Love Beauty >> Love Beauty >  >> Health and Wellness >> Womens Issues

Find Your Perfect Match: A Guide to Choosing the Right Foundation

Choosing The Right Foundation For You

align="justify">Foundation is a great tool to even out
discoloration, help conceal minor skin flaws and give you a
great base upon which to apply the rest of your makeup.

align="justify">The most important factor in choosing a
foundation is finding one that matches your skin color exactly.
Buying a different shade to alter or improve your skin coloring
only gives you an unflattering, unnatural appearance.

align="justify">Foundation products are available in many forms
and in many price ranges to suite your needs and budget. Drug
store brands offer great prices, but finding a great shade match
with no testers and poor lighting is difficult. Department
stores brands are more expensive, but they have the advantage of
providing free testers and the advice of a makeup specialist to
help you choose the right color.

The
“right” foundation matches your coloring exactly, so there are
no telltale signs of demarcation between your jaw line and neck.
Always check the shade in daylight, to get the best shade
match.

The easiest way to find a match is
to apply what you believe are 3 close color matches directly to
your jaw line – just draw a small swatch with your finger, of
all 3 shades onto your skin. The best color for you is the color
that looks invisible on your skin – if the color shows darker or
lighter, it’s not the right shade for you. Be sure to check the
color is daylight to give you accurate results.

align="justify">Foundation shades vary by manufacturer; so don’t
be afraid to test several different brands before you buy.

Next, you’ll need to determine which
foundation form is best for you, depending upon your skin type
(i.e.; oily, dry) and how much coverage you need.

align="justify">Oily – Oily/Combination Skin:

Stick with Oil-Free formulations of Liquid Foundations, Liquid
to Powder Foundations and Mineral Powder Foundations, which are
specifically formulated for oily and combination oily skin
types.

If you don’t want to shine, choose
a foundation that has a “matte” or “oil free” finish. Don’t
apply a moisturizer prior to makeup application – as it will
only serve to help your makeup “slide off”, or evaporate during
the day.

A pre-makeup primer, like Ale
xis Vogel’s Secret Perfection Primer de-shines oily
complexions and makes foundation wear longer. Applying a loose
powder after a liquid foundation application provides much
longer wear – especially if you powder throughout the day as
needed.

Normal skin:

Any foundation form – liquids, powders, and mineral powders work
well with normal skin types. Choose a formula that feels
comfortable on your skin.

If you need
minimal coverage, a tinted moisturizer followed by powder, is a
good choice, especially during hot weather. A nice powder to try
is Alexis
Vogel’s Pressed Powder in translucent shades.

align="justify">Dry skin:

You’ll need to choose a foundation that camouflages dry, flaky
skin. A good choice would be a moisturizing form of liquid
foundation or a crème foundation, which help to make the skin
look dewy and moisturized, and help soften the appearance of
wrinkles.

Be sure to use a good
moisturizer to help hydrate and soften your skin prior to
application. Also, a foundation primer provides additional
moisturizing benefits and helps to make your makeup stay on
longer.

Use powder sparingly – especially
around dry patches, so that unflattering areas aren’t
accentuated, making you look older.

align="justify">For Flawless Coverage:

Choose a crème foundation for flawless coverage – which is
superior to liquids and powders to insure coverage of any skin
discoloration; scars, broken capillaries, dark circles and other
marks. A great crème foundation is Alexis
Vogel’s Crème Foundation.

Adjust
as needed:

Once you’ve found the perfect foundation for your skin, you’ll
need to adjust the shade seasonally between summer and winter,
if you tend to tan.

Perfect
Application:

Apply foundation from the center of your face and blend
outwards. Apply all over – even to your eyelids, lips and down
below your chin for a more natural look. This also helps to
“set” eye shadow and lipstick, so you’ll get longer wear.

align="justify">By Gerti Soderquist

Makeup Connection -
Makeup and Beauty Articles, News, Reviews, Resources, and How
To