Healthy Glow?

It's no secret that I am a sucker when it comes to make up.  I may be in my 50s (did I just admit that?), but I still have a teen (pre-teen) fascination with make-up.  Walking into a drug store or beauty supply store, you KNOW I'm not going to come out empty handed.  I am lured in and hooked.

As I have aged (sigh), I've noticed that certain things that used to look good on me, just don't look so good any more.  (I've talked about it before:  http://bfthsboringblog.blogspot.com/2017/01/make-up-make-over.html).  Whereas I used to always be a powder woman, I'm seeing that I'm going to need to go with creams.  At least when it comes to eye shadows. (Which leads me to the question:  what do I do with all the powder shadows that I have that are relatively new and hardly used?)

One item that I have always had difficulty is foundation.  I am fair, but my skin is also reddish. (This is due partially as a result of sensitivity. Also I also have HUGE pores, still get acne, but have plenty of wrinkles to top it off.  I also have a hard time keeping my hands OFF of my face. I don't think I’m quite so bad as to be considered as someone with excoriation, but...) Many fair foundations seem too light for me.  In photos I come out looking like I have a white mask.  (Not attractive at all.)  I'm also not a fan of liquids and like powders.  I like Yves St. Laurent's Fusion Ink Foundation because it goes on liquid, but become powdery.  However it is EXPENSIVE!  And I still feel the color is a little off (despite being "matched").

As summer was on the way, I was drawn in by a new product by Almay called Healthy Glow.  Supposedly a makeup (foundation) AND a gradual self-tan (with a SPF of 20).  It was not too expensive, so I decided to give it a go.  After all, who doesn't want a healthy glow?

I didn't get a healthy glow.  I got no glow at all.  Maybe my face doesn't self-tan?  I used it regularly for a week and all I got from it was a liquid foundation. (And yes, I did tap the bottom of the bottle to "mix" the two elements.)  As far as foundations go, this was you typical liquid.  Which, for me, is not my favorite thing.  

I have continued to use it on a semi-regular basis for about two month and don't see any results at all.  (On the flip side, I don't see any of the traditional "orangey" results that self-tanners are notorious for giving.)  And now that the summer heat is on ANY liquid foundation is off the table.  With the humidity at a zillion percent the last thing that I want to do is put anything on my face that isn't soft and/or powdery.

As a foundation, I'm not sold.  I didn't feel that my skin looked flawless and luminous.  (As the product claims; I didn't really believe it any way.)  As a self-tanner, I'm definitely not sold.  I did not see that the overall appearance of my bare skin improve.  (Calling BS on this claim.) But at least my investment did not break the bank.

So what do those of you who use foundation use?  What do you prefer and why?  Is there such a product that will actually cover the "flaws" without making you look like a pasty faced clown?  Inquiring minds (or at least this one) want to know!