Wearing the right base is so important to a flawless complexion, yet finding the perfect foundation is like choosing the right pair of jeans - almost impossible. British women don't seem too confident with their base choices, with 75% believing there's a better shade to suit their skin. One in three admit that they've bought a foundation they've never used, according to a survey by Max Factor, Cosmopolitan Magazine and Handbag.com This season's neutral trend means getting that `naturally glowing' face is more important than ever. "There are many ways to select the foundation that is right for you," says Clinique make-up artist Laura Mohberg. "You only want to even out, not cover up, your skin. To check the true colour of a foundation, apply an opaque swatch of three shades, as close to your skin tone as possible, directly to your jawbone." Laura explains that the ideal fit depends on four qualities - skin type, coverage, finish and shade. "If your skin colour changes throughout the year, you may not only have to change the colour of your foundation, but also the formulation as well," she adds. With hundreds of shades around, how do you know which is the best one for you? DRY SKIN IF you suffer from dry skin, a rich moisturising formula will work best for you. Bobbi Brown Luminous Moisturising Foundation, £26, 0870 034-2566, www.bobbibrown.co.uk, gives skin a luminous glow while proven to increase hydration and skin radiance. It can also boost collagen production, firm skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Giorgio Armani Hydra Glow Foundation, £27, and MAC Mineralized SatinFinish available in 18 shades, £18.50, are other moisturising formulas with added sunscreen of SPF15, making them ideal for summer use. RMK Creamy Liquid Foundation, £23, (www.rmkrmk.com), comes in nine shades for most skin tones, and By Terry Plumping Fluid Foundation, £48 from Space NK (0208) 740-2085, www.spacenk.com, is good for mature skins. NORMAL-COMBINATION SKIN With summer approaching, a sheer base combined with sunscreen is the easy - and lazy - way to cover blemishes and protect yourself from the sun's harmful rays. Chantecaille Just Skin SPF15, £51, at Space NK, is a new tinted moisturiser that safeguards against free radicals, smog and sun. Available in three shades, it's out in June. Can't wait that long? Take a look at Champneys Healthy Glow 3 In 1 Tinted Moisturiser SPF10, £8, at Sainsbury's, Origins' Nude And Improved Bare-Face Makeup SPF15, £17.50, and Palmer-Cutler Saving Face SPF15, £19.99, from Boots. Suqqu's foundations come in eight shades and four different consistencies. Prices start at £30, and they're available from www.suqqu.com Jelly Pong Pong's Teint Sublime, £15, from www.jellypongpong.com, is a complexion-cheater souffle to neutralise and colour-correct. Each of the five shades has a different job. OILY SKIN Your skin is already producing excess oil, so oil-free foundations work best with skins that could do with some mattifying. Clinique Perfectly Real Makeup, £18.50, is a weightless base to even out skin colour without being heavy or rich, or get happy with Pout Fabulously Flawless Radiant Foundation, £22, (www.pout.co.uk). It contains Calmosensine to relax fine lines and increase the production of endorphins to lift your mood. Prescriptives Virtually Fresh Skin Refining Makeup, £22, Clarins Truly Matte Foundation, £21, and Dermalogica Sheer Tint Moisture, £22.40, (www.dermalogica.co.uk), are oil-free wonders containing SPF15. Laboratoire Remede Translucent UV Coat, £30, 0808 100-4151, www.blisslondon.co.uk, contains a sunscreen of SPF30 for even more protection. SENSITIVE SKIN Those with allergy-prone skins needn't worry about finding coverage. Jane Iredale's natural bases, from £35, 0208 450- 7111, are free from perfume, chemical dyes and preservatives, and are an all-in-one concealer, foundation, powder and sunblock. Darphin's new Softening Foundation, £30, 0870 034- 2566, and Couvrance by Eau Thermale Avene, £13.50, from Boots, are specially designed for sensitive skins. Max Factor's best-selling foundation, Lasting Performance, £9.50, is also ideal for sensitive skin as it's fragrance-free. And Jo Malone Finishing Fluid, £30, (0207) 720- 0202, www.jomalone.co.uk, contains eucalyptus to balance skins and soothe agitations. | 
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