Remember my review of the cleverness that is The Body Shop’s new Shade Adjusting Drops?

Well, those ingenious li’l druppeltjies came along with a foundation too – new Fresh Nude foundation (R275). A light to medium coverage, hydrating foundation with a dewy finish, Fresh Nude contains English soothing rosewater and aloe vera as well as an SPF 15.

I have an oily-combo skin type and this is more suited to those with a drier skin type but, with a few sweeps of blotting powder on my T-panel I could totally make it work for. (As it is, I’m always blotting at face, so it wasn’t a biggie.)

I liked that the coverage was lovely and light – almost like a fluid-textured BB Creme – that felt super comfy on my skin and it didn’t catch on the crepe-ier skin just under my eyes (isn’t getting old just the best?) that’s currently being aggravated by a spot of stress related eczema (isn’t being a workaholic grown up even better?).

I also liked how easy it was to blend. A few sweeps of a sponge and BOOM, you’ve got a more even-toned dewy looking complexion that’s enhancing your skin as opposed to hiding it. You can then spot-treat anything outstanding, like the odd blemish, with a good concealer.

Af far as the prettily named shades go, the range is fabulous and spans from Chelsea Porcelain and Bora Bora Tiare all the way to Caribbean Mahogany and Tuscany Chestnut. The colour I was given, Sahara Light (030) was literally the perfect match for my skin when I’m not wearing self tan. (This is when I’m a MAC NC25 for your reference.)

Here’s a full face shot, for your viewing pleasure. Please ignore how auburn my brows are. I was testing a brow pencil too (not from The Body Shop) and it’s definitely not working on me.

While Sahara Light is clearly a perfect match, it’s good to know that when I turn a merry shade of corpse come mid winter, it’s good to know I can sheer this baby out further using the The Body Shop’s Shade Adjusting Drops. Actually, I could also darken it too for when I’m wearing self-tan.

Having used these for a while I’ve noticed the lightening drops don’t alter the foundation’s texture but the darkening ones tend to sheer it out the teeniest tad.

If you’re looking for a lightweight, hydrating foundation, know that The Body Shop Fresh Nude is a very nice pick.

Love, love

Leigh