current favorite foundations (2015)

I am a bit of a beauty product junkie so I try a lot of makeup even though I don't wear that much.  Like my mascara hunt, I'm always looking for the perfect foundation/base yet I'm not even sure that really exists.  Many factors can alter how foundation works - your skin type, your hormones, how hydrated you are, the weather, etc.  But after several years of active searching, the following is a list of my current favorites.

First, I should describe my skin type and what I look for in a foundation.

• I have normal/combination skin, with a slightly oily T-zone and I am prone to hormonal breakouts that can leave slight scarring.  I don't really have dark under eye circles but I have slight redness around my nose and mouth.
• I prefer a satiny finish that is semi-matte on my nose but dewy and natural looking everywhere else.  I'm a bit lazy so I'm not good about touching up throughout the day so I look for long-lasting formulas that are not cakey or heavy.

Current favorites (in no particular order):

Estee Lauder Double Wear Light - Stay-in-Place Makeup (in 2.0).

This is probably my most reliable foundation.  I always bring it with me for business and personal travel because I know it will look good, keep my nose matte, and last all day and night, if necessary.  The coverage is medium, but buildable to full.  The normal Double Wear is way too heavy for me but does have amazing coverage.  I get plenty of coverage from the "Light" version.  There is a light SPF, but I wouldn't rely on this as sun protection.

It can be a little bit dry for me during the winter months or after a long flight, so I always moisturize well before applying and I usually apply it with a damp Beauty Blender sponge.

itCosmetics CC+ Color Correcting Full Coverage Cream (SPF50+) (in Medium).

I wear this a lot throughout the year, but especially during warmer months because it has SPF50 which is pretty awesome.  The finish is very natural and glowy.  The coverage is probably light to medium but it feels very comfortable on the skin and is filled with some sort of anti-aging serum that allegedly has skincare benefits.  It lasts about 6 hours but I do set with powder and a setting spray (Skindanavia).

Depending on my mood, I will apply this with my fingers, a foundation brush or a Beauty Blender.  I often add a pump of this to my more mattifying foundations (such as the Hourglass Immaculate) to make them less dull and flat. 

Note - Don't get the Illuminating version unless you are very dry and like the strobing look.  It made me look almost sparkly which was weird.  

Perricone MD Cosmeceuticals No Foundation Foundation Serum (only comes in one shade, I think).

As this only comes in one shade, this probably isn't useful for those who are super fair or super tan.  Fortunately for me, the shade seems to work perfectly for my skin tone.  This has light to medium coverage and provides an incredibly natural healthy look that  is slightly matte but not flat.  It lasts all day .. probably longer than the itCosmetics CC Cream.  

Since it's so wet and liquid-y, I usually will just put about 2 drops in my palm, and then work it into my skin with fingers.  Let it set a little bit before applying the rest of your makeup.

Hourglass Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation (in Ivory).

This foundation works better in hot weather since it can be a bit on the dry side.  The finish can also be a little flat for my taste, but if I add a pump of the itCosmetics CC Cream, it is almost perfect, especially when blended in with a Beauty Blender.  

This would be recommended for oilier skin types.  Get color-matched at Sephora because I would never have picked "Ivory" for me based on the online swatches.

DiorSkin Nude Air Serum de Teint (in 30).

I usually save this foundation for night time or specific events that I know won't last all day, because it is not particularly long-lasting (maybe 5 hours with proper setting).  But the finish is incredibly  lovely so the tradeoff is worth it to me.  Medium coverage and feels very light on the skin.

Finger application seems to work best with this foundation.

Other foundations that I've tried (with mini reviews):

• Laura Mercier Silk Creme (the original) in Bamboo - This leaves a gorgeous, skin like finish, but it does take more work to apply properly and feels a bit heavy on the skin.  It's necessary to warm the formula with your fingers thoroughly and then apply quickly to the face before it sets.  If I wear this for too many consecutive days, I will break out a little which is unfortunate since the end result is so nice.  I think I wore this on my wedding day.
• Laura Mercier Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide in Macadamia - For some odd reason this finish always felt a bit off to me, but no one else can see it when I ask them.  I also seem to break out if I wear this one, so I'm definitely not repurchasing this.
• ByTerry Cover-Expert  in Vanilla Beige - This was quite disappointing especially for such an expensive product.  The finish was OK, but seemed to fade quickly and break up around my nose area within a couple of hours.
• Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation - This looked nice for the first 30 minutes but then would start getting greasy on me.  I think I ended up passing this onto someone else.
• Bare Minerals Mineral Powder Foundation (original formula) - I used this for years and still do enjoy how easy it is to use and travel with, but it can also get a bit too oily during the summer months and accentuate pores.
• Lancome Teint Idole - One of the rare products I actually returned.  This oxidized horribly on me and didn't look natural at all.  But it does last forever...
• Chanel Aqua Lumiere - This looked very pretty but just faded quickly.  I think I ended up passing this onto a friend.

I don't normally get drugstore foundations because it's too difficult to color-match and I always worry they will break me out.  I did try the CoverGirl 3in1 foundation a while back and it covered well and was super longlasting, but after several wears I did feel like I was getting clogged pores so I gave it away.

Right now I'm in a pretty good place in terms of my base makeup.  But if you have any awesome recommendations, I'm all ears!  (As I noted above, I am a beauty junkie after all...)  I'm a bit tempted to try the Nars Sheer Glow and the new Burberry foundation - anybody try them yet?