Foundation Odyssey ...

I like powder foundation, even though my skin is dry, for the soft, blurring matte effect I associate with movie stars from the 40s and 50s. It may clash with my 70s hair, but what the heck. I recently broke my much loved and abused Tarte Provacateur Compact, and was tempted to go buy another, but decided that as a responsible beauty blogger I should get out and try new things, if only for the edification of you, dear reader.

So off to Sephora I went, where I suckered myself into buying a Bare Escentuals mineral makeup kit for $60. I reasoned that the brush set justified the price, though I already own a top of the line kabuki brush from Valerie Beverly Hills and don't need another. As I left the store I felt that the stuff was laid on a little thick, but thought it was just because I had let the shopgirl "do" me. But even at home using a lighter hand, I didn't like the way this wore--too chalky, too heavy, and a bit itchy. So I took it back.

For a while I made do with an astonishingly nice Rimmel powder foundation that I bought for $4.99 from Target, where I also picked up one by Sonia Kashuk for $8.99, drawn to the cool white packaging that looks like something Barbara Bain would have carried on Space 1999, but unfortunately the product made me look like I'd dusted my nose with Gold Medal Baking Flour.

Tomorrow I'll post the thrilling conclusion to the story...