One of the most common mistakes in the makeup world is having the wrong foundation. From having the “casket sharp” (too light) look to looking like you ” over baked your face” (too dark), the correct foundation shade can be as hard as finding Waldo. But with some simple tips, you can look like you graduated from the Yale School Of Makeup! (I made that school up by the way)
1) It Takes Two
Believe it or not, your face changes colors throughout the year. Even though you may not be outside in the Summer tanning, your face will be darker in the Summer/Fall and lighter in the Winter/Spring. Because of this, the BEST thing for you to do with your foundation routine is have 2 different shades of foundation and MIX. By having a shade that’s just slightly lighter and another that’s just slightly darker, you can customize your foundation everyday of the year. During the warmer months, add a little more of the darker shade than the lighter shade. And during the cooler months, do the opposite. This will also save you from buying multiple bottles throughout the year!
2) Watch Your Tone
Not only do you have to choose your right shade, you also need to know whether you’re warm or cool toned. This is often referred to as “Yellow” or “Pink” toned. This doesn’t change with the seasons. Your skin color varies but your skin tone stays the same. Now don’t be confused, tone can be found in ALL skin colors! Yellow toned is known as “warm” and pink toned is know as “cool”. You can determine your tone in one of two ways:
a) Hold your wrists out and up in direct sunlight. If your blood vessels appear “greenish, you’re warm toned. If they appear to be “blue”, you’re cool toned.
b) After washing your face with warm water and waiting 15 minutes, grab a mirror, a piece of white paper, and stand in front of a window (for natural lighting), and hold the paper up to your face. If your skin seems more “yellow” compared to the paper, you’re warm toned. If it seems more “pink”, you’re cool toned.
The best place on your face to look when determining your tone is beneath the eyes and the “hollows” of your cheeks. That’s the area right under your cheekbone and right above your jawline.
3) What’s Your Type
The type of skin you have is also a major determining factor in deciding the best foundation for you. Those who are prone to acne breakouts have to be a bit more careful as opposed to those who have have normal skin with no problems.
NORMAL SKIN: the easiest skin type to deal with because you don’t have any rules. You can use any kind of foundation. Whether it’s powder, liquid, cream, stick, mousse, compact, cream to powder, or airbrush, DO YOU BOO!
DRY SKIN: liquid or stick foundations are your best option. These 2 have the best moisturizing components. Stay away from powders or “cream to powder” foundations as they will pull any natural moisture you have on your face add to your dryness.
OILY SKIN: powders or oil-free liquid foundation are a sure bet for you. Powders and matte foundations will absorb any oils. Another great thing for oily skin is oil blotting tissues. After choosing the right foundation, use these tissues to “dab away” any oil production that may produce on your face throughout the day.
COMBINATION SKIN: now this is the most tricky skin type to deal with. (I have this skin type myself) Cream to powder foundation is great because it will help with both components of your combination skin (the oily and dry factors). An oil-free liquid or cream foundation is also a great choice. Airbrush makeup is a wonderful option but this can be a tad bit expensive and a little more difficult to follow the skin color/tone rules due to ordering online. Make sure you use a good, oil-free moisturizer before your primer to aid with the dryness. Applying your liquid foundation then setting it with a light powder will also give you the best look. But be careful when doing this to avoid the “cake face” look. Just like with oily skin, it’s best to have some blotting tissues handy throughout the day.
Ok, so we’ve covered all of the determining factors in choosing your right foundation. If you follow these easy rules, you’ll be on your way to receiving your Masters in “My Face Matches My Neck”. But if you feel like you’re going to flunk, the best thing for you would be to go to at least 3 different makeups counters to get some help and combining all of the tips they give you.
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