Boots : Botanics Complexion Refining Foundation

I love this product. I used to have acne that would all show up in one area of my face at a time (Chin, nose, Ect...) and would make my skin look gross. I can honestly say that this product has cleared my acne and made my skin look amazing without makeup. I am in love. This is a must buy 100%.

I just wanted to add to my previous review that I recently started using the Boots Complexion Refining Concealer stick and now my skin looks as close to flawless as I have managed to get with any of the "cleaner" more natural makeups! Here's my procedure (in case anyone is interested): - After washing, apply a tiny bit of moisturizer on super dry areas, like sides of lips and eyes; allow to absorb. - Moisten a sponge and pat dry with a towel to get off excess moisture. Put a dap of Boots foundation (1 shade darker than my skin) on sponge and gently smooth it over my face to get it as even as possible (you have to be careful with this part, as it can tend to build up unevenly if your skin texture is uneven; for problem areas, I try to dab it lightly over those areas with the sponge so as not to irritate it). - Let it completely dry and set for a minute or two. - With a tiny brush, apply Boots Complexion Refining Concealer stick (I use Camomile) to spots...use sparingly! - Moisten and then pat dry a slightly larger foundation brush to blend in the concealer, if needed...blend super gently so as not to wipe off concealer. - Allow to set for a minute - Use a large Kabuki brush and lightly dust on a lighter or translucent loose or pressed powder. (I use Neutrogena Mineral Sheer pressed powder which I find to be perfectly "matte-ifying" and non-irritating...I use one shade lighter than my skin to balance out the darker foundation). - Finish up by applying any blush, eye makeup, etc... I love love love the way it turns out on my skin and have already received compliments on it...can't promise it will work for everyone, but if you've already tried everything else, it can't hurt to try one more thing.....

So, after having experimented with more brands of makeup than I care to recount, I am starting to notice a trend. Like most other people on this site, I have been struggling with moderate (some might call it severe) acne. This includes hyperpigmentation and superficial scarring. My skin tends to start out dry in the morning and get very oily as the day progresses...this is likely due to the retin-a process. Anyway, the trend I'm noticing is that the better the makeup covers and the longer it lasts, the more likely it is to cause breakouts. At this point, it would require a super thick formula to perfectly cover all of my blemishes so that you can't see them at all....and let's be honest, it can't be good for the healing process to slather on a thick goo that essentially acts as a mask; the skin needs to breathe... Which is why I'm so relieved to have discovered this makeup. It has a decent amount of buildable coverage and instead of irritating my skin or causing further breakouts, it really seems to calm my skin down and moisturize it while slowly helping to clear away zits. The secret to making the most of it is getting your sponge or brush damp and then applying it...letting it set for a few minutes, and then dusting a light powder (I use neutrogena mineral sheers pressed powder with a kabuki brush) over top. This tends to look great for at least 6 hours....but after 6 hours, I generally prefer to wash it off and either reapply for night time or just leave it off. But in general, this is the first makeup I have found that I can honestly say does not irritate or break out my skin...it doesn't dry me out or make me itch...it feels good on and smells fresh. I have light olive skin (I'm a C4 in Mac) and I use the Nutmeg...which isn't as dark as it looks...but I use a much lighter powder to dust over it and to blend it with my natural coloring. I would recommend choosing one shade darker than you think you need because it's pretty sh