I’m a long-time fan of the £8 foundation that Cynthia Erivo wore on the red carpet—here’s why I love it

I adore awards season. The morning after each Hollywood event, I will spend far too much time scrolling through photos to mull over the endless sparkles, exaggerated silhouettes and jumbo gowns, which are all finished perfectly with glossy hair and dramatic make-up looks that often kick off a wave of new season trends.

It's hard to pick a red carpet favourite but my current style crush has to be Cynthia Erivo. The Wicked actress has been on absolute fire with her looks while promoting the blockbuster film since last autumn. I love her whole vibe, so imagine my joy when I discovered that she uses the very same foundation as a mere mortal like me.

I had swooned over Cynthia’s whole look while at this year’s Grammys—so I was amazed to find that her makeup artist Joanna Simkin had created her flawless-looking base using e.l.f’s Soft Glam Satin Foundation. Yes really. I was shocked that the star was wearing a foundation that costs just £8, but at the same time, I totally get it. I'm a long-time fan of this hero base product, and I have trusted it many times to keep my cheeks in check for a fancy event.

e.l.f launched Soft Glam Satin Foundation at the beginning of last summer—I was lucky to try it out a little early, and I instantly loved it. The lightweight and silky-smooth cream coverage swipes over skin easily, and covers up uneven tone and blemishes well, but without feeling cakey or heavy to wear. As the name might suggest, it leaves a very subtle satin-y sheen on skin that creates a healthy and happy veil of coverage over my face that I love. I became a big fan of the foundation after just a couple of uses, and I have worn it daily ever since.

One of the major perks of this base is that as well as making my skin look good, it also looks after it. The formula is packed full of skincare goodies including blueberry and goji berry extracts as well as a hydrating hibiscus complex. The nourishing ingredients help to soften and moisturise skin, so even after hours of wear there isn't ever any sign of flaking or dryness.

On top of all this, it’s available in a whopping 36 shades, and the brilliantly inclusive line-up caters to a range of skin tones and undertones, so it’s easy to find a good match that suits you without having to mix it with other products.

While I haven’t been to a Hollywood event filled with spotlights and paparazzi constantly flashing their cameras at me like Cynthia has, I have worn the foundation for a summer wedding and a couple of nights out, so I can confidently attest to its impressive staying power. I didn’t need to touch-up, and even after some happy tears at a friend’s big day, it stayed put well without creasing or fading.

Though the packaging isn’t as important as the product itself, I thought it was worth a mention. The black and metallic squeezy tube looks great, and the flat and streamlined shape takes up minimal space in my always-bulging-at-the-seams makeup bag. A little really does go a long way—I find that one tube lasts me several months.

I still can’t get over the fact that this hero base is only £8. It is my go-to for getting my face ready for the day, and I’ve liked it more than some foundations that come with heftier price tags. While some may be surprised that an A-lister as big as Cynthia would wear a budget-friendly foundation like this one, I totally understand it, as e.l.f Soft Glam Foundation is up there with the very best.