Fair as a Ghost: Estee Lauder Maximum Cover & Mac Pro Longwear Concealer.

Being quite a pale gal when the summer "tan" goes away, I start to look like Casper's sibling.
The problem that I find with my skin tone is that is hard to find a light enough foundation to match me and even when I do, they're usually too pink or too yellow.

I've used foundations that are a tiny bit darker and at first the difference is not apparent but after a while the colour usually oxidises and by midday I look a bit like oumpa loumpa!

So, after a lot of trial and error, I realized that finding a true match will probably never happen and I concluded that the only way was to DIY a shade myself!

In order to do that I needed a true white foundation and my first choice, years back, was the Mac Face and Body foundation in white.

I really liked it for the purpose but I disliked the huge bottle because in the end it went bad and in the garbage.

A few months ago I purchased the Estee Lauder Double Wear Maximum Cover foundation in shade 11 Very Light.

I found two uses for this one:

• it works beautifully mixed with another foundation in order to make the shade lighter
• it is perfect for the inner eye corner, as a highlight and also everywhere on the face where there is a shade and I want to lighten the area, for example under eyebags when I wake up a bit puffy.

On the other hand, texture-wise this is not one to use as is because used alone is quite dry and mask like. 

I also like the tube because it is very easy to get the right amount of product and at the same time it is very sanitary. 

A more recent find is the Mac Pro Longwear Concealer in shade NW15.

At first I swatched the NC15 but the SA suggested that I should try the NW15 and it definitely is a bit lighter than the NC15.

I use it for the same purposes as the Estee Lauder one (although it technically is a concealer) but it is more opaque so it offers more coverage and it is also very long lasting.

I wouldn't use it normally alone as an under eye concealer though because this one is also very light and it can result in the reverse panda effect.

Off course it can work as a concealer if used with a light hand and buffed adequately (and quickly because it sets fast!) then the under eye area looks really rested and light.

It comes with a pump and although I do like it because it is very hygienic at the same time I don't like it because I always end up with more product than I need, it is difficult to regulate the pressure. 

I also hate the fact that it stains my brushes, especially the Sigma ones are a nightmare to clean. On the other hand it comes off really easily from my Real Techniques brushes. They're all synthetic though, I don't understand why there's such a difference!

Enough talking, here are some photos!

Estee Lauder on the left, Mac on the right. 

Any suggestions for pale foundations are highly appreciated. 

That's it for now, I hope you are all well and thriving!