What’s lightweight, covers imperfections like a master painter’s brush and flatters faces with a flawless, natural-looking matte finish?
Is it A) your beloved Jason Voorhees mask from Friday the 13th, B) Tabs the cat or C) the $42 Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation?
If you answered C, yay! 🙂 Count yourself among the lucky crew of Skin Base fanatics.
I just recently discovered this full-coverage, hydrating foundation, and dang if it’s not all kinds of awesome, blossom.
I’ve been wearing it off and on for the past few weeks, both in pics here on the blog and out and about (Trader Joe’s pumpkin madness, y’all!), and I’m finding myself reaching for it more and more often when it comes time to put on my warpaint.
Illamasqua refers to Skin Base as “the ultimate foundation” and claims the moisturizing, matte formula smooths skin, controls shine and creates a skin-matched finish that still looks natural. Heck, they say it’s even undetectable in HD footage (ooh, I wanna give that a try…)!
Sounds like a lot of hype, right? Well, you know what? I’m a believer.
Skin Base covers everything — EVERYTHING! — yet still feels as light as a soft breeze…
Okay, maybe it’s not that lightweight, but it sure feels light for a full-coverage foundation. It never feels like a caked-on, thick paste, or like a mask I can’t wait to peel off at the end of the day. I think it’s just really, really comfortable.
And it’s just so easy to use! I plop one little dollop on the back of my hand, pick it up with my intrepid Hourglass Foundation Brush, and buff it into the skin on my face.
Then, I’ll usually set it with Chanel’s Natural Finish Loose Powder, and when I’m done, I end up with the skin I wish I’d been born with — about as flawless as it can get.
There are 17 shades to choose from, so you stand a good chance of finding a match. I wear shade 12, which is a deep olive with yellow undertones, and even though a 1-ounce bottle costs $42, it should last a while. With semi-regular use, I’m thinking 6-8 months.
Skin Base is my new favorite liquid foundation, and I plan to spend a lot of time with it this fall and winter. It’s a perfect companion for matte lips, smokey eyes and many of the dressier makeup looks I love to wear this time of year.
Load up the truck ’cause we’re headin’ to Nashville!
My dumb-@ss insomnia was in full effect last night, so I stopped fighting it and watched that new Nashville show with Connie Britton and Hayden Panettiere.
Ever since my 73-episode Friday Night Lights marathon, I’ve been obsessed — OBSESSED — with Connie Britton. Sure, she had a great character, but I also think she’s gorgeous (love her hair) and seems like she’d be a cool person to hang out with.
In Nashville, Connie and Hayden play dueling country music singers and, I’m not entirely sure, but I think they might actually be doing their own singing in the show. Connie’s character sang this song, No One Will Ever Love You, at the end of the episode I watched last night that I can’t get out of my head.
Doesn’t it sound like her voice?
Such a hauntingly beautiful song, and it just might be enough to get me hooked on the show.
WARNING: Do not listen to it if you’re PMS-ing or nursing a broken heart, because it’ll turn on the waterworks like WOW!
The Unsung Heroes series, a long-running series here on Makeup and Beauty Blog, features some of my favorite permanent collection products from a variety of brands.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
I’ve been eyeing this for quite a while now and your review just put this on the top of my list! The only problem is ordering the right shade online!
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Hi Ankita,
Hmmm…I think I might have some time this afternoon to grab some swatches. Let me see what I can do. 🙂
Ankita–
If I remember correctly, Illamasqua has a really handy chart that you can download on their site to cross-reference with many popular foundations to find your perfect shade.
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Nice! I guess you get what you pay for if it’s that wonderful 🙂 Gonna have to try it out!
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Hi Erica,
It’s a great foundation. What are you wearing right now? Is it something I need to try?
Oh dear Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation. You are perfect. Never change.
Seriously, there are no words to express how much I love this foundation. Not only did I finally find a texture I like in a foundation (I’m so incredibly picky) but I also found a perfect match to my ridiculously pale skin – they go up to white in the light spectrum. And it’s great for performing: I used it for our production and after three hours of sweating like mad I needed hardly any touchups. Score!
Hi Karen,
What color do you wear? Glad to know it’s good for the stage too! Not that I’m gonna be on one anytime soon, but hey, you never know!
Have it and love it! You’re right. I picked this up on a whim because I was in Sephora and when I switched Shade SB15, it matched perfectly! I was so impressed I ran to the cash register (also to avoid buying anything else) 🙂
Hi Fieran,
NICE. What do you use to set it with?
I rotate between MAC’s Prep+Prime powder or Bobbi Brown’s Sheer Finish loose powder.
Karen, you look so amazing! 🙂
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Thanks, babe. It’s the foundation doing its thang!
Very nice finish! I think I have too many fine hairs on my face to get such a smooth look, though. Great – now I feel like a Monchichi. Except they had bare faces. But seriously, I even have to rub in my Tarte a lot, so full coverage scares me (in terms of looking streaky or fake). That said, when I see how awesome it looks on you, I’m very tempted.
PS I don’t know how anyone listens to country music. After 10 seconds I’m usually crying or in a deep state of depression. Those folks know how to express a broken heart and elicit some empathy! 🙂
I remember those Monchichis! They scared me when I was a kid!
Soo…I’ve been listening to this song on repeat all afternoon. I feel like I need a beer. Or a hug. Or both, LOL!
Didn’t break you out or anything? I’d been looking at this, but: A) choosing colors online is hard, although for me I just pick whatever’s pale and not too pink or yellow and B) I’m breakout/reaction-prone.
Hi Chelsea,
So far no breakouts (knock on wood!). BTW, they also have a white shade in this line, which should probably help to lighten any existing colors!
Karen, your earrings! Where did you buy them, they’re soooo pretty! You look like a princess in these pictures. Karen,…the duchess of make-up 😀
Aww, thanks Lilly! My earrings are by Kate Spade. I got them a few seasons ago, so I don’t know if they’re still available in stores. I’ve heard from some gals that they’ve seen them at the Kate Spade outlet, though.
I will check it out, thank you – my duchess!!! 🙂
Karen, it looks so pretty on you! How do you think it would hold up on uber-oily skin?
Hi Kellie,
You’ll probably need to layer an oil-controlling primer beneath it and pop a blotting powder on top. 🙂 Let me know if you have any other questions…always happy to help!
Your skin looks awesome in the photos, Karen!
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Thanks, Rads. 🙂 What foundation are you using these days?
This foundation sounds awesome! Must really give it a try, I just hope I’ll be able to pick the right shade when I’ll be ordering it online.
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Hi Gio,
It’s a really, really great product. I hope you love it!
I really wanted this one for a while but I decided against it because I have very oily skin. But now I really want it again after reading this post. It controls oil? Do you think it will be good for my oily skin, Karen? Thank you in advance!
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Hi Becca,
Yes, it cuts down the shine. If you’re super oily, you’ll probably need to layer an oil-controlling primer beneath and then pop a blotting powder on top though.
I have 4.5, and while I love how it feels and wears, I think it’s a HAIR dark for me – I wish 4 was available at Sephora so I could compare! (I actually bought 3.5, thought it was too pink, and exchanged for 4.5, which has yellow undertones.) I think part of my problem is that my neck is WHITE (visibly lighter than my face even with no foundation) and nothing looks quite right against it.
Hi BeckBeck,
Hmm, how about mixing in the white shade that Illamasqua offers in this same line? That might help lighten up the color for you. Here’s a link:
Thank you for this post! Ive been wanting to know what color i wouldve been (im the same skin color as you)… Now i must try this out for sure!
You’re welcome, Yesenia. I hope you like this foundation! It’s wonderful. 🙂
What’s your skin type, btw? Are you combo dry/oily, too?
yes I am :)! With winter coming, my skin is getting crazy, but I think I found my HG moisturizer (burtbees intense hydration day lotion.
Hi Karen,
This comes just in time as my MAC foundation just ran out. Per your recommendation, I also have the MAC face and body foundation on the list. If you have to compare the 2 and can only pick one, which one would it be and why? Many thanks!!
That foundation looks great on you! So natural. I tried it and I love the finish, but the undertone is completely wrong for me 🙁
Hi Karen,
you look really gorgeous in these pics, I was wondering what lippie you were wearing?? Thanks
Wish I could see this in real life in my area, heard someone say the chart on the website isnt what it’s cracked up to be.
I love Nashville too, I used to live there (makes me homesick) and I dont even like country. I love that everyone does their own singing too and not a lipsynch.
Karen, it looks fab on you. Do you recommend it for us gals in our 40’s? My normal foundations are light formulas. I have never been a full coverage foundation kind of girl.But I am sure using a beauty blender can help sheer it out if needed to be!
I have combo skin but this foundation looks amazing!
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I’ve seen this line before but never really stopped to take a close look. Next time I will. Thanks!
i saved this on my shopping list in Sephora! i’ll grab a sample next time i’m there…
I love this foundation! I a, the fairest of fair and their no.2 foundation is my perfect match (no.1 being white!). I will say it’s important to moisturise before hand and I recommend a primer because it can dry quickly upon application 5/5!