Test Drive - Review of 7 NC25 Equivalent Foundations and 3 BB Creams

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 I have acquired numerous foundations and BB Creams in the last few months, and I thought January would be a good time to review them. This review features 7 NC25 equivalent foundations, and 3 BB creams that suit Light-Medium Asian complexions.

From left to right: MUFE HD Foundation 140; Clinique Repairwear Makeup Shade 01; Clinique Age Defense BB Cream SPF30; Armani Luminous Silk Foundation No. 5; Bobbi Brown EXTRA Repair Foundation 3.5 Warm Beige; and Suqqu Frame Fix Cream Foundation 003.

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 More foundations and BB Creams: Estee Lauder Double Wear Makeup 2W1 Sand; Chanel Le Blanc Whitening Foundation B20 (Asia only); Missha Signature Real Complete BB Cream No. 23; and Estee Lauder DayWear Beauty Benefit (BB) Cream 01 Light.

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ESTEE LAUDER DOUBLE WEAR STAY-IN-PLACE MAKEUP SPF 15 2W1 SAND: If you want excellent coverage and melt-proof makeup, this is the product! This covers so well that I don't use any concealer. A primer helps it glide on easily with your fingers. The "W" warm shades are not excessively yellow. This is my go-to foundation in hot and humid climates.

CHANEL LE BLANC LIGHT MASTERING FOUNDATION SPF25 PA+++ B20: This is an Asia-only Chanel product, with medium, buildable coverage and an excellent shade match for Asian skin tones. The Asian B20 shade is just a tad more yellow than the European B20, which gives me a perfect match. I don't know about the "whitening" claims, but this is a great all-round foundation for Asian skin tones.

MISSHA SIGNATURE REAL COMPLETE BB CREAM SPF25 PA++ No. 23: This is my favourite BB cream. It's not grey, and it's not too light! Missha has a respectable shade range for medium-dark complexions, which can be hard to find in Asia. This gives very good coverage (I skip concealer) and you only need the slightest dusting of powder in your t-zone to set. Available on-line in the US and in Missha shops in Asia and Middle East - I get mine at my local Missha store in Muscat.

ESTEE LAUDER DAYWEAR BEAUTY BENEFIT (BB) CREME SPF35 01 LIGHT: I tried the Asia version of this product, and it was too pink! The Korean SA swatched it on her skin, and it looked awful! Fortunately, I found a great shade match in the European version of the BB cream, which has a light yellow undertone. This BB cream is on the sheer side, more like a tinted moisturizer with high SPF.

MAKEUP FOREVER HD FOUNDATION NO. 140: This foundation DOES photograph very well - it has no SPF at all. Shade 140 may seem dark, but if you compare it against all the other swatches on the paper, above, it's a very good match for my NC25 skin tone. I think a lot of women go too light with this foundation - Shade 117 suits NC15-20 and Shade 120 is great for NC20. Shade 123 is olive tone; Shades 125 and 127 are beige-toned, and there are a several pink toned shades between 127 and 140. If you will have your picture taken, this is the foundation for you.

CLINIQUE REPAIRWEAR LASER FOCUS ALL SMOOTH MAKEUP SPF15 SHADE 01 (VF-N):Why, oh why, are Clinique's foundations so dark? I do not consider myself very fair (which I am, according to this foundation numbering system) and I'm not that yellow (I'm neutral according to Clinique). I tried the yellow-toned foundation shades (1.5 and 2) but 1.5 was too yellow and 2 was too dark. Forget 3. I do like this foundation for it's treatment benefits - when my skin is feeling delicate and dehydrated, I like to wear this. I just wish that Clinique would cater more to women with Fair/Light/Light-Medium complexions.

CLINIQUE AGE DEFENSE BB CREAM SPF30 SHADE 01: Interestingly, whilst Clinique's foundations are all very dark, I actually found that their BB creams tend to be lighter, perhaps because they are more sheer. The Clinique BB cream has a neutral undertone, and is suitable for a range of skin tones. I actually felt I looked a bit pale in Shade 01 in sunlight, so I added a dab of the Missha No. 23. This BB cream has a very comforting texture, something I would wear on an airplane or in a cold, dry climate.

ARMANI LUMINOUS SILK FOUNDATION NO. 5: This is everyone's favourite foundation, for beautiful, natural looking skin. I have a range of shades in Armani foundations, depending on how much sun exposure I've had. No. 5 is my winter shade; 5.5 is my tan shade; and I wear shade 6 in Armani Designer Lift when I'm tan. A foundation staple for me (I have 3 bottles).

SUQQU FRAME FIX FOUNDATION 003: Ahh! The best foundation technology out there. This creates a glowing, natural look with a minimum of product. Great for dry and dehydrated skins. This foundation floats on top of your skin, not settling into pores and fine lines. For extra smoothness, wear with Suqqu Makeup Base Creamy.

BOBBI BROWN EXTRA REPAIR FOUNDATION SPF 25 WARM BEIGE: This is a fabulous gel-cream foundation, sheer but buildable (I don't use concealer with this). It feels like you're applying moisturizer, not a foundation. Used with a primer (I use NARS), it lasts all day. A great foundation for dry and dehydrated skins.

Hope you found this review helpful!