Make-Up: Face Atelier Ultra Foundation

I've been wanting to share this little treasure with you for a while. If you spend most of your beauty budget on trying to find the perfect foundation, Face Atelier's Ultra Foundation (£32 at Cult Beauty) could be the one that sets you free!

Face Atelier Ultra Foundation: the coverage

This foundation is so light on the skin but, thanks to it's strong pigments, doesn't require ten layers if you prefer a heavy coverage. The first layer gives a decent medium/full coverage, but you can layer it up easily for a full coverage without caking. This is down to the silicone blend, creating a sort of "breathable second skin" which blurs imperfections.

My personal experience with Face Atelier

I for one would put my hand on my heart and back up those claims! Last year I had a relatively severe bout of acne which made my sensitive skin sore and red. It completely destroyed my confidence and I spent a hefty amount of my free time looking for a foundation that would allow me to forget about my complexion. It's not just about coverage - for a full day out of the house you need staying power, which is difficult with acne-prone skin where make-up tends to slide. You don't want spots to be highlighted; the "blur" effect is vital.

I'd actually used a sample I received as I had run out of make-up, and took myself for a walk in the blustery Cardiff weather to relieve a bit of exam stress. When I got home I was expecting to see a mess in the mirror, so was amazed that the make-up had actually stayed put!

This is a photo of me that day, untouched, wearing the foundation with my acne condition:

I was honestly amazed. For the moment my acne is very much under control, but I still use this as my evening foundation. A little goes a long way and, being water-resistant, it honestly does not budge all night. (I got in at 7am this morning and was still relatively fresh-faced, except for some cheeky dark circles!) Plus, it always photographs beautifully - according to the Cult Beauty website this is one of the favourites for make-up artists to the stars.

Face Atelier Ultra Foundation: 2 Ivory 

I bought the second shade, Ivory, which you can see both heavily swatched and blended above. I'm really impressed with the range of shades for this foundation: normally I'd be the lightest colour without question! Plus, the product comes in 13 shades, also catering to black and olive complexions.

Bonus: if you're still unhappy with the shade but love the foundation, Face Atelier has brought out 3 additional products that allow you to mix your perfect colour. Ultra Foundation Heat (£32) will warm up your foundation and is particularly recommended for darker skins, as is Ultra Foundation Zero Plus Plus (£32). Ultra Foundation Zero Minus (£32) will lighten the shade without adding and cool or warm tones. These could obviously be used with any of your other foundations, as well, which could really open up the beauty shelves to you!

Face Atelier Ultra Foundation Ingredients List

So, there we have it. Can't fault this one. I'm aware that this is much more of a rave review than you may be used to from me, but sometimes you come across a product that you just have to give credit to! If you're interested, you can get in touch with Cult Beauty for some samples before you buy - each of mine lasted me a good week!

Think you can top Face Atelier for the best foundation? Let me know your thoughts!