Beauty 101: How to Find the Right Foundation

I am excited to announce my new Beauty 101 Makeup Series! This series was inspired by the fact that some of us feel overwhelmed by makeup and can’t quite master makeup basics so I will be starting the series with foundation so let’s get started!

Finding The Best Foundation For Your Skin Type - It’s always obvious when someone is wearing a foundation that is cakey or isn’t the right shade for their skin tone so it’s important to get this step right because the point of foundation is not to look like you have layers of makeup on, but to help your skin look its best so the first step is finding a foundation that is right for your individual skin type. If you have oily or normal/oily skin, choose an oil-free foundation. If you have dry or normal/dry skin, choose a hydrating foundation and if you have mature skin, choose a foundation that is hydrating and also contains anti-aging ingredients. There are also tinted moisturizers, BB or CC creams. These are a great alternative to foundation and great for most skin types, but shade ranges can be limited and some don’t offer as much coverage as a foundation.

Matching a Shade to Your Skin Tone - A good trick for finding the right shade of foundation is to match it to your chest, especially if you are good at protecting your face and neck with SPF. You can also test a foundation shade on the back of your hand and then walk outside if you don’t trust the store lighting (for drugstore foundations, hold the bottle or tube up to your chest or back of your hand to find your shade and make sure you hold onto your receipt if the shade doesn’t work out). Either way, leave it on for a few minutes to see how it changes as it is absorbed into your skin (some foundations can oxidize). Also, when the season changes, so does your skin tone, so don’t be afraid to mix foundation shades to create your perfect skin match.

Application Tips - Never apply foundation to un-moisturized skin (if your moisturizer doesn’t have SPF in it, you will want to apply sunscreen before your foundation and if you will be using a primer, you will apply the primer before foundation also). When it comes to applying foundation, it is a matter of personal preference. You can use clean fingertips, a foundation brush or a makeup sponge (read my blog post “FoundationApplication: Brush, Sponge or Fingertips” to learn more on foundation application) and when you are applying foundation, don’t forget about the spot where your jaw line meets your neck. You want to make sure your face and neck match by blending the foundation into the top of your neck as well.

I hope this will help you find the best foundation for your skin type and skin tone. The next installment of Beauty 101 Makeup Series will be about concealers and until then, stay happy, healthy and beautiful!