Have you been feeling stuck in a rut with your foundation lately? Maybe it hasn’t been offering you enough coverage, or perhaps it’s leaving your skin looking dry and dull. If this sounds like you, you may not be using the right foundation for your skin. If you are ready to find makeup that works well with your skin type, here is everything you need to know about finding the right foundation.
Types of Coverage
The first step in finding the right foundation is to determine what kind of coverage you want. This will depend on what skin conditions you are trying to cover. Most foundations will either have a sheer to light or a medium to full coverage formula. Let’s take a look at which level of coverage will work for you.
Sheer to Light: These types of foundations are not meant to fully cover the skin, but rather to subtly even it out. They are more comparable to the coverage and feel of a BB cream or tinted moisturizer. A lighter coverage foundation will still allow freckles and beauty marks to show through, so if you don’t want to cover these features up, stick to light coverage. It will also not feel as heavy on your skin so if you don’t typically like the feeling of a liquid foundation, this is a good option for you. Sheer to light coverage foundations are also less likely to clog your pores, making it a favorite for those who are breakout prone.
Medium to Full: Medium to full coverage options are for those with more serious skin discoloration. Whether you are dealing with rosacea, blemishes, or dark spots, a medium to full coverage foundation should hide any uneven tones in your skin. Medium coverage foundations will often be able to maintain a more natural finish then a full coverage foundation. However, both coverage types are incredibly buildable and can look natural with the proper application.
Foundation Types
Now that we’ve gone over coverage options, let’s talk about the different types of foundation.
· Powder: Typically, only comes in sheer to light coverage options but can look cakier than sheer liquid foundations. Powder is good for people who dislike the feeling of liquid but do not require much coverage.
· Liquid: The most popular option for foundation. Liquid foundations can range from sheer to full coverage and can look light and natural when applied properly. Liquid foundations work well with any skin type.
· Cream: This formula is usually higher coverage and will not feel as natural on the skin. Cream foundations are typically good for those who have drier skin.
Choosing the Right Shade
When choosing the right shade, it is important to go into the store and actually test out foundation colors. Shopping online for foundation can be tricky as shades will look different on every computer screen. If you have to order your foundation online, make sure the retailer offers free exchanges should you purchase the wrong color. When testing the color on your skin, you need to swatch it on your face rather than your hand. Go into the store without makeup on and test out the color along your jawline. This will give you the most accurate look at the color against your skin.
It can also be helpful to know your undertone. If you have more pink or blue toned skin, then you have a cool undertone. If your skin is more yellow or olive toned, then you have a warm undertone. If you can’t easily tell which undertone you have, then you may have a neutral undertone. Many foundations have shades in each tone so knowing which one you have will save you time when trying out colors. If you are having trouble matching a foundation to your skin, don’t hesitate to ask for help from someone who works at the makeup store.
Application Tips
Picking out the perfect foundation is only half of the journey because knowing how to apply that foundation is crucial to how it looks on your skin. If you want your foundation to look fantastic, you need to take good care of your skin. In order to have your makeup go on smooth and even, the key is all in how you prep your skin. Exfoliating a few times a week will help to refine your skin’s texture by getting off dead skin. You also should have a good makeup remover. You don’t want to be putting on fresh makeup if you still have makeup leftover from yesterday on your face. And of course, always remember to moisturize before you do your makeup. Foundation likes to settle into dry spots, so avoid this by using a good lotion.
Finding a new foundation doesn’t have to be a difficult process, especially now that you’ve got the basics down. Follow this guide and you will have no problem finding the perfect foundation for your skin type.