This £10 foundation blurred my wrinkles and pigmentation all day – it’s as good as designer bases

Oh dear. Skin has officially entered its blah season. September’s golden light has given way to October’s miserable drizzle, and complexions have turned as grey as the skies. Summer’s glow has been shuttered for another year, leaving the blotchy tells of sun exposure exposed like shrivelled bladderwrack at low tide.

Well, that’s how I feel about my skin right now, anyway. And I’m not standing for it. Everything meh about my midlife face needs covering up immediately.

However, dealing with lines, uneven pigmentation, tiredness, and weird menopausal redness comes with a long list of requirements when I’m testing out suitable foundations. I need that youth-cheating, flaw-softening coverage more than ever, but I can’t abide looking caked in makeup, nor do I want to feel my lines creaking and cracking under the weight of hefty pigment.

Oh, and I’ve just seen my Smart Meter is revved up into the red now that we’ve stuck the heating on. Any chance I can get one for a bargain price?

It’s a lot to ask for, but Max Factor’s Facefinity Lasting Blur Foundation seems as good a place as any to start. It promises buildable yet breathable coverage, a flexible, crease-proof formula, and a flattering finish that airbrushes pores and lines – all for a tenner. If there was a match-making algorithm for foundation, Facefinity Lasting Blur Foundation seems an instant swipe-right.

Testing Facefinity Lasting Blur

Poor Mr Max Factor (yes, he was a real person) would be turning in his grave over my testing conditions. I’ve come to this product on a dismal October morning, my 50-plus complexion dried out and stressy after less than five hours of sleep, due to two hours of pre-dawn tossing and turning.

Purple circles drag beneath my eyes, pigmentation pebble-dashes my mid-face, and my cheeks have taken on a mottled red tone. My complexion look as tired as I feel.

But Facefinity does not curdle at this early-morning challenge. It stays smooth with every stroke: gliding across my face, casting a silky veil across pigmentation, and practically floating across potholes-like pores. There’s no clinging to lines or dry patches either, and that knackered, ruddy tone is instantly replaced by a very good impression of eight hours sleep.

On that note, I have to commend Facefinity for toning down my dark circles. The bruise-like colour softens brilliantly with just one light layer, and I then only need the tiniest dab of concealer to disguise the exhaustion. There’s no creasing to report, and I like the way the formula flexes with my face and feels completely comfortable.

Crucially, both its hydrating feel and its blurring finish last well. Sometimes, a base will look great first thing, but appears to have been devoured by my pores by the time I get to the office. This one retained its soft power throughout the day, keeping glow amped up and uneven tone turned down.

Finally, Facefinity looks expensive, even thought it’s not. I’ve tried a lot of pricey bases recently, in my quest against the autumnal blah, and I can honestly say this £10 bargain looks every bit as good as the posh stuff. The soft, velvety finish is just matte enough to blur away blips without looking or feeling dry. It’s incredibly flattering for midlife skin that needs the edges softening.

It’s an observation backed up by one of our trusted 60-something beauty testers (aka beauty assistant Zara’s mum!), who was equally impressed. 'It’s as light as a serum, you don’t need a lot of it, but it has good coverage which I like,’ she reports. ‘It goes on silky smooth, doesn’t sit in my wrinkles, and it lasted all day. I would say great for mature skin.'

She also tells us it’s perfect for this time of year, when you want the confidence that comes with a more polished base. ‘I prefer a slightly more matte base like this in autumn and winter, as I like to feel a bit more made up,’ she says. ‘It's hard to find something with good coverage, but still feels lightweight, but this ticks both boxes'.

All round, a bit of a superhero for mature skin in need of rescue. To Facefinity and beyond!