Foundation of the future

The beauty industry has recently been swarmed by claims of ‘super’ foundations that can magically transform your skin. It would seem that foundation can do anything nowadays; from camouflaging all manner of sins to making you look ten years younger—is there anything this product can’t achieve?

Earlier this year Yves Saint Laurent launched their Fusion Ink Foundation to a waiting list of around 12000 people, with much of the hype surrounding the claim that it uses NASA-inspired technology. As stated in Vogue, YSL have used the same lipophilic actives that were first used in space to capture stellar dust particles. The Fusion Foundation uses the same technology to keep skin matte for longer, as the honeycomb structure of the particles allows for higher absorption of sebum. To put it simply: your skin stays matte without the dry patches often associated with mattifying foundations. Although the scientific claims of this product seem a little far-fetched, it has received outstanding reviews across beauty blogs and Makeupalley.com, who agree that the texture and coverage meet the impeccable standards expected of a high-end beauty brand—although perhaps not quite the ‘out of this world’ effect one would expect from an association with astronauts.

On a more accessible level (both budget-wise and scientifically), the launch of Boots’ No. 7 Foundation Match Made Service saw the introduction of a handheld device to accurately read the colour tones of your skin and closely match them to a No. 7 foundation. By picking up whether you have pink or yellow-toned pigmentation, and the deepness of the shade of these pigments, the device is said to be far more reliable than the eye of the sales assistant or customer. This futuristic device is great for shortening the amount of time spent in Boots pondering over whether you are more ivory than bronze, providing a far less subjective opinion (and meaning you’re not still clinging to the summer tan shade that is definitely too orange for winter).
So, the future of the foundation is bright (but not orange), with precisely matched shades for every skin tone, and a constitution compatible with every complexion. Although we may stick to Boots for our personal research and purchasing, the adoption of scientific research into foundation has proved successful and necessary in order to create a foundation fit for every skin type.