I recently did a post "All About Primers" to really put everything you need to know in one location. How to apply primer, what to look for, and certain ones that I love. Today I am going to do the same post, but all about foundation! I think I will turn this into a series and every few weeks move on to the next item or product to really round up everything you need to know about it.
I think foundation is something that scares a lot of people, it definitely scared me when I first got started with makeup. I never knew whether I was just supposed to apply it where I needed it, or all over, whether to use my fingers, or go buy a brush. It was all a lost cause for me, until I found a few tutorials that really laid out how to use foundation, and which ones are best for your skin type.
Step #1 : What are you wanting?
The first thing to determine when you are looking to either buy a foundation, or how to apply it, is what are you looking for overall. If you are comfortable with your skin's appearance and you just want to even out the color and give a sheer coverage, then you should look for a light to medium coverage foundation. If you are on the other end of the spectrum and you suffer from blemishes, or uneven skin tone, then you might want more of a full coverage foundation. My personal preference is a medium coverage foundation, I like to even out my skin tone, and cover up blemishes, but I still like it to look like my natural skin underneath and not like I'm wearing a mask. Most foundations will say on the packaging, or on the advertising whether it is a light (sometimes called sheer), medium, or full coverage foundation.
Step #2 : Find your color!
One of the biggest foundation mistakes that people make is applying the wrong color foundation. There are two steps to this, finding your undertone, and then finding your color. I have an entire post on how to determine your undertone. Once you have determined whether you are cool, neutral, or warm, then you can go within that range to find the color that best matches your skin.
Another mistake people often make is trying to match the exact color of their face, and neglecting their body. If you exfoliate your face (which you should), then you are constantly exfoliating dead skin cells which is going to leave your face without much of a tan, which results in your face naturally being a few shades lighter than your neck, chest and arms. You should be matching your foundation to your neck so that your chest and face match perfectly while you have makeup on. There are a lot of posts on different blogs that can better help you match a color foundation if you are interested.
My best advice would be to go into your local Sephora, and ask to get color matched with a popular foundation (NARS Sheer Glow, Makeup Forever HD, Kat Von D Lock-It, Estee Lauder Double Wear). After they have color matched you, ask for a sample to take home. Apply this sample at home to see if you are happy with the color match, make sure you go into natural lighting and see if it truly matches your skin and looks natural. Often in stores like Sephora, their lights are so bright that a color can look completely different in natural light. Once you have decided whether you like the sample or not, go to one of my favorite websites, Findation.com. Here you can enter brands of foundations that you have tried and the color that you are in that foundation, it will then match up other foundations that are similar colors. I ALWAYS check this website before buying a new foundation to see what color I would be matched up to. A few times the color hasn't been accurate, but for the most part it's pretty great! Below is a screen shot of what it looks like when you use Findation.com and find all of your matches.
Step #3 - Find your Application Method
This step is completely personal preference. Some like to apply their foundation with their fingertips, some like using a brush, and others like using a sponge. I personally like using the Beauty Blender, but before I found that I used this brush that is pretty affordable.
The tip with application, regardless of which method you choose, it to keep it minimal to start. It doesn't matter what method you use, the best way to ensure your foundation covers what you need while still looking natural is to start with a very thin amount. I usually apply a dot to each cheek, forehead, and chin. From there I blend it out using my beauty blender, and if I need more then I can add more once it is all blended out.
Here are some good foundation brushes and sponges that I have used and loved.
Step #4 - Apply!!
The main things to know while applying your makeup, is to start minimal, like stated above, blend, blend, and blend. Blending your foundation is the absolute most important part of wearing foundation. Make sure you blend it down your jawline, and down your neck. I just blend down what I already have on my face, I never specifically apply foundation to my neck. Other places where it is important to blend is around the nose, into the hair line, and around the ears. If foundation isn't properly blended around these areas, that is what can often make women look like they're wearing a "mask". If you are looking for a fuller coverage that is going to last all day, then you definitely want to apply a primer, and follow up with a powder. I have a post all about primers, and one about powders will be up soon!
My Favorite Foundations
From Left to Right :
I like this one during the winter. It is a little too thick for me during the summer, but it offers a really natural look and tends to make me look like my skin has a natural "dewiness" to it. That is the reason I stay away from this in the summer because it can make my skin look a little oily but it's the perfect finish for winter!
This is my foundation that I use when I know that I need my foundation to last all day and provide a full coverage. It isn't my favorite full coverage foundation (I'll talk about that one in a bit) but it does a good job and I love the brand Tarte, my skin works really well with their products.
This foundation claims to act as a primer, foundation, and a concealer. I still use a separate primer with this, but this foundation is great. First off, it's available in the drugstore so its really affordable, also it has a great pump on it which is hard to find in the drugstore. It gives a really full coverage, matte finish, and stays on ALL day. If you're looking for a cheap full coverage foundation, this is it!
This is my all time favorite foundation. It gives a medium coverage, so this is my day-to-day foundation. It lets my natural skin shine through but still evens out the skin tone and covers up what I need to cover up. If you're looking for a great foundation that works well with multiple skin types and looks great, then this is a really easy one to start with.
I broke my bottle of this the other day, which is extremely disappointing because it isn't cheap. This is my FAVORITE full coverage foundation. It seriously stays on through anything, covers anything, and blends out so amazing that it still appears natural. This is what I use if I have a special event, or if I know I'm going to be gone all day. I'm already cringing about having to repurchase it, but it is so amazing.
If I had to narrow it down, it would be #4 and #5 so I could achieve both a natural look, and a full coverage look.
Foundation is something that is different for everyone depending on the finish they are looking for and the amount of coverage they need. Hopefully you enjoyed my tips and tricks on finding your perfect shade and achieving a perfectly blended face. If you have any further questions feel free to leave them down below!
Question of the day : What is your favorite foundation?
As always, thanks for reading
xoxo, Jaimie
Great article, I'll def be coming back to this when my foundation is empty and I'm shopping for a new one. I'm nominating you for a Leibster Award (my post on it goes up Friday) over at BestBeautyformyBuck.Blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteAww thanks Victoria! I'll definitely come check out your blog, thanks for stopping by! : )
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