Once that happened, foundation became something that I used simply to dampen down the unfashionable roses in my cheeks, rather than a form of camoflauge. Aveda hadn't yet come out with its makeup line, and I used Gerda Spillman in "Weekend."

It went on like satin.

It evened out my skin tone.

It made me the very very pale color that went with my ink-black 80s hair.

It made me very very happy.... until around noon, when it started to seperate on top of my skin and looked, frankly, terrible.

So I tried various powders on top of it, which just made it worse, and on and on.

Then Aveda came out with what it called its "Wet/Dry Foundation," a pressed powder you could use dry or with a wet applicator, or with foundation or moisturizer, to get the coverage and finish you wanted.

Like all "one size fits all" products, it didn't really work, but I liked it a lot, it didn't make me break out, and at least for a few hours, my skin looked great.

Then they stopped making it, and I tried to use their liquid foundation, even though it didn't really cover like I wanted, because it didn't make me break out and I loved Aveda. I used it for years. They came out with a new formulation, and there was a period you couldn't get it, and I used Zia for a while, but when the new Aveda came out, I switched back. They also came out with one of the best concealers ever made, which they still make, the Inner Light concealer.

Not only did it cover well, I actually started using it as a pre-foundation layer, very lightly applied all over my face, and then added the liquid foundation on top, giving me pretty much the coverage I had always dreamed of from a foundation.

But still, my skin didn't FEEL all that great. It felt kind of rough when I had this on, and while it evened out my redness and covered up dark circles when I had them, my skin wasn't soft and smooth.

That's when I had my Chanel epiphany. I was in Nordstrom, and the Chanel counter lady gave me a mini-facial and did my makeup, and I was blown away by the baby-butt softness of my face. I held onto enough sanity to get samples of all the products instead of buying them, knowing that my rosacea gets triggered by most chemically products. But I knew I could wear Chanel makeup, so I was hopeful.

To cut a long story short, the moisturizer makes me break out, and all the products eventually do, if I use them long enough. Which makes me sob, because even while I'm breaking out, the rest of my skin feels like silk.

But the foundation, the concealer, and the BEST. THING. EVER, the Base Lumiere, are unbeatable.

I tried to use the base (which is fragrance-free) with the Aveda foundation, and it didn't make the Aveda foundation feel like the Chanel. The combination of the Chanel concealer under my eyes and on any blemishes, plus the base, plus the foundation, is smooth, soft, totally non-irritating, and never, no matter what, seperates on my skin.

It's not cheap... the base is $38.50, although I suspect that would last for months, and the foundation, the Pro Lumiere, is $52. I use the Chanel foundation brush to apply it -- something I've never done before, but it does give a nicer finish and IMO lets you use less product to get better coverage.

Chanel makes a number of different foundations for different skin types and coverage needs, so I would go to a Chanel counter and let them advise you. I haven't tried anything but the Pro Lumiere.

I'd also consider the Aveda line, which makes many different foundations for different skin types. It's much "purer," it's a very socially responsible company, they stand behind their products, and they are less expensive than the Chanel -- although not cheap.