Trying to shop for foundation right now is still fiendish. Some department stores are starting to bring back tester units, where consultants can help you personally – but generally, it’s very challenging. (And there’s absolutely no opportunity on the high street, yet.)

So we’ve been looking at online foundation-shopping options and are hugely impressed by the service offered by Il-Makiage. The process begins with a fun – see below – and (in our experience) very accurate skin-matching quiz, which Jo first checked out with the Il-Makiage F*ck I’m Flawless Concealer/£25. The perfect shade (out of a line-up of 30) duly arrived a couple of days later – fantastic coverage, great eyelid base, brilliant for banishing under-eye circles and also those pesky blue shadows on the inner corner of the eye.

So convinced was she that she then went for the foundation – but this time, the match wasn’t quite right, making Jo look a bit chalky. What to do? Well, e-mail the brand. (As a customer, not a journalist, since she was buying this for herself.) 

After explaining the problem, Il-Makiage sent a slightly darker shade than worked – but there was none of that hassle of having to return the original product; they asked her to gift it to someone who might get on better with that tone. Second time round, the match was PERFECT – and the finish (in Woke Up Like This Foundation) is velvety, offering good, buildable coverage but looking very seamless and natural. 

Are we gagging to get back into shops and dip and dab? You bet (though we’re not counting on that being allowed anytime soon). But meanwhile, we’ll happily make do with this quiz, and the excellent service offered by Il-Makiage. Making foundation-#SFH (Shopping From Home) utterly painless.

£36 for 30ml – buy here

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