Laura Kennedy's top five foundations for €35 and under

Full coverage foundation remains a stalwart favourite; and it isn’t hard to see why. Done well, it can result in that perfect, mannequin skin finish that looks almost plastic. Done badly, it can look like a cakey mask.

Either way, it’s going to hide all manner of sins. Rather than wearing it all over the face, I recommend using it as a concealing product in areas you might want to cover. The best quality full coverage bases can easily creep up over the €40 mark. Here are five for €35 or under that will take you from summer to winter and any bad skin days you may have in the meantime.

Kat Von D Lock-It Liquid Foundation (€34.50)

Famed tattoo artist Kat Von D is known for her flawless makeup as well as her artistic skill. She has brought her creativity to her incredibly popular makeup range. This foundation is like a veil of perfect skin for the face. It stays put, is cruelty-free and comes in a generous shade range.

Urban Decay All Nighter Full Coverage Longwear Liquid Foundation (€35)

All Nighter is not what you’d expect. Where full coverage tends to denote heavy, creamy textures, this light liquid is more like an ink for the face. It sets fully – making it better for oilier skin than dry – comes in a vast range of shades and stays put for hours of flawless coverage.

What I learned while shopping: Girls are babes. Boys are leaders

---

The best travel beauty products: ‘I haven’t been stopped yet’

---

Old-fashioned grandeur back in vogue for autumn/winter

---

Black Up Paris Full Coverage Cream Foundation (€35)

Black Up Paris is a range designed specifically for deep skin tones. This full coverage foundation has great hold, but is better suited to oilier skins as it is oil-free. It will sit slightly in drier skin, but if suited to your skin type will give serious coverage.

NYX Invincible Fullest Coverage Foundation (€16.25)

NYX straddles the line between the luxury of high-end and the pragmatism of pharmacy brands incredibly well. This means what its packaging declares – fullest coverage. It can feel heavy and mask-like on the skin and will require a touch of blush, highlighter and (optional) contouring to put dimension back into the face after flattening the complexion to one hue. That said, if you’re willing to put in the work, the coverage is flawless.

MAC Studio Fix Fluid (€32)

This old favourite will never leave my makeup bag. Especially for Irish consumers, MAC released this some years ago in shade nc10 – a porcelain hue lighter than many of their other formulations. It suits the Celtic complexion beautifully. Expect a soft, semi matte (as opposed to the usual flat matte of full coverage) finish that is buildable from medium to full.