6 of the best anti-ageing foundations

You devote time and money to getting it right but what has makeup done for you lately? 

‘The Big Question’, The Atlantic magazine’s regular poll, is currently “What Concept Most Needs A Word In The English Language?’

My skincare submissions are ‘organiconditioned,’ the state of believing organic products are inherently superior, and ‘hypetarded,’a good product that can’t retain customers because a brand hoists it with unrealistic claims.

For makeup that fights ageing I’d use ‘Michobamactive’ or really any word that implies something that makes women look good while working to protect them.

Because truly anti-ageing foundation does not offer quick-fix ingredients that tighten skin temporarily but promote sensitivity and collagen destruction over time.

Nor does it hide your complexion beneath heavy formulas that cake in lines and contrast sharply with your throat and décolleté.

Anti-ageing makeup worthy of the name uses proven antioxidants.

1. Skinleÿa Le Teint Anti-Ageing Foundation, €121, is new from Sisley and boasts an impressive array of free radical-fighting plant extracts.

Persian acacia and chlorella aid natural cell repair.

Soy peptides and white willow promote healthy collagen development. Adenosine, a yeast-derived ingredient, sooth redness and helps skin retain moisture.

A blend of three different types of brightening mineral make for a flattering satin finish. Its effect is smoothing and flaw-blurring.

This foundation’s texture is light and lotion-like but still manages to correct under-eye shadows without any additional product.

It is long wearing and best suits normal and dry-combination skin.

The brand promises smoother skin after four weeks of wear, which sounds ambitious, but it is the case that daily exposure to antioxidants (combined with sun protection) elevates condition.

The best anti-ageing foundation for dry skin will incorporate synthetic or plant-based versions of substances present in your natural moisture barrier.

2. Charlotte Tilbury Light Wonder Foundation SPF15, €42, is a perfect cocktail of emollients, antioxidants and sun protection.

Mica, the light-reflecting mineral powder, makes lines and pores less noticeable and creates a luminous finish.

The texture is serum-like, far too light to settle or cake as the day progresses.

The shade range is exceptionally good, colour-correcting but free from weird undertones throughout. I also like the slim plastic bottle, it’s very easy to tote around for touch-ups.

3. Chanel Sublimage Le Teint Foundation, €125, shares ingredients with the French brand’s nourishing Sublimage La Crème, €310, that give it a more luxurious texture.

A trio of plant fats — glycerin, biosaccharide and phytosqualane — veil skin.

The jar comes with a spatula, emphasising that this is a skincare-makeup hybrid.

Diamond powder, encapsulated in silicon beads and combined with synthetic reflective pigment, gives skin a distinctive glow.

The formula is long-wearing and a small dab provides considerable coverage.

There are only six shades, ranging from light to medium, but if you find your colour-match this is a comforting way to flatter normal to dry skin.

4. Those battling the scourge of adult acne should be offered gentle (i.e alcohol-free) oil-control with their free-radical fighters.

Urban Decay Naked Skin One and Done Hybrid Complexion Perfector, €32, has the texture of tinted moisturiser but is not so much hydrating as light.

Oily types can rely on it for a long-wearing matte finish and a more uniform complexion. Light-diffusing pigments blur imperfections.

‘One and Done’ suggests you can skip your moisturiser in favour of this makeup. The formula is rich in plant-based antioxidants and aspergillus ferment, a fungus that can help lighted sun spots.

Zhu yu plant extract improves natural radiance, tone and texture. Generously applied, One and Done also shields skin with broad spectrum SPF20.

5. Makeup can be your first line of defence against UV rays, which cause 90% of non-DNA related skin-ageing, so formulas with broad-spectrum sun protection promote youthful skin no matter what they’re called.

Take NARS Luminous Weightless Powder Foundation, €45, which is touted for its second-skin feel and brightening finish but also provides SPF24.

The powder, which is more subtly radiant than luminous, is easy to layer over blemishes and discolouration.

The fibers are silky enough to skim over lines, which satin-y pigments make less obvious.

The formula also contains a nice mix of antioxidants and soothing maritime extracts.

Like most powder foundations, it best suits oily, combination and even acne-prone skin.

6. Elizabeth Arden Prevage Anti Ageing Foundation SPF30, €60, is a luxurious way to protect normal to dry skin.

This is liquid makeup loaded with antioxidants, practically a serum-in-base. Idebenone, a synthetic and potent antioxidant similar to coenzyme Q10, is one of Prevage’s signature ingredients.

Combined with thiotane, ferulic acid and green tea extract, it forms a protective phalanx against free radical damage, improving skin’s health and luminosity over time.

Vitamin C and l-carnosine support natural collagen development, helping to soften the look of fine lines and improving clarity.

The foundation fuses them with fatty acids, which form part of the natural moisture barrier, and several other skin-mimicking moisturisers. These emollients give it a beautifully lightweight feel.

It delivers light to medium coverage with a natural but luminous finish.

The liquid blends seamlessly to help blur imperfections and even out skin tone.