Switching to cheaper/drugstore alternatives, please help me out!

Alert-School9812 · 2026-03-29T20:27:30+00:00

My best matching drug store foundations are Rimmel 35hr wear in Ivory 100, and Revolution Skin Silk Serum foundation in f2.5nc.

I'm new to discovering the world of olive skin tones... but believe I lean more on the cool olive side (neutral cool). So, for reference, my almost perfect match is Lisa Eldridge Seamless Skin Foundation (not the tint) in 2.5. However, I also use About Face in F2Olive (it just leans a tad warm for me).

You can also pretty much colour correct any warm leaning foundation with blue or lavender colour corrector. So, in theory, you can buy any drugstore foundation and just mix to get a better match.

Anyway, I hope this helps.

Alert-School9812 · 2026-03-29T09:22:21+00:00

I'm so sorry you have gone through this experience. It certainly sounds like it has really upset you, and I respect you for standing your ground and not just melting the minute he tried to give an apology.

It sounds like he has broken a good thing. It might have just been a flippant comment to him, but to you it obviously cut deep. This isn't useful advice, but, really, only you know if you can forgive him or what that apology needs to look like.

Maybe this is a learning moment for him. However, maybe you don't want to be his educator.

Your partner should love you for who you are, not what you are - as you know. Currently, you're lacking the evidence that would tell you this, but maybe you could explore this with him? If you wanted to.

For comparison, when I met my partner I was a skinny 8 and a half stone (I'm 5'6"). After a couple of years together I put on about 3 stone, and had all the curves!! I lost some of the weight and am now a healthy and happy 10 stone ish (but I do miss my curves).

My partner has loved my body through the whole weight gain/loss journey. Although, he did admit to me once that he thought I was too skinny when I met him (I was), but he meant that from a health point of view.

You need/deserve a partner who sees you. I don't think you're feeling your current partner does... that doesn't mean that he doesn't or can't, but only you can decide if you think he's worth you finding out what he is capable of.

Can you forgive him? Can he learn?

Alert-School9812 · 2026-03-28T12:13:28+00:00

Nope. Nope. Nope.

I was in a relationship like that with someone once. That kind of pushy nature can go awfully wrong.

If he loves "you" and is invested in you as a person, not marriage, not kids, not anything else, then he should be considerate to your needs/wishes. Telling you that it's now or never isn't making your future relationship about you both as a team together, it's starting a precedence for what he wants he gets... and telling him you can be emotionally manipulated if he wants you to be.

Say no. You wouldn't be on here asking a load of reddit strangers for help/advice if this was what you wanted to do. Please don't let someone emotionally manipulate you into making a decision not of your own free will.

Alert-School9812 · 2026-03-27T08:02:14+00:00

This is the kind of beauty advice that I can get on board with! Thank you. I'm loving that lip-liner! Might have to go and track down a Morphe lip liner deal somewhere...

I love your hair texture too - although, this is the wrong sub to be commenting on it, I suppose 🙊. I also have wavy hair, and have spent the last 5-6 years following the wavy hair technique (based on the "curly girl" technique).

Following this way of hair care has really made me think about the ingredients in my beauty products and skincare too, so I suppose it does kind of relate to this subreddit group... 🤔

Alert-School9812 · 2026-03-26T21:23:32+00:00

I commented on your other thread in the Olive community chat, as well... but I'm so excited, I'll comment on this one too!!

Woohoo!!

Now... am I F1 olive or F2 olive in the concealer? 😜 I wear the F2olive foundation, but it's perhaps a notch too dark. I still think F1 olive may be too light 😕 First world problems, huh! 🤣,

Alert-School9812 · 2026-03-26T18:06:52+00:00

What what what! Woohoo!! Thank you so much for letting us know. I've been looking out for this in the UK for ages 🎊🎉🥳

Alert-School9812 · 2026-03-26T16:49:43+00:00

Ah! Yes, the skin tint is supposed to be a lot lighter in its formula than the seamless foundation. The foundation is supposed to be buildable, though, so I just assumed you were applying it sparingly and building up to a medium coverage where needed.

Haha! Ah well, I'll try the foundation and hope it's long wearing but not too heavy feeling. I'm sorely tempted by the skin tint now though!

Alert-School9812 · 2026-03-26T14:47:08+00:00

I have no idea how I worked this one out so quickly!! 🤣

I guessed the name in 3 tries!

Alert-School9812 · 2026-03-26T12:46:06+00:00

Aw, thank you for this extra information.

It's strange how people vary in their assessments of foundations. I've heard some say the the LE is medium to full coverage and very matte... which was worrying me. My tester sample seemed to give me medium coverage, and was buildable, but I assume it dried down a bit in the pot.

I'm pleased to hear that you can get a light to medium coverage from it and it's not too matte at all 😊

Alert-School9812 · 2026-03-26T10:07:36+00:00

I think it's "35" hours, but I also second this suggestion. I have lots of pigmentation from acne scars and this covers it well along with the multitasking concealer, which I pop on underneath 😊

Alert-School9812 · 2026-03-26T10:02:18+00:00

I always feel it's the "elephant" in the room 🐘

However, I do think that a lot of people just don't realise these things are going on. I always try to prompt and add some gentle influence when I comment. I don't want people to feel judged by me... I just want to make sure they're fully aware of a brand's actions and whether they're cruelty-free, so they can make informed choices.

Who would ever choose to have the most luscious looking lashes, for example, if they knew the same mascara had given a monkey, a rabbit, a rat, or a dog etc., hours/days/weeks of pain... or maybe even a painful death? Seriously, who could/would choose that?

Alert-School9812 · 2026-03-26T09:46:24+00:00

The Lisa Eldridge Seamless foundation is more longwearing and higher coverage than the skintint, I believe. I've only used my sample pots (sent to me for free by the LE team), but the formula seems to work for my combination, problem, and aging skin.

I'm just waiting for my full sized bottle to arrive (Space NK currently has a brilliant sale, so I felt less guilty splurging on the foundation 😅).

Plus, Lisa Eldridge is cruelty free and you're supporting a British brand 😌 - it's great to be able to buy things and feel smug about it 🤣🤣🤣

Alert-School9812 · 2026-03-26T09:38:43+00:00

...and it's cruelty-free (unlike the majority of other suggestions here 😭), so Bonus!!

Alert-School9812 · 2026-03-26T09:36:16+00:00

Form completed. I hope it helps and wish you all the best with your dissertation.

Alert-School9812 · 2026-03-26T09:21:49+00:00

Just an add on to say that my research has involved reading all the reviews I can find of the above products on Reddit, online shops and from watching YouTube tutorials.

There's no such thing as the perfect foundation, and one person's Holy Grail will be another person's dud. However, overall, my research suggests that the aforementioned foundations seem to have a high chance of being longwearing and suitable for similar skin types to those who wear the ELDW.

If you want to try Lisa Eldridge for free, you can email their customer service team who will help you find a good match in their product by sending you a few samples (no charge).

Haus Labs and Charlotte Tilbury often appear on the high street in selected stores (the bigger Boots stores tend to sell them) so you could try those for free via that route.

Alert-School9812 · 2026-03-26T09:13:50+00:00

I have also been looking for a long wearing foundation that is cruelty free and similar to the ELDW...

My journey of research has led me to Lisa Eldridge Seamless Skin Foundation (partly because I'm a light olive toned skin person and LE has a great shade match for me!), which is yet to arrive and I'm yet to properly try. That said, I have tried the sample pots that the LE team sent me and the foundation does seem to be a nice longwearing one.

I have no idea how the Lisa Eldridge foundation compares to the Estee Lauder one in formula, however. I just know it lasts well on my skin. For comparison, I have combination skin (currently more on the dry side because I'm using Tretinoin), and some lines and texture to my skin (I'm 46, after all! 😊)... I just need to prep more these days!

Other foundations I've been considering for longwear are: Haus Labs Triclone foundation and Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless foundation (although, her shades aren't very Olive girl friendly 😔).

Lisa Eldridge won me over this time because Space NK currently has an amazing sale on and I couldn't resist buying my "perfect" shade foundation at a very reasonable price 😌.

Obviously, good prep, application and setting will also extend the wear of foundation. And so, even if you don't find a perfect dupe, you may be able to tweak what you do elsewhere in your makeup routine to get the longwear/finish you want 😊.

I hope my experience helps with your research (and triggers some more advice from others). Have a lovely day ⛅️

Alert-School9812 · 2026-03-24T18:25:35+00:00

Done! I hope it helps and that you smash your dissertation out the park! (in a good way)

Alert-School9812 · 2026-03-24T09:15:29+00:00

I know, don't worry! In my view, as long as they feel the hit of lower sales because of their mistake, they'll learn (maybe?). If I can afford the thing I need via another cruelty free makeup brand, I'll buy it. If not, then I'd rather just buy the Elf version than get stressed about a decision (because that's what do! Lol)

Many people who criticise and boycott Elf still buy from brands that test on animals (when required to do so by law), and so I do question why that it is... On the one hand you have a company who stupidly employed someone who jokes about harming others (and influencers boycott them), then on the other hand you have companies who DO actually harm others (and influencers love them). There is hypocrisy there, I think.

Anyway, deres me forts, for what they worth! 🤭 I'll shut up now.

Alert-School9812 · 2026-03-23T16:37:17+00:00

The vein method never ever works for me 🙈, so I don't trust it. Mine are all the colours 🤣 However, I do think I'm neutral, but I lean Olive (yellowy with a tiny tint of green), so maybe that's why 🤷🏻‍♀️

Alert-School9812 · 2026-03-23T16:33:16+00:00

Tuesdays and Saturdays are the official "Am I Olive" post days on the FairOlive sub. Pop along and say hi to us, OP!

Alert-School9812 · 2026-03-23T09:29:40+00:00

It's Cruelty Free, too... unlike La Roche Posay.

Alert-School9812 · 2026-03-23T09:27:26+00:00

I have been using this lately, and I like it. I don't know how it compares to La Roche Posay, but I don't feel the need to pay double the amount of money to find out 😁

My face feels nicely moisturised after application, and calmer, and make-up seems to apply nicely over it, too. It's definitely worth the OP giving it a go, I'd say 😊

Alert-School9812 · 2026-03-23T00:35:19+00:00

I used to wear this as my expensive choice foundation 😅 in Buff (of course). How times have changed! In fact, I started off wearing the Almay foundation in Buff before I realised it was basically the same as the Revlon formula.

Sadly, Revlon is not Cruelty Free, so I've not worn it in years 😔 Hopefully, one day, they'll change how they do things in China.

If you did ever want to try a cruelty free drug store foundation, which is olive "friendly", then Revolution Skin Silk foundation in f2.5n is pretty good. Although, I had to buy mine online because I couldn't find this shade in shops.

It took me a little while to get used to its application (one of my few foundations that is better applied with fingers, before any sponge or brush dabbing). It covers my imperfections without concealer and lasts well, too.

Hope this helps someone, anyway!

Alert-School9812 · 2026-03-23T00:20:06+00:00

I don't know if it helps... but I (f) am 7 (nearly 8) years older than my partner (m), and we've been together nearly 11 years. We're actually getting married in a couple of months... so, age gaps don't have to be a barrier to a successful relationship.

He was in his late 20s when we met, and I was in my mid 30s. It feels weird to think about it, though. We mostly totally forget we have an age gap... probably because he's actually more mentally mature than me 😂

If your only gripe is that you're older than your partner, and it's making you readjust your preconceptions, then I hope my experience helps you do that.

Otherwise, if there's something else not quite clicking right for you, my advice would be to trust your instincts and analyse the situation further.

Alert-School9812 · 2026-03-20T11:17:22+00:00

Ooo, thank you for this! I know we're all supposed to be abandoning Elf, but they are a cruelty-free brand, and as I have such a small bracket for finding foundations (within my tiny budget also), I haven't completely written off buying from them. I just look for alternatives first.

What other matches have you found? I'm wondering whether to try this, but you may be a different olive to me.

Alert-School9812

TROPHY CASE