Perfect Foundation For Pale Skin: Dainty Doll Liquid Foundation (Review)

When it coms to any kind of make up, before I even think about eye shadows, blusher or go near a lipstick, it is essential that I get the base foundation right, and most importantly: get the colour match absolutely perfect.

This however, is rather challenging when you’ve been blessed with an Irish skin tone that is so fair, so paler than pale, that every ‘light’ colour they have is still too dark (we won’t even mention the dreaded foundation line). I am constantly searching for that perfect pale foundation and it seems my quest, after years of struggle, is getting a little easier. Lately, it seems that going au natural when it comes to your skin is fairly (pun intended) popular. Celebrities like the gorgeous Emma Stone (see how you can re-create some of her best Beauty looks here), Kirsten Dunst, Anne Hathaway and Dita Von Teese are just a few of the ladies that fly the flag for us paler folk and just recently, Girls Aloud’s Nicola Roberts brought out this gem of a foundation and everything changed.

Founder of the Dainty Doll range, Nicola Roberts

Nicola Roberts is just about as pale as you could get. We all remember her in the early days of the group, decked from head to toe in that horrid fake tan (why Nicola why?!) and I don’t know about you lot, but this writer was shocked when she scrubbed it all away and revealed her beautiful porcelain skin. In various interviews she said she was sick of trying to mask her true paler self because  she no longer wanted to feel insecure about her skin, and also she simply couldn’t find the right colour foundation.  So in 2008, she decided to do something about it. She created the Dainty Doll range, specifically for us pale and interesting ladies. We owe her one big time.

Created specifically for paler complexions, you have to hand it to the girl for her waving that pale flag (and waving it good) and helping the rest of us out at the same time. The range is absolutely superb, and rather than boasting about something that doesn’t deliver, it ticks all the boxes. I’ll be reviewing a few products from the range, starting with this beauty: Dainty Doll Now That I’ve Found You Liquid Foundation.

“Now That I’ve Found You’ Liquid Foundation

Nicola originally launched the Dainty Doll range in 2008 as part of ITV2 show ‘The Passions Of Girls Aloud,’ but only produced a small number of products. So in 2010, she re-launched the range compete with a bigger product choice. I stumbled across the range by accident in Boots in Belfast, squealed with delight (literally) and bought as many products as I could afford.

The first thing to get right is the colour. The liquid foundation comes in four different shades of pale: Very Light (001), Light (002), Medium (003) and Dark (004). I’m a perfect match with the palest shade in 001, but this is extra pale and may be too light for some.  If, for example, Porcelain in Bobbi Brown is the right match for you, you’ll probably be a shade darker in 002. It looks beautifully white on me with no dreaded foundation line in sight!

I want my skin to look as beautifully pale as all these white faced celebs!

The foundation will give you a dewy, satin finish whilst offering buildable coverage at the same time. It glides on and easily covers any imperfections, leaving skin looking flawless.  It is long lasting and stayed on me all day without any problems, though I did have to add a little power to avoid shine around my t-zone. Thankfully, it doesn’t dry out the skin, but if you have very oily skin I would suggest using a primer and a little powder to ensure it stays put.

I paid around  £23 for the foundation, which I thought was a good bargain as it’s in a 30ml bottle so it will last for ages. I only need to use 2-3 pumps for full coverage and I found buffing it on with a stipple brush gave me a truly flawless look. It can also be applied successfully using your fingers, but I’d always recommend using a brush, particularly if you’re looking for full coverage. The packaging is funky and gorgeous and I’ll always love a foundation that comes complete with a pump. I really haven’t a bad thing to say about this one, the only disadvantage being that we can’t try before we buy as this one (unless you venture to Boots in Belfast), will have to be bought online.

So there you have it: it’s super pale, gives great coverage, doesn’t settle in fine lines or wrinkles and just generally looks gorgeous on – what more could you ask for?

Love the funky packaging!

This foundation may be a tad tricky to get your hands on depending on where you’re living, but it can be bought with free shipping, over at FeelUnique.com, you can also try Ebay and Amazon.co.uk who stock it as well.

I spoke about this product recently for the gorgeous gals over at Beaut.ie too.

Have any of you tried, or be interested in trying this one? Post your views in the comments section!