Ever since my Sayuki foundation ran out, I've been on the hunt for at least one reliable foundation. Ideally I wanted to find a few that would work out, especially after talking to Makeup Remastered and having her remind me that a foundation wardrobe is something worth trying to build! You can read up on how to build a foundation wardrobe on the Neiman Marcus blog, HERE, written by the Beauty Professor. 

I tried a couple of powder foundations and didn't like them at all. One was the the bareMinerals Blemish Remedy Acne Clearing Foundation, and the other one was the Tarte Amazonian Clay Airbrush Foundation. Both felt really drying and didn't apply well over flakey patches. 

I don't know why but I have it stuck in my head that I'll love a powder foundation. Seems so quick and easy, but I never end up liking them. Ok, maybe I almost liked the Laura Mercier one (beautiful finish!), but it didn't wear well and I had to mix colors. Anyway...I decided to go back to trying liquids and to also finding a replacement for my Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick (old version). I decided to try the Tom Ford Traceless Perfecting Foundation SPF15, Tom Ford Traceless Foundation Stick and the Charlotte Tilbury Light Wonder. Lots of stuff to get through, so here we goooooooo :-)

***All items purchased by me. Affiliate Links Included.

Tom Ford Traceless Perfecting Foundation SPF15, $80/1oz @ Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's, Saks

I spent a good few days agonizing over which color to get since both Beauty Professor and The Beauty Look Book said this runs a little darker than same name colors in the other Tom Ford foundations. I had been matched to 03 Fawn in the Traceless Foundation Stick, so that's where I started. Ultimately I ended up ordering 03 Fawn, since the next lighter colors all looked like they might be too light especially from the detailed shade descriptions from Beauty Professor's (hers is the most detailed post, and she has shade descriptions and swatches of every color). 03 Fawn is a tiny bit darker than is ideal, but once blended out I don't notice it at all. At some point when I find myself near a Tom Ford counter I'll swatch a couple of other colors just to see. But honestly, I haven't find a need to return it for the color because I'm pretty happy with it :-)

I find this to be a solid, medium cover foundation that can be build up in areas where I need more coverage without looking like a pancake. It also can be sheered out a bit, but I think it's pretty pigmented so it's definitely not near the tinted moisturizer category. This mostly covers the pigmentation issues on my cheeks (not entirely, but enough to make me happy when I add another layer), but I have a few old acne marks that I still use the Laura Mercier Secret Camo. Even though this is a medium coverage foundation, I feel like it still looks like my skin...just a lot more even!

The finish is natural...and a natural, natural...not dewy natural or luminous natural...just natural! I find this dries a little more quickly than others I've tried, so I do work in smaller areas and also blend out right away. So I apply from under one eye, down to a little on my neck and 1/2 my nose and mouth area...then blend with the Tom Ford Foundation brush right away. Then I do the other side the same way and blend. Then I do my forehead and blend. The blending right away is important, as I've found if I don't do it immediately then it's already dried when I try to go back later and won't blend so well. I haven't tried this with a Beauty Blender, but other reviewers have said it works really well. 

This stuff wears like a champ. Seriously. It's fantastic!! It doesn't even crack or separate around my more oily areas like around my mouth and sides of my nose...and that's after a good 12+ hour day. That said it does depend on what you put underneath - it tends to separate a little if I wear it over my Vichy sunscreen, so I try to reserve this for days I'm not wearing that particular product, or have a shorter day. Otherwise it has amazing wear over all my other skincare! 

This has a twist up pump that still gives you some control over how much is dispensed. Plus no annoying cap to lose! Oh, I forgot to mention that I don't feel like I need to powder/set this foundation at all. It seems to wear just as well with or without powdering. Though if you have more oily skin then you might have a different experience? 

Bottom line, I'm very happy with this foundation!! It has the coverage I've been looking for, without sacrificing finish or comfortable feel. Highly recommend trying this foundation, especially if you are looking to less dewy/glowy options into the Fall and Winter. 

Below are the ingredients...

Next up...

Tom Ford Traceless Foundation Stick in 03 Fawn, $80/.5oz @ Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's, Saks

I've wanted to try this for a very long time!! Finally decided to get it after I loved the Traceless Perfecting foundation. 03 Fawn is a spot on match, so that is a big plus in my book! This is definitely a heavier cover foundation. It can be sheered out a little, but like the Traceless Perfecting Foundation it's definitely not in the tinted moisturizer category. 

I love that I can apply this quickly and don't really have to think about it. I swipe, blend out with my fingers to warm the product up and then do a quick once over with the Tom Ford Foundation Brush to make sure there are no streaks and it's well blended. Once applied this is very comfortable to wear, but during application I can 'feel' it more than other foundations. Not bad at all because it sensation quickly goes away, but something to be aware of. I'd say this has a natural finish as well, but I do feel like this one moves around a little and I need to set it with powder especially around my nose and mouth. I don't use this as an everyday foundation, but rather on days that I'm running errands or something and don't need something that will be perfect all day. 

I do really like that this can double as a spot concealer (think it'd be too heavy for the under eye area), but it's not as hearty/long lasting as the Laura Mercier Secret Camo. It can also be built up a little, and it does really well to even out my eye lids when I don't want to wear shadow. Ok, so I know this doesn't sound like a raving review, but it's exactly what I expected and what I wanted - something quick and easy that's no fuss!! 

Ingredient list below...

And last...

Charlotte Tilbury Light Wonder in 3 Fair, $45/1.4oz @ Nordstrom, Bergdorf Goodman

To expand my foundation wardrobe, I really wanted something that had a little more luminosity to it. On my skin this isn't exactly what I'd call luminous, but it does have a bit more ooompf than the Tom Ford Traceless Perfecting Foundation. The coverage is light, but is buildable where I need coverage - I can get it to almost a medium coverage on my pigmented cheeks. 

What I really love about this foundation is that I can apply this really quickly - it's even faster than using the Tom Ford Foundation Stick, and I don't find it streaky at all...in other words I don't feel the need to go over it with a foundation brush to make sure it's blended (though I sometimes do, just as a precaution). It's also great to give a tiny bit of coverage to my undereye area, as well as my lids. 

This is an easy, breezy foundation that I was surprised to like as much as I do! Lately, I've been wearing it more than either of the Tom Ford foundations! Plus, you get almost 1.5x the amount of product vs. other brands...not too shabby. And the tube is sleek enough for travel :-)   

Oh, about the color range...it seems a bit limited. The color I have 3 Fair, is definitely the right depth of color, but is a little too pink. This melds really well into the skin though, so I don't notice it that much. Nonetheless, I'm hoping at some point she'll expand the range to include more yellow based colors. 

Ingredient list below...

Onto swatches!!!

For comparison, I also swatched Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation in Warm Sand 2.5. It's a little dark for me, but Sand 2.0 seems to light. I can still make Warm Sand work, but out of the 4 foundations, it matches my skin the least. In the below swatches it probably seems close in depth to the TF Traceless Perfecting Foundation (or TF may seem even darker), but the TF is more yellow & blends more seamlessly. Even after blending, the Bobbi Brown is visible & I can tell where I've applied it & where I haven't - I don't usually apply foundation to my forehead or directly on my nose (but do apply to areas around my nose where I get redness).

So here are the colors:

Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation in Warm Sand 2.5

Tom Ford Traceless Perfecting Foundation SPF15 in 03 Fawn

Tom Ford Traceless Foundation Stick in 03 Fawn - My best, near spot on match

Charlotte Tilbury Light Wonder in 03 Fair

I did take swatch pictures in outdoor sunlight, but they turned out too warm and not remotely true to color. Even with tweaking it just ended up looking funny. So here are the swatches in shade and with daylight bulbs. 

Outdoor shade. 

In this one you can tell how much pinker the Charlotte Tilbury is.

Outdoor shade. 

Here you can also see how yellow the Tom Ford Traceless Perfecting Foundation is. 

Daylight bulbs.

Daylight Bulbs. 

Soooooo...I have to say 3/3 foundations is a really big accomplishment!! I seriously can't believe that I've been enjoying all 3 so much, because I usually have so many problems with irritation and such. But I am very happy with these purchases, and wouldn't hesitate to buy any of them again. They are different, each with their little quirks and loves...but they also have earned a spot in my newly minted foundation wardrobe! Very exciting!!! 

Have you tried any of these foundations? What did you think? What products have made it into your foundation wardrobe??