One of the first questions I get asked as a makeup artist, from friends, family and clients, is “whats a good foundation?” Ladies, I understand your dilemma! There are so many foundations out there on the market, how on earth are you supposed to pick the best one for you? Im here to tell you HOW to pick the right foundation so that it looks like SKIN, not like a layer of makeup on your face. After working in the industry for close to 20 years, I can honestly say that if you don’t get your foundation right, you might as well forget about getting the rest of your makeup looking flawless.
So here are the things that you should consider and ask your makeup artist/beauty specialist when shopping for a foundation, as well as some of my favourite foundations out there that you should definitely go and check out.
#1 Whats my skin type?
This will be first thing that you will need to know when choosing foundation, and after my last posts everyone should have an understanding of what skin type they are, right? If you are dry skin you may want to look at formulas that are more dewy/luminous on the skin or if you are oily then for a foundation that is more oil absorbing to prevent shine.
#2 What formula is best for me?
Liquid, cream, stick, powder…. decisions are endless! My main objective, when working with clients, is to have their foundation looking like skin. Choosing the right formula is so important as it will determine not only how it will sit on the skin, but how it will last throughout the day. I know there are a lot of mineral makeups out there and powder foundations, but generally speaking ladies, I would only recommend these to someone that is oily skin. If your skin is in any way dry or dehydrated a powder formula is going to show up that dryness so much more, and we don’t want to look cakey do we??! Oil based liquids and creams are good for dryer skins, often ones with a dewy finish, and oil free liquids, creams or powders are generally better for oilier skins.
#3 What kind of coverage do I want?
When I talk about coverage it is important to know and understand that even if you are someone who wants or needs a full coverage foundation, this foundation should still look like skin, not like packed on makeup. Some foundations are buildable, which means that you can wear it sheer on the skin, or achieve a fuller coverage by building it up with a sponge or brush. Tinted moisturisers are usually more sheer, liquids ranging from sheer, medium to full coverage, and creams/sticks are generally medium to full.
#4 What colour do I choose?
Ok so I think this is one of the most important steps in choosing a foundation! If you can see the foundation on your skin then you have probably picked the wrong colour. Who wants to wear foundation and see a visible line around your jaw where the product ends? Or have to wear the foundation all the way down your neck so it blends into your skin colour perfectly? Hells no!!! We have all seen it, and ladies this is one of my ABSOLUTE MAKEUP DON’TS!!! Now in my opinion, a yellow based foundation is much better than any pink toned foundation. They look more natural, work better to tone down redness or uneven skin tone, and even if you are as pale as Casper the friendly ghost you can still find a yellow based foundation in the correct shade for you. The trick to picking the best colour foundation is testing more than one colour next to each other and see which one disappears into the skin. I like to test at least 3 colours, use a finger to draw 3 swatches of foundation alongside each other, from the cheekbone to just under the jawline, and stand back and see which one you cant see on the skin. That is the perfect colour for you.
Now if you are like me and have much more colour in your body than you do in your face, you still want to match the foundation to the tone on your face, and not pick a darker shade to blend in with your body. Thats where a lot of people make a mistake! Ladies thats what bronzers are for, not just for contouring but to warm up the skin tone on the face! Dust your bronzer lightly all over the face, down through the neckline and under the chin and voila, you are blended and are the same shade from head to toe! lol
SOME OF MY FAVOURITE FOUNDATIONS TO TRY!
*Remember, ASK FOR SAMPLES!
Stila Stay All Day Foundation – Oil Free but good for Normal/Combo skins too, great coverage, not drying.
Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick – Oil Free but AMAZING for everyone! Creamy, glides on and is perfect for your handbag for quick touch ups from day to night or to add coverage in areas on top of a tinted moisturiser or sheer foundation.
Maybelline Fit Me Foundation – Comes in both matte & poreless and dewy & smooth formulations to cater for all skin types. An affordable brand available in a variety of shades and has an SPF 18 as well!
Chantecaille Just Skin Tinted Moisturiser – Great coverage for a tinted moisturiser, hydrating and has SPF 15 also!
Stacey xxx