Best Budget-Friendly Foundations to Use in the Scorching PH Weather
- A Lifestyle Affair
- Oct 14, 2020
- 8 min read
Hey guys! So as a make-up lover, I'll often wear make-up when I go out. And I always love an excuse for me to get dolled up. Being someone who likes to wear make-up at times, I have faced criticisms for wearing too much of it or being mocked because I would show up with a full face of make-up. I know people would talk about how much make-up I wore behind my back and frankly, I don't care. I didn't care then and I don't give a damn about it now.
I wear make-up because make-up is one way for me to express my artistic side and helps boost my confidence. I'm not wearing make-up;
1.) to impress a guy that I like,
2.) because I like the attention, and
3.) I'm definitely not wearing make-up just to get people to talk about me.
I wear make-up for ME. I wear it because I like putting it on, the way it makes me feel, and because it's a part of me that I should not have to explain to judgmental people! (So for those Karens criticizing girls for wearing make-up and mocking them for not going 'natural', feel free to skip this post. We don't need your negativity).
(Sorry. I just had to let all that out 'cause it's sad to see that people are still shaming other girls for wearing make-up. Now back to the article!)
One of the biggest problems I have when wearing make-up in the Philippines is finding a foundation that won't feel heavy, sticky, and eventually cakey in the scorching Ph heat. Believe me, I have gone through a LOT of products before settling to my top 1.
Sharing is caring so let me present to you my top 5 picks of foundation that will work in our weather. The list is arranged in descending order and I've added a selfie after every entry to showcase what the foundation looked like on my face.
Note: There were no filters used when I took these selfies and my face has no edits whatsoever (Please excuse my face in some pictures but those selfies were required to showcase how the foundations looked and how the texture of my face was when I wore those. You also can see how my make-up skills improved over time. Though, I'm still learning. LOL).
5. Maybelline Dream Velvet Matte Foundation
Dream Velvet whips a fresh gel into a velvet-soft texture. This product is water-based with 2x more water making the skin feel fresh with 12 hours lasting hydration. The complexion is perfected and smooth with a velvety soft-matte finish. This foundation gives off a sheer to medium coverage.
Why I like it: My skin doesn't feel dry when I wear it 'cause it's water-based. It's also very lightweight so if you want to have that natural feeling, this foundation would be great for you. This foundation also doesn't feel sticky (again, 'cause it's mostly water-based). This foundation would be a great fit for those who have oily skin type.
Cons: It doesn't cover up too much and it doesn't feel buildable. Although it says up to medium coverage, it really didn't give me results enough to be called as 'medium coverage'. This foundation wouldn't really cover much dark spots or blemishes on your skin so you would really have to use a lot of concealer to cover it up.
Price: Php 499.00 (LazMall)
Selfie using the foundation: As you can see, there are blemishes visible and the foundation didn't really cover it up much. The bags under my eyes are also noticeable because the coverage of the foundation wasn't that great. The background was blurred for this picture but there was no edit on my face.
4. Mary Kay Timewise Luminous/Matte Wear Liquid Foundation
This foundation is infused with vitamin E and a blend of peptides giving the result of instantly firmer, younger, and healthier-looking skin. It’s the perfect age-fighting foundation, visibly reducing the appearance of pores, fine lines, wrinkles, and skin imperfections.
Why I like it: It comes in two types: Luminous (for normal to dry skin) and Matte (for oily and combination skin). Since I have a normal skin type, I use the two foundations interchangeably. For example, when I'm going out during the day, I would use the matte one because the matte is better in humid weather. Meanwhile, when I'm going out during the night, I would use the luminous one to give off a subtle, and natural glow.
This foundation is probably the priciest out of everything here on this list but it is definitely worth it because it is very lightweight and I absolutely LOVE the finish of it. It applies smoothly, it's seamless, and it's also available in 23 shades. A little also goes a long way with this bad boy.
Cons: The price. Obviously, if you're on a budget, this foundation might be a little too heavy for you. Also, if you put on a little too much of the product or don't set it with powder properly, it has a tendency to cake.
Price: Php 800-1,500 (Luminous is more expensive than Matte)
Selfie using the foundation: In this picture, I used the matte version. I used a little too much of the foundation and as you can observe, it's starting to cake a bit in the T-zone and chin area. But the coverage is amazing since I have really dark under eyes and this foundation really helped cover it a lot.
3. Wet & Wild Photofocus Foundation
This foundation delivers flawless camera-ready makeup every time. It is specially made with a matte, light-diffusing complex to give your skin #nofilter perfection.
Why I like it: It is CRUELTY-FREE. This product definitely gives off a medium to full coverage finish and I'm saying full coverage because it is very buildable. Based on experience, I can say that it really does live up to its marketing description. When I had this foundation on, there wasn't any white cast in my photos 😂. If you're the type of person who likes to take selfies, you should really give this foundation a try!
Cons: This is not advisable for dry skin. Well, normally matte foundations would not go very well with dry skin at all but there's something about this foundation that makes it 'matte-ier' than other foundations. So for those who have dry skin, stay away from this foundation. Though they have a dewy version I think. Like I said since this product is 'matte-ier' than other foundations, this foundation has a high probability to cake when you put on too much.
Price: Php 449.00 (LazMall)
Selfie using the foundation: I intentionally chose to use this foundation during this event because it was my cousin's wedding and I knew that I needed to be camera-ready. I'm not gonna lie to you guys, when I hear the word 'camera-ready' I automatically think of this foundation. I do not regret wearing this foundation here because I absolutely loved the outcome and I think it really did reflect well in the photo. P.S. Those are not white casts, I was wearing highlighter (Wet n Wild, baka naman. Pwede na 'kong endorser oh. LOL).
2. Milani Conceal + Perfect 2-in-1 Foundation and Concealer
This foundation combats defiant under-eye circles, unwanted redness, and other skin imperfections. It is water-resistant and gives a bright, bold finish in one flawless skin-perfecting step. This smart formula applies evenly to conceal and tone, leaving skin with a naturally beautiful finish. This ultimate foundation and concealer duo provide medium to full coverage for complexion perfection that goes hard all day, every day.
Why I like it: This is also CRUELTY-FREE. Since it is a foundation and concealer in one, it gives off a medium to full coverage finish. Also every time I use this foundation, I normally don't put on concealer anymore which is great because the less you put on your face, it's less likely to cake and your face won't feel heavy. It's water-resistant so it doesn't come off easily when you sweat (and I know you will because it's hot here in the Ph. Lol).
Cons: I always have a hard time finding this foundation here in the Philippines. And even if I do find it, the shades would be limited. This is a drugstore brand in the US and you can only buy it here via online sellers or at bazaars. I buy mine at the Trendsetters Bazaar. (Hit me up if you know where I can buy it haha). Since it's water-resistant, it's going to be oily. So if you have an oily face, I do not recommend this for you because this will definitely cake and you'll most probably breakout.
Price: I bought mine for Php 450.00 at the bazaar.
Selfie using the foundation: So this was taken after our 'Sampaguita ceremony' which involved marching in togas underneath the scorching sun. I intentionally didn't wear concealer because I knew it was going to be hot and I didn't want my face to feel heavy (I know what you're thinking, 'Sus 'di daw edited. Imposible ganon pa make-up nyan after nung event na yun'. But I assure you to the best of my knowledge, this photo is not edited). For full transparency though, I didn't have any pimples during this time and I was having a good skin day.
1. L'Oreal Infallible 24H Fresh Wear
This is L'Oreal's breakthrough long-wear foundation. It provides medium-to-full buildable coverage that lasts all day and allows the skin to breathe. The formula's three oil absorbers resist sweat, water, and transfer. The ultra-thin liquid goes on smoothly to give a fresh, healthy-looking complexion that lasts. The color stays true and blends in evenly, so your makeup looks fresh all day. It is non-comedogenic and formulated with SPF; this foundation is suitable for all skin types.
Why I like it: This is the most lightweight foundation out of everything on this list that gives off the right amount of coverage for me. I feel like when I wear this, my skin can still breathe and it is the foundation that I am most comfortable wearing during the summer when it's super hot. Also, this foundation did not cake on my face, not even once.
Cons: They're supposed to have 30 shades but every time I buy this, the shades are out of stock. Coincidence or bad timing I guess? But nevertheless, they need to work on fixing that so that the customers won't be disappointed. Also, not best for oily skin types.
Price: Php 550.00 (LazMall)
Selfie using the foundation: This was my foundation during my graduation ceremony. And again, I took this photo at the end of my ceremony (As you will notice, my hair was already a mess because of my cap haha). I trust this foundation so much that I used it for my graduation ceremony. That's saying a lot about this foundation. Don't mind the reddish coloration on my forehead, that's just red light reflecting. But yeah, overall, I never am disappointed by this product that's why it's my number 1 go-to foundation.
So guys those are the foundations that work well in this Philippine heat. I chose them because all of them feel lightweight and breathable compared to other foundations that I have tried and I believe that the criteria for choosing a foundation that can tolerate our country's blazing weather is:
a. breathability (your skin has to feel like it's not suffocating underneath your foundation),
b. resistance to sweat (you're going to sweat a lot in this heat, so pick a foundation that would last long enough for you to touch it up at your destination) and
c. suitability to your skin type (don't wear an oily foundation when you know you have an oily skin type and vice versa).
Every woman has a different skin type and it is very important you know which skin type you are when shopping for your make-up because incompatibility can lead to breakouts and an unpleasant make-up finish. Again, I am speaking based on experiences I had or experiences that I have observed over time.
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Stay beautiful bbs,
Anne 💋
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