Choosing The Perfect Foundation

Women applying foundation

In essence, choosing the shade of foundation that matches the color of your skin should be easy. But with hundreds of brands offering umpteen types of foundations, most of which follow a different color system, it can be quite the task to find the foundation that’s just right for your skin tone and type. We know how daunting the task can be, which is why we have put together this easy to follow guide on how to choose the perfect foundation. Check it out!

If you leave this article with just one point, there is one thing that you should always keep in the back of your mind when applying a foundation – which holds true whether you go the typical foundation route or you opt for a tinted moisturizer, BB cream, or CC cream – is that the right foundation for your skin should literally vanish as you apply it to your skin. It should not emphasize your pores or skin into fine lines or wrinkles. It should mask redness and uneven skin tone, but it should not look terribly obvious while doing so.

Chances are you’ve wound up here because your foundation isn’t preforming the way it should be. Before addressing this problem, you need to decipher exactly what about the foundation isn’t working for you. Is it the coverage? Is it the longevity? Is it the color? Once you know what’s making you unhappy, it will be much easier to address with the information bellow. If you’re ready to toss your current foundation all together and finally find one that works, you first need to decipher how much responsibility you need the perfect foundation to take on. This will be different for everyone, depending on skin type and coverage needs. Read through the tips below to find out which type of foundation will work best for you.

  •  If you’re lucky enough to have an even skin tone and actually need a foundation, that’s okay! You might just want something to hold your blush, bronzer, or highlighter in place, or you want to minimize shine throughout the day, you will benefit most from a translucent or setting powder. This product doesn’t have any pigment, it’s simply meant to hold makeup in place, and absorb shine.
  • Do you have just need a small amount of coverage for redness or uneven skin tone? Are you more concerned about shine and feel like translucent powder doesn’t combat your oily skin? The beloved Asian beauty product rice powder will become your beauty BFF.
  • If you need a simple product that involves minimal effort but provides hydration rather than combating oil, you should be using a tinted moisturizer. This will give you light coverage with a dewy glow.
  • If you have combination skin that needs only a bit of coverage, a pressed powder may be the best foundation choice for you. It corrects minor skin issues, mattifies oil while still giving you a bright complexion. This also makes for a good mid-day touch up.
  • If you are most worried about your complexion looking drab or dull, and have only minimal areas of unevenness or blemishes, you should use a BB or CC cream. It will brighten your complexion with its tinted and creamy finish.
  • If you have numerous areas of unevenness, acne scars, or redness, you should invest in a well matching liquid foundation. When applied with a quality brush it will blend away all your uneven areas.
  • Anyone of these options might sound ideal for your skin, but if you have sensitive skin applying foundation can be a nightmare. Luckily loose mineral foundation is amazing for even the most sensitive skin, its non-irritating velvet-like coverage masks uneven tone and redness.
  • If you feel like your skin belongs in the kitchen of a fast food joint with how oily it gets, you will find sweat relief when you begin to use a matte powder foundation. Not only will it even your skin tone but it will get you more oil-free than ever before. Take caution, if your skin really isn’t that oily, this foundation will dry you out.
  • If you have major redness or unevenness that you wish to cover you should be using either a mouse foundation or a stick foundation. They are pretty comparable to one another in their full, buildable coverage, the only difference being the application method.

Finally, the professional trick for matching a foundation to your skin is to use a shade which matches your chest. Keep in mind that it’s normal to need slightly different shades throughout the seasons, as your cumulative sun exposure will alter the shade of your skin.

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