Per-féktion.

As someone who was (go ahead, throw tomatoes) born with near-perfect skin, I seem to have missed that vital stage in adolescence when one is introduced to the notions of foundation and concealer. Here I was, trotting around my high school harvesting compliments in nothing but mascara and moisturizer; taking for granted my blemish-free existence and judging friends who had yet to master blending along the edges.

So imagine my displeasure to now, at age 20, be tossed unarmed into the wild world of, well...oil. I'll spare you the gory details, but suffice to say that I've been looking a little shiny in photographs lately. What's the deal, glands? Quitting so soon? Two measley decades and you throw in the towel? Whatever the cause - stress, hormones, not diet because I eat better now than ever - but I'm not bitter - karma has gotten the last laugh, and it seems the time has come for me to take a nosedive into the skincare aisle. First on the list: a lightweight foundation that can stand up to summer in sticky Washington, D.C. (which was built on swamplands, for the non-locals among us). Gulp.



Disclaimer: this stuff is not cheap. While I'm willing to skimp on things like white ribbed tank tops (Target, little boys' section - ya can't beat 'em!), anything that goes on or around the face is, to me, worth splurging on. Having had bad reactions to drugstore foundations and the mid-range, widely-loved Bare Minerals starter kit, I find that a pricey tube that will last me months is less costly than the loss of dignity that results from poorer-quality products.

But on to the positives: I'M IN LOVE. WITH A LITTLE BLUE BOTTLE OF $58 FOUNDATION. I have never tried any product that appears so natural but makes such a world of difference. My skin not only looks amazing - zero redness, invisible pores - but because Per-fékt foundation is silicone-based, it feels incredible too. We're talking baby's bottom territory. And I hate that phrase, so you know it's serious.

A couple of caveats: a little bit goes a long way, so have a salesperson show you how it's meant to be applied (start with the nose and spread outward, and don't use too much or it'll begin to flake). And test-drive it in the store first, because it is very lightweight - great for those of us who can hide our blemishes behind a sprinkling of freckles and a few swipes of bronzer, but not designed to mask more intense skin problems.

So maybe my skin, even at age 20, can no longer be perfect. But with a little cash, it can stay per-fékt for some time to come.