Your
Complete Guide To
Choosing The Best Foundation
Foundation
Decoding...
Making
the best foundation or makeup base choice for you, begins with a little
sorting and decoding of the terms
describing the range of foundation products available. This
chart should bring some clarity to the variety
of foundation formats, skin types they are suitable for, and coverage
they deliver.
Foundation:
Liquid
Cream
Compact
Stick
Powder
Tinted Moisturizer
Skin Type:
normal and combination
dry skin or climate situation with no humidity
oily skin or heavier coverage
oily or combination skin or as a concealer
all (except super dry skin)
normal to dry
Objective:
smooth satiny finish with sheer to medium coverage
smooth dewy finish with medium coverage
smooth silky slightly matte finish with medium to
slightly heavier coverage
matte more opaque finish
matte finish, considered easiest to apply
natural, glowing finish
small dabs or strokes blending a little at a
time *blend well
beginning central to the face dot a little at a
time with a damp sponge *blend well
strategic placement over areas of uneven tone
*blend well into skin
using finger pads, patting for spot coverage or
brush for all over even tone *blend well
using light hand, central start smooth outward, ie.
bridge of nose and outward across cheeks etc.
gently massage into face to meet desired needs, if
SPF give even coverage *blend well
Tools:
foundation brush or sponge * a damp
sponge will increase sheerness
latex free sponge
compact sponge/ rounded edge sponge
stick itself ,brush and/or very clean
finger pads
large powder brush
clean fingers
Blend
Well-this tip is to be understood as patting, or gently working into
the skin so there is NO detectable transition of color.
F.Y.I
*'Smart
Beauty Picks'for
best foundation?...
Foundation
Type
Liquid : Laura Mercier's Oil Free Liquid Foundation
Cream : Sue Devitt's Triple C-Weed Whipped Foundation
Compact:
M.A.C. Studio Tech Cream To Powder Foundation
Stick: Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick
Powder: Bare Escentuals i.d. bareminerals Powder
Tinted Moisturizer: Stila Sheer Color Tinted Moisturizer
Primer: Smashbox Photo Finish
Shop and compare prices of the above at Shopzilla. My personal favorite, Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick, shown below.
Some
simple steps for
best foundation makeup
application
Step #1
-Choosing
the best
foundation for you...
Consider
these things when choosing a foundation:
1.
Skin Type -
Choose a foundation formulation appropriate to your skin type (check
out the
above chart).
2. Coverage -
How much coverage to you need or want?
3.
Color -
With a makeup-free face, examine your skin tone in natural light and
then at a reliable beauty counter, get some input from a consultant.
Test the color on your jaw and in
natural light. The color should
blend and disappear into your own skin tone.
Generally
speaking, most skin tones will best suit foundations with a yellow
undertone.
Best Foundation
Application Tip: Don't
try to get away with an off shade. If you have
made, the purchase and at home find the shade is off, if it is recent,
return it, otherwise replace it.
Step #2
-Start with a clean
slate...
Start with a clean slate, following your skin care regimen, for the
best and freshest looking results.
Step
#3
-Foundation
Remember the
objective is even skin tone, however, since we all have
individual needs, there
will a range in how much foundation we all apply.
Best
Foundation Application Tip:
To
ensure smooth and even coverage, consider using a foundation
primer.
i)
For a light and over all even tone, place four dime size dots on the
forehead, cheeks and chin.
ii) Using the *appropriate
tool,
blend well...
*(Based on the formulation and consistency...refer to the chart above.)
Best
Foundation Application
Tip: iii)
Come up with a system that is
efficient to your needs and thorough;
ie.Smooth
outwards in short, quick, overlapping strokes,
across
cheeks, gently under and over eye area, towards the temple and into
hairline. Move down and outwards into the jaw line and optionally, to
the neck area and then do the other side. Next start at the
chin, over the mouth, upper lip, around the nostrils and over the nose
area, up through the bridge and then between the eyebrows and blending
out the last zone, the forehead area and into the hairline.
*NOTE: Generally,
if you place the foundation central to the zones, as you blend you will
have less as you move outward, so by the time you are approaching the
hairline and jaw line, you have minimal foundation to spread.
Try:
Foundation-
four dime size dots at cheeks, forehead and chin.
Concealer-smaller
dots and in measure of coverage needs.
Step
#4
-Concealer
Again the
objective is even skin tone. In this case, following
foundation application,
look for areas that need heavier coverage ie. dark circles or blemishes.
Using
an appropriate
tool, gently dot area to be covered and blend well with gentle clean
ring
finger or concealer brush.
Step
#5
-Powder
Here the
objective is even skin tone and setting the foundation/ concealer base so
it
lasts and provides a good base for further makeup application.
Application Tip:When
it is applied is dependent on when the moist/ creamy formulations of
makeup have been completed (powder follows most wet/moist applications).
Application Tip: In
most cases, the best tool is a large powder brush
with a slightly dome shape bristle line for even disbursement of powder
and working with the contours of the face.
Application Tip: For
a light even matte finish, sweep across the face.
For a heavier duty finish, dab for more powder placement.