I have officially found my holy grail foundation! Almay’s Clear Complexion foundation with Blemish Clear Technology is simply amazing! It’s been a while since I’ve bought a liquid foundation that wasn’t from MAC, so I was a little nervous that I may end up being unhappy with it – fear of the unknown foundation.

Foundations are generally the one product that women struggle with the most when it comes to buying make-up products.  Foundations cost quite a bit, and if you buy the wrong shade, you can’t wear it. Getting the right shade or texture or finish can be a very challenging task, especially if you feel overwhelmed by all of the different products out there. Many women buy a new foundation that’s the incorrect shade and they end up looking sickly pale or orange. Many women also give up searching and stop wearing foundation. When a women finds a foundation that’s perfect, more often than not they become very loyal to the make-up brand.

Don’t be afraid to ask beauty assistants in stores for help. I have met some pretty helpful assistants (and some terrible ones too unfortunately). Tell the assistant what you are looking for in a foundation – full coverage, light coverage, SPF, longwearing, mattifying etc. I generally look for a foundation that is light, mattifying, has an SPF, and won’t irritate my skin. My skin has a cool tone, so I need to wear foundation shade developed for that. If I wear a foundation shade for warm tones, I end up looking yellow.

If you are unsure of the foundation that the assistant has recommended, go home and read some reviews online or watch video about it. I love watching videos or reading reviews from other bloggers! The other option is asking friends what they use.

When you want to match foundation to your skin tone, don’t apply it to the top of your hands. (I am so guilty of this!) Apply it to your jawline (don’t wear make-up when doing this test), and if you want to make absolutely sure it’s a good match, take a walk outside and check your face in natural light. The lights in stores are not ideal for matching foundations to your skin tone. If you are still unsure, go home and ask a friend or family member if the colour looks right. Don’t ever feel bullied into buying a product.

The day I bought this foundation, the assistant at Clicks was not interested in the slightest in helping me in the make-up section. I’ve never worn Almay make-up, so I’m pretty new to the brand’s products. The first thing that caught my eye when looking at all the different foundations was that this one has Blemish Clear Technology. As someone who struggles with problem skin, I was keen to try this. I tested a few shades on my hand (naughty me!), and once I had chosen 300 Naked, I walked around the store for at least 10 minutes while deciding whether take a chance and buy it or not. Eventually I made up my mind and walked to the till and paid.

Since day 1 I’ve been singing this foundation’s praises. It’s a little thicker than what I would usually use, but feels light, smoothes evenly, and also starts mattifying my skin immediately once applied. I couldn’t believe my eyes the first time I wore this foundation to work and checked my make-up after lunch – it still looked perfect! My make-up looked freshly applied, and my skin didn’t look oily or feel irritated. I thought that may be a fluke, so wore it every day for a week after that day. Still, the same results every time.

I’ve been so happy with this particular foundation that I went back to Clicks and bought a second bottle. Lucky for me, there was an Almay promotion so I received a mascara with the foundation, and the offer was at a discounted price.

Out of all of the foundations I’ve tried, this is definitely my holy grail foundation.