Foundation, and your base in general, is always key when you're creating any makeup look. Whether you like the low-key simple everyday look or prefer to go for a more dramatic overall finish, securing a base that works well for your skin and meets all your needs is important. That said it can be tricky to navigate your way through all of the endless options on offer. With the seasonal changes comes changes in your skin and often this means that you need your foundation to work a little differently. Throughout the warmer months my skin tone is ofter much more even thanks to the sun, my skin isn't so dry and I don't want anything heavy on my skin that will only melt off by lunchtime. Now the winter is here my skin as all but lost the summer glow I tried so desperately to hold onto. The central heating is drying out my skin and leading to little breakouts more regularly and my skin needs an extra dose of glow and coverage to look better. Over the past months as we've transitioned into the colder weather there have been 3 options that I have been reaching for. All three options have some certain things in common; they leave my skin looking radiant but not shiny or glittery in the slightest. They sit well alongside my dry and dehydrated complexion without looking cakey or at all heavy and they can all be built up to offer a little more coverage where needed. Shade matching can always be a little tricky but currently I'm a B20 in both of the YSL options and Fiji in the Nars foundation. I find these all blend very well with my tone even when I'm wearing a touch of fake tan. All three come in a wide selection of shades and fit into the category of light to medium buildable coverage with a more radiant finish.

YSL TOUCHE ELCAT LE TEINT

Just like it's cult sister product, the Touche Eclat Le Teint leaves an effortless radiance to the skin. Whenever my complexion is looking a little dull the Touche Eclat helps to boost the radiance in my skin and leave it looking much healthier. If your skin type is normal to dry you're likley to enjoy the finish this leaves on the skin, if you're a little more oily then you may find this doesn't last in quite the same way as I do find it moves a little in the warmer months. The coverage is medium, it covers any areas of pigmentation or blemishes well without the need for any extra concealer but you can still see some of your skin through, it doesnt feel or look like a mask, covering all of your features like many of the high coverage options on the market. It does build fairly well, especially on the initial application if you find you want a little more coverage in one particular area. I've found a damp beauty sponge to be the best way to apply this, leaving your skin looking glowing with a natural and lightweight finish to the skin. This is available in 21 shades.

NARS VELVET MATTE FOUNDATION STICK

Of all the foundations the name of this one has to be the most mis-leading. On first glance a velvet Matte Stick Foundation does not sound like something that I will enjoy or that will work with my skin. However, the texture of this is actually incredibly light and comfortable to wear, especially for a stick formulation. It allows your skin to shine through underneath whilst adding a healthy glow to the skin to brighten and leave a natural and healthy looking finish. It blends out evenly with a buffing brush to be almost undetectable on the skin whilst still offering some coverage and evening skin tone. In a pinch I have taken this up under my eyes and whilst it didn't totally eradicate my dark circle it did make them considerably less noticeable and evened out the entire skin tone in that area. This is the foundation that I hands down get the most compliments and questions on, I am always asked what I have used on my skin because it looks almost undetectable on the skin. The coverage is definitely more light to buildable than the Le Teint, but if you don't need as much coverage and are happy to conceal specifically where you need it then this is a lovely option to add a glow back into your skin without wearing a heavy base. The sponge that comes alongside this isn't my favourite way to apply this, a buffing brush works much better, but the compact packaging does make it very easy to travel with and for a stick product you do get a considerable amount of product for your money. This is available in 20 shades.

YSL FUSION INK FOUNDATION

I'm yet to find a bi-phase foundation that I haven't fallen for. The pigment is suspended in a oil formula so once applied directly to the skin with the dropper it appears to melt into the skin. The formula is exceptionally light so if you can't stand the feeling of a heavy foundation on your skin or you want a very natural, enhanced, look then this type of formula is a great solution. The finish to this foundation is a natural matte however, as the day goes on it works beautifully into a more radiant finish and whilst it isn't as initially radiant as the Le Teint it ceertainly isn't a havy and flat looking matte. The coverage for this is light-medium, slightly less than the Le Teint but more than the Nars option. It belnds into the skin incredible well with fingers or a buffing brush, with a little help from a damp sponge if you have any areas that tend to be a little less smooth (always between the brows and the sides of my nose for me). It instantly lifts the appearnce of the skin and gives a more perfected finish to the skin. It doesn't look or feel how you would imagine a matte light-medium foundation to feel. It's silky, easy to blend and can be applied very quickly. The shade range is not as extensive for this forumula with only 17 on offer however, if you are a fan of the Fusion Ink cushion it's worth noting that, although they have the same names, the shades do not directly match up. For example, all of the cushions are far to pink for my skin tone so be sure to colour match before purchasing.

I am under no illusion that nobody needs three different foundations for this time of year but if you're struggling to pick the one for you then these three are all worth considering. If you want something very natural and easy to re-apply and top up on the go then the Nars Velvet Matte Stick Foundation is incredibly easy to pop on and is very travel friendly. If you need a little more coverage and prefer a liquid formula then the Fusion Ink will serve well to perfect the skin and last well throughout the day where as if your skin is very dull and you prefer to have a higher coverage all over then the Touche Eclat Le Teint is easy to apply, comes in various shades and will help to enhance the summer glow from months past.

Getting your foundation right can sometimes be tricky but when you find one that works it's like slipping on a comfortable pair of slippers. You can rely on it to last all day, perfect your complexion and leave you feeling a little more confident. It's like investing in a good underwear set to wear underneath your favourite outfit; everything looks and feels that bit better.