pricey. (I'll preface this by saying that a MAC artist once matched my skin as NW15. I bought the foundation, but after I came home and looked at my face in natural light, the NW15 was clearly too dark for my skin. I still like their eyeshadows, but I'll never buy another MAC face product.)

-- Inexpensive: CoverGirl Clean Makeup, Sensitive Skin, 205 Ivory -- I remember trying the Clean makeup about five years ago, and even their lightest shade was an orangey mess on my skin. Apparently CoverGirl reformulated it, and now "Ivory" really is ivory. It's quite pale, and though maybe a bit too pink for me, it works. It's a pretty basic formulation, but if you're hunting for a match for pale skin, it's $5, so it doesn't hurt to try it. It's a real pain getting it out of the bottle, though. Note that this one contains talc and parabens.

-- Mid-range: Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Inspired by Carmindy Your Skin Makeup, 1000-01 Porcelain -- (What a mouthful!) This one is paler than any drugstore makeup I've found (paler than my previous palest, L'Oréal True Match in C1 or N1 -- both of which were a little too dark), and the formulation is really nice. JazzyDame raved about this upthread, and it totally deserves her (and my) praise. It's silicone-based, looks fantastic on the skin, and comes in a nice glass pump bottle. Note, though, that the glass is frosted, and it makes it difficult to determine the color in the drugstore. I found it in a CVS, but I think it's only carried at select CVS and Rite-Aid stores. You can also find it on drugstore.com.


-- High end: FACE atelier Ultra Foundation, Porcelain + Zero Minus -- FACE atelier did something absolutely genius. They sell what amount to toners so that you can modify their foundations for a perfect match. In addition to feeling really nice and being easy to apply, this foundation provides great coverage, looks super nice in photographs, and lasts about 10 hours, longer if you're careful about repowdering your T-zone during the day. The Porcelain shade is actually a bit darker than I would like, but the Zero Minus, which is essentially pure white foundation, allows you to customize the shade to perfectly match your skin. I put about a 2:1 ratio of Porcelain to Zero Minus on my skin, and the color is more perfect than anything I've ever tried. The downside is that you have to buy two bottles of foundation, but the upside is that you get twice as much, and you can use the Zero Minus to customize the shade of other foundations you might have. I really, really love this stuff. My pocketbook wishes this one were less pricey, but I think that I've finally found my perfect foundation. No talc, but it does contain parabens.

 

[TillyMilly]

I'm neutral in tone but leaning to pink. I am about a NW10 in MAC terms and the lightest skin colour in Illamasqua (Sub-brand of Kryolan) which is 115. My favourite foundation is MAC studio stick in NW15 which is actually about NW10- it's been discontinued so i buy it up where I can find it. I've just bought the face and body foundation in N1 and the pure white version to mix with it- I'll let you know how it goes.

Heres some of whats in my kit:

MAC:
-Studio stick NW15- magic!
-Studio finish concealer NW15- great as it doesn't budge
-Studio sculpt concealer NW15- rich texture, I use it under my eyes
-Studio sculpt concealer NW20- a salmon pink colour that I use under my eyes as i actually need a darker colour to cover the blue- lighter shades look odd around my eyes. I did buy the pro colour corrector in peach but it was rubbish (as was the green one)
-Select loose powder in NW15- now discontinued
-Select pressed powder in NW15
- Face and body foundation in N1
- Face and body foundation in white
- Full coverage foundation in white - to mix with concealers
- Set powder in porcelian (white)
-Set powder in dusky rose
-Set powder in invisable
-Pressed Blot powder in light
-Strobe cream
-Primer lotion
-Mineralise powder in light- a bit too yellow for my skin

Studiofix liquid and select liquid oxidise way too much and so does the moisture cover concealer. I have tried the shimmer powders too but find that the glitter is too chunky - so I sold them on. (we can't return tested products in the UK)


Illamasqua:

-Rich liquid in 115- too heavy for everyday use- can use as a liqud concealer
-Light liquid in 115- very powdery and matt
-Gleam cream- has pink undertones
-Loose powder in 115- very silky but heavy coverage
-Pressed powder in 115- very silky but heavy coverage
-Concealer in 115- nice consistency
-Under eye concealer in 115
-satin primer- the matt one is too powdery to wear with thier foundation

I'd like to try the translucent powders and pink powders.

Overall I'd say the MAC can run slightly too dark and the Illamasqua is slightly too light. The MAC has so many textures that you can do natural to heavy coverage but all the Illamasqua products are quite heavy and powdery.

I recently had a mad hour and mixed up a load of my products to make the best shade (I thought) so i didn't have to in the mornings -BUT i mixed it too light and ruined so much stuff- so I'm having to replace it all at great cost! When will i ever learn?

 

[Miss Golightly]

I just started using Bare Minerals Original foundation in Fair and I love it - it's much paler than the Laura Mercier foundation I had been using - this is definitely my favourite foundation to date!

 

[Jasmine Jolene]

i got a department store voucher for my birthday and treated myself to some new and very expensive make up. i have very pale skin, but it leans towards the redder end - apparently i'm a trued 'English Rose' but i think she was just trying to be nice
anyway, i treated myself to Chanel foundation, can't remember the name i'll check but the colour is 10 Albatre. with touche eclat by YSL under my eyes and clinique 03 transparency loose powder i literally get flawless skin, albeit with the massive pores still showing through. i love it, best £60 spent on make up in my book!

i also use lanacane anti chafing gel as a primer and my make up stays put a lot longer

EDIT: teint innocence is the make up, it is quite a light coverage but blends and looks amazing

 

[monicacaroline]

Covergirl Clean Makeup for sensitive skin in Ivory 205. Before this I would just use massive amounts of "translucent" powder because that gave me the closest match.

 

[Jools]

Yves Rocher Soft Noire #01. Actually too light for me., I look iike a Kabuki dancer in this makeup, unless it's the dead of winter. I usually wear Estee Lauder foundation.

 

[Lenore]

I snagged some of this myself. It's nice to have my face match my neck again. LOL

 

[Antje]

Yves Rocher Soft Noire #01. Actually too light for me., I look iike a Kabuki dancer in this makeup, unless it's the dead of winter. I usually wear Estee Lauder foundation.

I'm curious about that one, at the moment I have maybeline with airbrush finish, it is ok but I like it to be more pale, I always use affinitone pressed powder in the lighest shade on top of my foundation, it's also from maybeline

 

[Frenchy56]

Whilst I don't have porcelain skin, I am very fair, and I find almost all cheaper foundations to be very dark/orangey.

The best, and palest, foundation I have ever found is Revlon Colorstay in Ivory. This foundation is amazing, it gives near flawless coverage and does. not. come. off. until you take it off. It doesn't transfer or rub off onto clothes. It seems to stop shine breakthrough more than most others. And best of all, the ivory is really pale, and not orange-toned. It comes in two types to match skin type. I would 100% recommend it, especially for those with very oily skin, and/or those who want a foundation which just goes the distance. If the Ivory is too pale for you then Buff, the next shade up, is a pale creamy beige that I wear most of the time. Again, no orange tone.

Only downside is that you need to properly remove it, rubbing your face haphazardly with a wipe is not gonna get rid of it. Plus if you're really on a budget like me, then the £12 pricetag is a bit much, especially if you wear makeup everyday. But I wholeheartedly recommend it regardless.

I have also found GOSH's Xceptional Wear foundation in Porcelain to be an almost exact match for the Colorstay in Ivory, it might even be paler. It don't think it performs as well but it's £4 cheaper.