I'll admit: I tend to stay away from drugstore foundations. In my experience, the shades are too dark and they oxidize heavily. By mid-day the color changes and it either looks like I am permanently blushing or I have a really bad fake tan. But Covergirl's new and improved TruBlend Liquid Foundation, $8.44, is an exception. Shade L1 was a great match for my complexion (it runs pretty neutral). The next shade up (L2) is more yellow and L3 is on the pink side. The oil-free formula won't clog pores and, as the name suggests, blends into skin for light to medium coverage.

It was love at first pump. Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation, $62, is exactly the right shade, the formula doesn't oxidize and it gave my skin a radiant, glowy finish. Bonus: the line is also paraben-free and gentle on the skin. The range of shades is limited, but the two lightest are: 012 for pink undertones and 002 for yellow undertones.

There are a few more color options in the Maifanshi Moisture Foundation, $62. At the palest end of the spectrum: shades 001 and 012 for pink undertones and 112 for yellow undertones.

All of CoverFX's shades are divided into three categories: "P" for pink, "G" for golden and "N" for neutral and they come in a wide range of shades, which makes finding one that suits pale skin a breeze. The categories are also broken down into ranges. If you're super fair you'll probably fall in the 10 or 20 range. Total Cover Cream Foundation SPF 30, $42, has the best variety in fair shades: N0 and P10, N10 and G10.

In the 10 range, only the neutral shade is available in both the PowderFX Mineral Powder Foundation, $35 and the Natural Finish Oil Free Foundation, $40. For the pink and golden undertones, it jumps to the 20 range, which is still surprisingly light -- although they look too dark in the package, when applied they stay very fair.

Best of all: These foundations are free of gluten, mineral oil, fragrance, parabens and talc.

Illamasqua has an impressive range in pale shades. For very fair skin, there are four shades of the Skin Base Foundation, $42, which goes on relatively sheer when applied correctly, layers well for heavier coverage and dries quickly into a matte finish. Shades 2 and 3.5 pair well with pink/blue undertones; shades 3 and 4.5 are a smidge yellow.

Color me shocked: The Sensual Skin Enhancer, $48, comes in a shade that is too light for me. At last! Contouring and highlighting, here I come!. SX 01 is a true ivory, so it's a touch on the cool side. SX 02 is very, very light with a hint of warmth, and SX 03 is a shade darker with neutral undertones. These foundations come in a tiny pot that will last forever, because it only takes a couple of dots to cover your face -- and I mean that literally. Sheer coverage this is not. This foundation has tons of pigment for medium to full coverage and a thick consistency that, surprisingly, doesn't feel heavy.