I reviewed four of the newest foundation launches for The Telegraph last week; I’ve popped a link to the full video below so that you can see the face bases in action. Foundation reviews are quite tricky to do, because so much depends on skin type, tone and personal preference. Some people need a very moisturising formula, some prefer a very matte finish, others might require a very yellow undertone to the foundation that simply doesn’t exist in some ranges, or a certain peachy-pink that’s difficult to find.. I think that we all have our little needs and preferences and the only failsafe way to find the perfect foundation is to try a lot of them. A lot. And not just in a department store beauty hall (though that is handy, because you get loads of brands crammed in together and you can do a kind of “speed-dating” affair from counter to counter!) but at home, with little samples, in your own time and at your own pace.

Anyway: four new launches. Dior’s Nude Air, Lancome’s Miracle Cushion, the “All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation” from NARS and the hugely-advertised “Beyond Perfecting” foundation and concealer from Clinique. You can see each one being applied in the Telegraph video, (open in a new page here), but a little run-down for quick reference – I’ll be doing full reviews on my favourites (the Clinique and Dior) in the very near future.

Dior Nude Air Ultra-Fluid Serum Foundation: really, light as air. Some of these completely weightless foundations can feel a little bit weird on dry skin or drier patches, but this actually feels quite nourishing and more substantial, perhaps due to its slightly oily texture. It gives the most gorgeous, undetectable finish though I do find that it oxidises very slightly, getting a little bit darker an hour or so after application. Nothing too noticeable, but worth testing out on your own skin prior to purchase! It’s £29.70 at Escentual.com here – I wear shade 20.

Lancome Miracle Cushion: something a little new, for us in the UK at least. A “cushion” soaked in foundation – you use the sponge provided to press the product onto your skin. Although the idea of this has grown on me, I still can’t get used to the very odd texture of flat-sponge-on-skin and I’m not sure that it gives me the same airbrushed finish as a brush. Or even fingers! But it does keep everything neat and in one place and the foundation itself gives a nice, natural-yet-buildable coverage. I used shade 01. £29.50 at Boots.com

Clinique Beyond Perfecting 2-in-1 Foundation + Concealer: in effect, this is no different to your usual medium-ish coverage foundation, but the applicator is quite unique. An oversized doe-foot concealer wand for precision application to dark circles and blemishes and so on. Nice idea. And I have no problem at all with the foundation itself; it leaves my skin looking perfected and velvety. It’s not the most glow-giving, but it’s not cakey or heavy either and you can either sheer it out or build it up, depending on where you need help. Watch the video to see the applicator! It’s £25 at FeelUnique here – I’m sorry, I don’t know the shade as I’ve packed it away somewhere – I’ll have to colour match myself in town tomorrow!

The All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation from NARS: I didn’t have this in quite the right shade – it was a little too yellow for me – but nevertheless I liked it a lot. Not as much as the Dior Nude Air, as I didn’t find the finish to be quite so glowing and the feel wasn’t so comfortable, but it’s another incredibly lightweight “two drops does it all” kind of face base. I must pop into Space NK and try the right shade, as that has skewed my opinion somewhat! I had 05. You can find this foundation at Space NK for £32.

Right – time to watch the little demos on The Telegraph if you haven’t already had it running in a separate window…