Choosing the Perfect Foundation

Too orange?  Too pale? Makes you break out? Get shiny as soon as you leave the house? These are all the tip of the iceberg of issues many of us have when choosing the right foundation. I have tried so many different bases over the years and been thoroughly disappointed when they don’t live up to my expectations, (which are pretty high, let’s face it) as the bulk of foundations promise perfect, flawless skin.

Here are some things which I find it useful to bear in mind when choosing your foundation. As your base is probably your most expensive item of makeup, the product you choose should be a worthy investment.

1)      There are good ones and bad ones for all budgets.

Whether you buy your foundation from a beauty counter or a drugstore (as the Americans say) it’s important to spend your money on a quality brand. In my personal experience, Sleek Makeup, Bourjois, and Revlon all do great cheap bases. Sleek are amazing for darker skin tones, as their undertones are a true match, Bourjois Healthy Mix is the same product as Chanel Vitalumiere (shhhhh)  and Revlon’s ColourStay range gives great all day coverage.

If you want to spend a bit more money, I love Nars and Estee Lauder’s bases. Dior is also a favourite range of mine, the tones are a bit limited but it photographs extremely well.

2)      Know your skin type

If you have oily skin, it is best to go for an oil free base, to avoid shininess and blocked pores. It is also important to get a base that is silicone free, as silicone can also clog pores and lead to breakouts.

Drier skin types should go for something with a richer, creamier texture that gives you the hydration and replenishment that you need.

Oily skin might want to gofor powders or gels, whereas cream and liquid foundations tend to be better for dry skins.

3)      What finish do you want?

Here is some beauty industry jargon unscrambled:

·         Sheer –a  light coverage. Unifies uneven skin

·         Full – heavier coverage. Covers all/most imperfections

·         Dewy – a glowing finish where skin has a healthy sheen. Think Millie from MiC

·         Semi matte – skin looks glowing but has less shine and more of a satin finish

·         Matte – skin has little/no sheen and looks shine-free. Think Dita Von Teese

·         Radiant – Light reflective. Probably has a bit of shimmer in to give you a glow. Good for dull skin 

·         BB – Blemish balm. Kind of like a tinted moisturiser with added skin-clearing benefits. Very little coverage

·         CC –Colour corrector. Little to no coverage, but does get rid of dullness and redness

4)      Have a look at the ingredients

I’m always banging on about ingredients but they really are pretty important! If it’s going on your face, it should be doing you good. Do you want your foundation to be water, gel, mousse or oil based? Do you want an SPF? Do you want a bit of silicone for its wrinkle-smoothing, pore-filling properties, or would you rather avoid it because it clogs your pores?

5)      Get the undertone right

It is important to know your own skin tone before you start choosing a base. Ask yourself the following questions:  Is there more pink or more yellow tones in your skin? Is your skin tone even all over or does it vary? Do you want a true match? Or do you want to go slightly warmer in preparation of a holiday? Alternatively, you might want to go paler and then warm your skin back up with bronzer.  Might sound pretty obvious, and my apologies if it does, but these are all necessary thing to think about.

So there you have it, 5 easy steps to help you to choose your foundation next time you have to go makeup shopping. Now you have no excuse to look like this:

hot.