Finding the right foundation can turn into a real beauty quest. Everyone has different preferences, after all. A foundation that your friend or favourite influencer swears by might not work the same magic on your skin. Those with dry skin will favour hydrating foundations that won’t cling to dry patches, whereas those with oily skin will be drawn to lightweight yet matte foundations that help control oil and won’t contribute to acne breakouts. And then there’s coverage and finish. I personally love a dewy, light-to-medium coverage base that will even out my skin tone and conceal acne scarring, all while imparting radiance (what can I say, I’m very particular). But others need their holy-grail foundation to offer full-coverage, or a matte finish, while still remaining undetectable on the skin. So, it’s impressive when a foundation comes along that somehow manages to please almost everyone. So much so, that brides, celebrities and makeup artists all fawn over it.
Hear me out. Chantecaille’s Future Skin Gel Foundation isn’t new, but, it’s become somewhat of a modern makeup icon. If you’re not familiar with it, allow me to acquaint you. This foundation has a gel consistency that melts into the skin, imparting glow and moisture in equal measure (it’s 60% water, with the addition of botanicals like green tea and rosemary, which offer antioxidants into the skin). People love it for it’s ability to veil skin in lightweight coverage that still lets your own skin shine through. As someone with sensitive and acne-prone skin, I’m also pleased that this foundation is both fragrance-free and oil-free, making it an ideal foundation investment if your skin is acne-prone or particularly prone to fragranced products.
It turns out that just about everyone rates this foundation too. In fact, it was the foundation of choice on set for both The Crown and Euphoria. “We love Chantecaille… these foundations look like skin, they do not look at all like foundation,” says Donniella Davy, Euphoria makeup artist, who used Chantecaille’s Future Skin Foundation on set. “It melts into the skin and looks so much like skin,” she says. If a foundation has graced Zendaya’s skin, then it must be epic.
Backstage on The Crown, similar sentiments were shared by the makeup artists, who love that this foundation still looks natural on the skin and works across all ages. “The main draw is the texture which is light-weight, super fluid and can be built up and layered to whatever coverage is desired,” says Cate Hall, makeup artist for The Crown. “For us, the main advantage is precisely how light-weight it is. We apply it where needed and buff it into the skin with a damp egg sponge and skin consequently appears flawless, but—and this is key for us—still skin-like, with nuanced details like freckles remaining visible,” she says. “The texture is really dewy and when applied in combination with illuminating primers, the Futureskin foundations make skin look healthy and luxurious on camera.”
With the foundation performing well on film, I can see why brides and bridal makeup artists often make this their foundation of choice for their wedding day. Some foundations (particularly those with SPF in the formula) can cause flashback when shot with a flash, which can leave the wearer’s complexion looking washed out. So, after hearing only glowing things about this foundation, I of course had to give it a try for myself and see what all the hype is about first-hand.
On first impressions, I have to say I really love the texture of this foundation, which feels cooling and refreshing on the skin. It also feels really hydrating and dewy, which is a big tick on foundation wish-list. If you have dry skin in particular, I think you’ll love this. I’m generally oiler around my chin and nose, and while I did need to powder these areas, the foundation didn’t separate or go patchy as the day went on, which is big win. If you’re very oily, or prefer a matte foundation, you may find this a tad too dewy, but for those that like the glow, you’ll love it.
I chose the shade Vanilla for my skin tone online, which is slightly warmer than my skin tone at the moment, but will work great for summer. One thing I will note is that the foundation oxidised to a slightly darker shade on my skin, so bare this in mind when choosing your shade. When you twist open the lid, it looks quite thick in consistency, as if it would be a heavier coverage product, but on contact with the warmth of your skin, it disappears, leaving a subtle veil of coverage and a dewy sheen. You really don’t need very much, so a little goes a long way. I used Chantecaille’s Buff and Blur brush to stiple the product into my skin, but the beauty of this foundation is that it also applies like a dream with your fingertips or a sponge.
Like the Euphoria and The Crown makeup artists mentioned, I love that this foundation still makes my skin look natural. I can still see my freckles on my nose, but the redness in my skin has been concealed and overall looks more even-toned. However, it’s buildable on the areas that need a little more coverage, without the consequence of it looking heavy. I’m not sure what kind of ‘clean-girl’ sorcery Chantecaille have enabled to make this happen, but I’m impressed. In terms of being photo-friendly, I have to agree. I recently did a shoot with the Who What Wear UK team and wore this for my shots, and it looked as good on camera as it did IRL.
The only thing I will note is that the shade range could be more inclusive, as there are currently just the 15 shades to choose from which lean towards the light end of the spectrum. Also, the thought of spending £80 on a foundation makes my bank account scream, but, for a special occasion like a wedding, this makes a wonderful investment. If I were getting married, I would say I do to wearing this.
Next Up, 9 Pretty Summer Makeup Looks We Can’t Wait to Try This Year
