Most beauty editors and bloggers get excited when a new makeup colour collection is launched (especially if it’s a limited edition YSL Christmas range or a new Urban Decay Naked palette). But I get really excited when there’s new base makeup. Base makeup can refresh dull, tired skin; it can make rough, patchy skin smooth and beautiful; and it can do all this while keeping skin looking completely natural. The idea is to not get spotted wearing any foundation or concealer at all. Good makeup will do that; it will sink in and blend into your skin so no one will be able to tell that you have something on. Base makeup launches also tend to be at the start of the year (you know, that whole new year, new you theme), so that means we can expect many new products soon for 2017. Now while I eagerly wait for the press releases, here are the ones from 2016 that really got my attention.

shu uemura stage performer block:booster protective moisture primer SPF 50 PA+++
$65 each, available in colourless, natural beige and fresh pink

I like this primer the best out of all the new ones that were launched this past year. There are colourless and tinted versions, and I use all of them for different occasions. The colourless one is a scentless white liquid that spreads on clear, leaving behind a sheen on the skin. The skin immediately glows, but not in a shiny, oily way; more like it’s healthy and radiant. The product feels slightly tacky on the face, but this does make the perfect base texture to apply foundation on top of. Foundation glides easily over the primed skin, and after a day, you’ll realise how lasting your base makeup is — and that’s because of this primer. As for the natural beige version, it’s my current base makeup obsession. I wear it on weekends for an almost “no makeup” look. There’s a bare hint of colour and sheen, and importantly, skin is protected with the included SPF 50 PA+++, and what the brand calls, “locked in moisture”, which basically means skin stays moisturised and doesn’t get dehydrated.

Which one to use?

Colourless : Makes the texture of skin more smooth, and can be used for any skin tone.
Natural Beige : Gives a hint of beige skin colour; makes skin tone more even.
Fresh Pink : Brightens sallow skin tones; corrects yellow and mild green hues, adding a radiance to skin.

clé de peau beauté Radiant Stick Foundation
$130, available in 4 shades

NYLON’s beauty writer didn’t think I would like this foundation because of its super sheer finish, but I love it. In fact, I used it over the entire Chinese New Year holiday, which was when I first got my hands on it in office. Firstly, I absolutely love that it’s in a mini stick format, which is portable. I can imagine bringing this along on my next overseas trip. In fact, it reminds me of an upsized version of the brand’s (and my favourite) concealer. Secondly, the product is so easy to use; I just glide the stick over my skin and blend it in with my fingers or a brush. The formula is so sheer, it disappears once it’s smoothed out — like invisible makeup! And it’s actually really nice to wear makeup that you can’t see; you know it’s there protecting your skin (there’s included SPF 17 PA++, plus I imagine all clé de peau products have skincare benefits), skin feels really comfortable, and it makes good skin look even better — skin tone is more even, pores appear smaller, and overall texture looks smoother — and all this without seeing any actual makeup on the skin. Of course I love it, but for use on casual days. I probably wouldn’t wear this if I was going on TV or attending an event that lasts through the night (I can’t imagine this sheer foundation lasting through the night). YSL Fusion Ink Compact Foundation
$99, available in 6 shades (pictured: shade B20)

This looks like a cushion compact but is actually a powder. But it’s not just any powder compact — it’s a pretty special one. The product is bouncy; when you press your finger into the dome, it depresses slightly then bounces back up. This is one of those textures that you have to go to the beauty counter to feel for yourself. The powder isn’t powdery; instead, it’s smooth like satin and gives the non-powdery finish of a liquid foundation. Like I said, it’s pretty special.

clé de peau beauté Translucent Loose Powder
$180

This is the finest and softest powder you’ll find! Even the powder puff is super soft. Just pat on as the last step of your base makeup to set everything. This is also probably the most expensive loose powder available, but you are paying for luxury for your face (and this tub can last you many months, even years if you use it sparingly).

YSL Touche Éclat Le Teint
$98, available in 8 shades (pictured: shade B30)

If there’s one foundation to invest in this year, it would be this one. It comes out like liquid gold, glides on like silk, and makes skin appear smooth and flawless. Pores completely smooth over and appear smaller in size, uneven areas of skin even out, and there’s a subtle glow where light hits the skin. It’s what the brand calls an “anti-fatigue formula”; there are ingredients in the product that “wake up” skin by stimulating micro-circulation. It’s quite a bold claim, but it actually does appear to work! Also, it must be popular because last I checked, it was sold out on the TANGS website.

Chanel Sublimage Le Teint
$207, available in 6 shades

If you really want to pamper yourself and you’re will- ing to spend on your makeup, this is the base to get. As it’s part of Chanel’s luxurious Sublimage line, you know you’re paying for premium ingredients that improve skin over time. In this case, the formula includes two key ingredients that are special to this product: Diamond Powder that reflects light resulting in a luminous complexion, and Intense Vanilla Water, that hydrates and strengthens the skin. The texture of the cream itself is divine; it feels extremely soft to the touch and spreads so easily on skin, and so only a small amount is needed for the entire face. There’s even a special brush that was made for and comes along with this foundation.

shu uemura petal skin fluid foundation
$68, available in 11 shades

It’s been years since I included a foundation from shu uemura into my daily makeup options; mainly because there have been so many great offerings from other brands like clé de peau beauté, YSL and Chanel (see the other features in this story). And then one fine day in office, someone came back from a shu uemura press event with bottles of these. It didn’t even start out right for me — the shade chosen for me by the brand was too light and there was no way I could pull it off without looking chalky. So I took the other bottle meant for the writer (I felt bad), which was a shade darker than mine. And oh my… I haven’t been this impressed with a liquid foundation since YSL launched their serum one (see my review on the YSL Touche Éclat Le Teint — it’s similar). So the idea from shu uemura is that they want our skin to achieve the texture of a flower petal (hence the name of the product), and that’s what they claim this foundation will do. I don’t know about that, but with one light application, my skin was a whole new level of flawless! I had no visible pores, a brighter (brighter, not lighter) skin tone, a smoother texture, and the most amazing part of it all — my dark eye rings nearly disappeared. I looked instantly more awake. In fact, this is the first and only foundation that allows me to skip concealer! They should have called this “awake skin” instead of “petal skin”. Now I just pray they will repackage this same formula into a cushion compact and I’ll bring it everywhere.

clé de peau beauté Concealer
$116, available in 4 shades (pictured: shade Almond)

This product isn’t new, but whenever I feature base makeup, I have to include this. It’s one of the few makeup items that I have no substitute for. In fact, I believe after you try this concealer, you won’t use anything else. The cream melts into the skin and you only need a little bit of product at one time, so the whole stick can practically last two years! For areas under the eye, tap it on with your fingers. For spot application like blemishes, use a small brush and apply from the centre, then blend outwards.

NARS Soft Matte Complete Concealer
$45, available in 16 shades (pictured: shade Ginger)

As much as I love clé de peau’s concealer, it only comes in four shades. If none of them suit your skin tone, here’s another good one to consider; it’s a classic cream in a pot with a soft matte texture (as the name suggests). Now because the texture is really rather soft, it is super easy to blend; but that also makes it easy to wipe off if you accidentally touch your face. I suggest setting this product with a good powder (see my recommendation on the clé de peau beauté Translucent Loose Powder) to make it last an entire day.

How to choose the right foundation shade :

Step 1 : Go to the beauty counter and choose three shades that look closest to your skin tone.

Step 2 : Swipe each of them along the side of the face just under the cheekbone then blend them into the skin.

Step 3 : The shade that disappears into skin, and looks just like your skin colour is the right shade for you. It should not make skin appear lighter or darker than it naturally is.

TIPS:

• Most beauty brands with standalone counters (that is, not the ones in drugstores and supermarkets) are able to provide foundation samples. Get a few days’ worth to try at home to really determine that it’s the right shade for you.
• Bought the wrong shade or just got a tan? Add in some pigment drops to adjust it — you can FInd these at Clinique, Cover FX and The Body Shop.