No7 Essential Moisture Foundation

RRP: £10.00 for 40ml
No. of shades available: 6

--What does the promo say?--
"Beauty made simple. Keep your skin feeling comfortably moisturised all day long with this easy to wear medium coverage foundation. The rich creamy formula blends easily to cover minor imperfections, giving an even, dewy finish with a wonderfully lightweight feel. Enriched with vitamins A & E and SPF12 to care and protect for your skin. It is hypo-allergenic and fragrance-free."

--Packaging--
It's a squeezy black plastic flip-top bottle which stands on its lid and has the No7 logo and all product information written in a metallic gold, easy-to-read font. However, from the Boots website picture, it now appears that they no longer place the sticker detailing the shade on the front of the bottle. It is a shame if this is the case as it enables you to see the shade clearly and the skin-coloured sticker really stands out from the otherwise plain design. However, it could be that they've merely removed this for the purposes of the picture. The flip top is secure and easy to open and close.

--Application--
Simple really - open the lid, squeeze some foundation onto your fingertips, a brush or a sponge, and apply all over your face.

--Texture--
Creamy, with an absolutely perfect consistency - not too runny and not too hard. On the face it feels smooth and light.

--Appearance--
On the skin the effects are obvious without you looking like you've plastered the foundation on with a trowel. The overall effect is dewy and matte with exactly the right amount of coverage.

--Longevity--
This foundation doesn't rub or slide off as the day goes on, though I'd say that dry patches and blemishes become more obvious, so you may benefit from regular touch-ups throughout the day (though of course if you have perfect skin then this will be irrelevant!).

--Coverage--
Pretty good - I'm happy with it so far at least.

--Value for money--
For an own-brand range, I've always found No7 to be of excellent quality (even though I think 6 available shades of this foundation is quite a paltry selection). It is cheaper than brands of similar quality and I'd say it's even better than brands that are widely perceived to be of higher quality, such as Max Factor. One tube of this also lasts quite well, even if you wear makeup every day, so for this price, I'd definitely recommend it.