When you’re on a quest to achieve a flawless look, you must start with the basics. First, you’ve got to moisturize your face and keep it protected from the sun. That’s pretty simple. Then comes the makeup foundation. What foundation, you ask? It’s a must-have for achieving a picture-perfect complexion.
Just like you need to lay down a foundation when building a house, you must apply foundation when building your flawless appearance. But if you don’t know your way around the foundation, you’ll end up with a makeup disaster. Using the wrong foundation can enhance imperfections, adhere to dry areas, and leave your face a cakey mess.
Don’t worry, as we’re here to save the day! Below is everything you need to know about makeup foundation. Let’s get started!
What is the Foundation?
Foundation is what makes your face look drop-dead gorgeous. It’s a cosmetic product that smoothes and evens out your skin tone. It also hides subtle imperfections like blemishes or discoloration. Foundation comes in various forms; there are liquids, creams, sticks, and powders. That’s where things start getting confusing. With so many types, how do you know what’s right for you?
It’s all About Coverage
Coverage is the most important thing to consider when choosing a foundation. Light coverage foundation has a thin consistency. It creates a thin veil over the skin. Light coverage is for you if you love a natural look or want your freckles to show through your makeup. The full coverage foundation is thicker. It’s used to cover flaws like acne, blemishes, uneven pigmentation, or acne scars.
Match Your Skin Type to the Foundation You Use
The various foundations on the market are made to work with the different types of skin. That’s why you need to know whether you have normal, dry, oily, or combination skin. This will make it much easier to pick the right makeup foundation. For instance, if you have oily skin, a powder foundation is best for keeping oil under control. If you have dry skin, a cream or liquid foundation will provide the hydration your skin needs.
Know Your Skin Tone and Undertone
When you start looking at foundations, you’ll notice they come in lots of colors or shades. So how do you pick the right shade of foundation? You have to know your skin tone and undertone.
Determining Your Skin Tone
Your skin tone is the color of the surface of your skin. Generally speaking, there are three different skin tones:
- Fair: If you have a fair skin tone, your skin probably burns quickly when exposed to the sun.
- Medium: If you have a medium skin tone, your skin probably tans nicely when exposed to the sun.
- Deep (or dark): If you have a deep skin tone, your hair is likely dark-colored.
Determining Your Skin’s Undertone
Your undertone is the subtle hue underneath the surface of your skin. There are three types of undertones:
- Cool: If you have a cool undertone, your skin looks pink, red, or blueish.
- Warm: If you have a warm undertone, your skin has a yellow, peachy, or golden tinge.
- Neutral: If you have a neutral undertone, your skin can mix both cool and warm undertones.
Tip: If you can’t figure out your skin’s undertone, take a look at your wrists in natural light. If the veins are bluish or purple-colored, you have a cool undertone. If your veins look green, you have a warm undertone.
Foundation Application Techniques 101
Once you’ve found the right foundation for your skin type and color, the fun begins! Now it’s time to apply that amazing new foundation. Just make sure you’ve washed and moisturized your face first.
The different foundation formulas require different application strategies. To remove the guesswork, look for a foundation that comes with a built-in brush or sponge tip. Or, use this guide below.
- Liquid and cream foundations: Flat-topped brushes work great for applying liquids and creams. If you need to buy a brush, choose one with synthetic bristles. These bristles won’t absorb the foundation as natural bristles do. Synthetic bristles help transfer the foundation onto your skin. When using a brush to apply foundation, buff in a circular motion from the center of your face and blend outward.
- Powder foundations: It’s important to keep the powder foundation light. That’s why you should use a fluffy brush. To apply a powder foundation, sweep the product up and down the T-zone. Don’t overdo it on your cheeks, so they stay natural-looking. If you need a lot of coverage, use a brush with dense bristles and swirl the powder all over.
- Stick foundations: A stick foundation is easy to use. Just swipe it right from the tube onto the problem areas. Then finish by buffing with a makeup sponge.
Foundation Application Tip: Less is More
A newbie mistake is to dump a blob of foundation on your face and rub it all in. If you do that, you’ll end up scaring yourself when you look in the mirror. So, remember that less is more when it comes to applying foundation. If you need more coverage somewhere on your face, you can dab more foundation on that area. Just don’t overdo it.
Makeup Foundation Buying Guide: Local Pharmacy or Online?
Now that you know all about makeup foundation, it’s time to get shopping! You have three choices when it comes to buying a foundation. You can head to your local pharmacy to see what they have in their cosmetic aisle. Another option is to visit the nearest makeup shop. Or, you can stay at home and shop for a foundation online. So which is the best option?
Pharmacy option: Shopping for a foundation at a pharmacy is fine and dandy. That is if you’re not too choosey. Local pharmacies don’t have enough shelf space to offer many different foundations. Sure, you can find some foundations from leading brands like Maybelline, Covergirl, and Revlon. If you need a quick fix, then head to your local pharmacy and pick a foundation that meets your needs.
Makeup store option: Buying a foundation at a makeup store is fine if you can afford to do so. These types of stores typically charge top dollar for foundations. And they only sell certain brands. So if you’re not particular about what brand you use and have a big budget, use your local makeup store.
Online option: Buying makeup foundation online offers many benefits. You can find the most comprehensive assortment of brands, types, and colors online. Plus, if you’re interested in a specific brand that’s not well known, you’re bound to find it easily online. Because there’s so much competition on the internet, you can find the lowest prices when you shop at large sites like Amazon.
Nowadays, Amazon offers all the best foundations at the lowest prices. It’s super easy to use the shopping filters on Amazon to find the right foundation for you. You can search for a foundation on Amazon using all types of criteria like:
- Department
- Average customer review ratings
- Price
- Brand
- Product attributes (cruelty-free, natural, hypoallergenic, oil-free, organic, etc.)
The shopping experience on Amazon is all about convenience. And if you’re a member of Amazon Prime, you can capture some great discounts on a foundation. In our opinion, it’s the best place online to shop for makeup foundation. You’ll find the most comprehensive selection, color chart buying guides, and the lowest prices. It doesn’t get any easier, so visit the site and have a look around.
Does Foundation Brand Matter?
Like with any cosmetic product, there are many different brands of foundation. You’ll recognize many of the names like Covergirl, Dermablend, and others. You’ll also see many brands you’re not familiar with. Of course, the big brand names in foundations are the industry’s heavy-hitters. They have good reputations for making great foundations.
Before you ignore those off-brands, consider this: Every brand of foundation had to start somewhere. An unknown brand of foundation could be amazing stuff! To find out, just run a Google search to see if there are any reviews about it online. You may uncover lots of positive reviews about that little-known brand you’ve got your eye on. So don’t overlook the brands you’re not familiar with. You could find your new coverup, BFF!
It’s Up to You Where You Buy Foundation
Consider all your options when deciding where to shop for a foundation. Think about your shopping preferences. For instance, if you need to try on foundations before buying, you’ll be better off shopping in-store for a foundation.
If your priority is to find a cheap all-purpose foundation, the local pharmacy is your best bet. If you love the idea of staying at home, then opt for the online shopping experience. There are many e-stores selling makeup foundation. Visit Amazon if you want the widest selection and lowest prices. In the end, you’ll decide what’s best for you.
Final Thoughts
We’ve put together everything you need to know about makeup foundation. Now all you have to do is start shopping. Once you have your perfect foundation in hand, get to work putting it on. When you’re done, your complexion will be natural looking. Nobody will know you’re wearing a foundation unless you decide to tell them!
