With only two challenges left this weeks Life & Style, In Touch and L.A. COLORS “Brush with Fame” challenge is “Summer Cover Up.” That’s right, we’re talking all things foundation, concealer and powders!
When looking for the perfect foundation, it’s important to know what you want and that you get to know your skin – are you oily, normal or dry? Are you fair, medium or dark? Do you have pink or yellow undertones? What level of coverage are you looking for? (And what are you trying to cover — enlarged mores, wrinkles, acne scars, beauty marks, redness, dark circles, or smooth out your entire face). And lastly do you have a preference in the finish? (dewy, matte or regular?).
ALL of the above questions are going to play a role in how we pick the perfect foundation for you. Here’s a basic guide to help you get started!
What type of foundation is right for me?
First, lets start with skin type:
Dry skin – go for more creamy foundations, and liquids, and either finish with a powder or look for hydrating powders. Anything that uses moisturizing or hydrating wording on the bottle, will likely be right for you. Also make sure you moisturize at least a few minutes prior to application.
Oily skin – oil-free or oil control foundations and powders will be your best friend! Also look at the matte foundations since they are designed tone that oil down.
Combination skin – apply powder foundations in areas where you’re oily
Next, coverage:
If you’re looking just to even your skin out, so your pores are more even and want to get rid of any redness, try a tinted moisturizer, BB Cream or CC Cream. Check. They generally are lighter and also offer a lot more skin benefits — especially your BB’s (beauty balm or blemish cream) and CC’s (color correcting or color control).
If you have no idea the difference between the 3, here’s a quick breakdown, tinted moisturizers came first and are sheer foundations with moisturizing benefits. Next came the BB Creams as the next evolution in the tinted moisturizing world. They were huge in Asia and then took over the US. They have added benefits like SPF and antioxidants and can offer more coverage then a tinted moisturizer. CC’s were the next generation of BB’s (soon we’ll have DD’s and keep going down the alphabet), and since it’s all about color correcting they address redness or sallowness (when you’re yellow). Keep in mind all BB’s and CC’s are not created equal. From their coverage levels to consistency, they are anything but consistent. Some are more creamy, others are lighter so be sure to check the descriptions!
As for medium to full foundations it should say on the box, what’s what or on a brands website the level of coverage. Also check if the coverage is buildable, which means it can range from light to medium, or medium to heavy depending on how much you apply. If you’re looking to cover anything, like blemishes or acne scars then start with a medium coverage foundation and either build it to heavy or if you notice you need more coverage go for a full coverage foundation.
Keep in mind to you may just need a concealer stick for areas that need heavier coverage and can do something light for your entire face.
How to find the perfect foundation for your skin:
If you have no idea your skin type (a lot of people get it wrong!), or only have some of the answers ask someone at a makeup counter (make sure you like their makeup and skin!) and let them know what you like or don’t like about your current foundation if you use one so they can get a better idea of your needs. Coming in with some idea about what you want will help the makeup or skincare specialist find your perfect shade.
Here are some additional pointers:
-Try before you buy – When testing try in your t-zone or inner arm. Once you think you found the perfect shade apply where you normally put foundation and try it. Foundations are best seen in natural (outside) light, so just because it looks great in the store, does not mean it’s the right shade. Also often times a foundation will go on one color but dries another since it can oxidize with your skin so you want to take it for a test spin before committing. That will also help you see if you like how it feels on your skin and how long it wears for.
-If trying isn’t an option since you’re buying from a website or drugstore, check their return policy. And if you think you’re between two shades, buy both and either return the other or often times we need to mix two colors together to get our perfect foundation. This is actually not a bad thing, since for starters it beats wearing the wrong shade and second our skin tone tends to change or rather vary within a range (especially from summer to winter when you may be more tab). Working with two foundations can help you customize.
-Do some research and read reviews – You may read about a concealer or foundation in a magazine that sounds perfect for you; make sure to read some reviews online to see what others thought about it. I like makeupalley.com for my readers since it rates a product based on all of the reviews and anonymously lists peoples age range and skin type. If you notice all the oily skin types like a foundation but all the drys don’t, take a cue. And if everyone loves it, give it a whirl!
How to apply foundation:
For starts, make sure you have a clean, fully cleansed face that’s moisturized (especially if you’re dry) and then wait at least a five minutes before applying your foundation. Next you can add a primer, although I think they are optional. The benefit is they help make your foundation last longer and you can get targeted variations to do anything from mattify your pores to fill in your wrinkles. Silicone-based ones fill in wrinkles better but can be heavier and cause your skin to pill. I like water-based ones since they are lighter (but again it comes down to preference). Do some research online since there are ones for different skin types and skin-care concerns.
Now when applying your foundation there are 3 ways, use your finger, brush or sponge. For light coverage your fingers are fine. The Beauty-blender is my favorite sponge, there are loads of new ones out on the market but that’s still the best one I’ve used. It’s great to give you a more airbrushed finish and can be used wet or dry. For brushes there are ones for concealers (usually smaller brushes that are pointy) for covering dark spots or marks, this brush is for targeted small areas; foundation brushes are larger and meant to be used all over your face, and powder brushes are large as well but tend to be more airy so it applies evenly all over your face.
Whether you apply the foundation to the brush direct or to your face and then smooth out is entirely up to you and the formula. Try both ways. I love the L.A. COLORS Cover Up! Pro Concealer but it works exponentially better for me when I apply to my face and then smooth out with my concealer brush.
To make your look last longer, finish with a makeup spray or powder!
I hope this guide helps you find your perfect foundation. If you have any questions, tweet me @prettyconnected!