Well here’s a lovely new foundation for lovers of lightweight makeup: Clarins Skin Illusion Natural Hydrating Foundation. It’s a brand new makeup launch and it replaces Clarins’ original Skin Illusion, which came in a more traditional, pump-action glass bottle. I liked that one very much, but I like the new, serum-inspired foundation even more. It’s lighter, more hydrating and – I think, though it’s barely perceivable – slightly more radiant in finish.

I really should say “bare skin finish” rather than radiant, because the Skin Illusion foundation has an incredibly sheer and natural sort of look to it – it doesn’t conceal imperfections, rather knocks them back, and it just leaves everything just that bit more even-toned and fresh.
Something that’s not an improvement on the original is the packaging – the foundation comes in a serum-style glass-dropper bottle. These bottles drive me mad. I end up dribbling bits of foundation onto my face from the pipette, tilting my head backwards as though I’m administering eye drops to myself. Albeit inaccurately. I honestly cannot fathom why anyone packages foundation in this way (the Bobbi Brown serum foundation is like this, so is Armani Maestro Glow) other than to drive home the whole “skincare as makeup as skincare” sort of message.

Go away dribbling pipettes! But that is my only gripe. And, in fairness, it doesn’t take a genius...