August 13, 2018

Foundation Tips

Choosing the right foundation formula for your skin will help you to create the perfect base for the rest of your make-up.

Which foundation is best for you

Make-up artist, Max Factor, created foundation in the 50's to help film stars look flawless on the big screen. It began life as a cake compact that came in limited colours and suited only a few skin types, but it was a hit because it created the illusion of perfect skin. Today, foundations come in a variety of formulas to suit every skin type -from thick blemish-covering creams to light barely-there gels. Check the chart below to find out what's right for you.

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Modern foundations can help to protect skin from pollution and sun damage.

Foundations don't just make your skin look perfect, added ingredients help in other ways. Look for these on the label:

SILICONE let foundation slide over the skin and give a velvety finish.

SUNSCREENS guard against the ageing effects of UV rays - SPF15 gives the best protection

LIGHT REFLECTING PIGMENTS bounce light off the skin, making it look luminous and throwing fine lines into soft focus.

LIGHT RESPONSIVE PARTICLES adjust to make skin look good in all kinds of lighting.

ANTIOXIDANTS help boost the production of collagen, which keeps skin supple.

MINUTE COLOUR PIGMENTS means no streaks and a perfectly even base.

ESSENTIAL TOOLS

There's no wrong or right foundation tool:

-it's all down to personal choice.

Have a go with the three listed below and see what works best for you.

Brushes

Great for applying liquid or cream foundation to give a well-blended but sheer finish. Expensive but, if cleaned regularly, brushes can last for years.

Sponges

Brilliant at blending - good for use with cream, gel, liquid and powder formulas. Wedges reach the awkward areas around the eyes and nose; flat ovals ensure even coverage. Wash in warm water twice a week; replace every two months.

Sponges for applying makeup

Fingers                          

These warm your foundation up nicely, allowing it to slide on easily and evenly. Great for getting into all those nooks and crannies. Wash before and after application. Last a lifetime!

Contour and highlight makeup. Professional Contouring face make-up sample

Anyone can fake perfect skin -it's all down to choosing the right colour and learning how to apply it.

Even top models need a bit of help to achieve flawless skin. Often, it's an illusion created by the make-up artist. Her secret weapon is foundation; used skilfully it can mask tiredness, camouflage blotches and blemishes and create a fresh, even look. And with the right colour, formula and technique, no one will know it's there - except you.

THE RIGHT COLOUR IN FIVE EASY STEPS

Before you visit the beauty counter, remove any existing foundation - you can only judge what works on bare skin.

Pick the three shades closest to your skin tone and apply them in thick stripes from cheekbone to jaw.

Check in daylight. Preferably go outside or stand by the window and look in a hand mirror - the shade that disappears is the right one for you.

Wait before buying. The skin's acidity can change the colour of foundation, so let it settle for a while to see how it reacts with your skin.

One shade may not see you through the whole year. Buy a slightly darker shade for the summer and mix it with paler foundation for in-between times.

There's no point in getting the formula right, if the colour and application is wrong.

Step By Step Foundation 

Before you begin, pull your hair back, wash your hands, and cleanse, tone and moisturise your face. Allow the moisturiser to sink in for a few minutes so that the foundation doesn't streak. Place a little on the palm of your hand and use it like a palette. This warms the foundation up to body temperature and means that it slides on more smoothly. Now follow the steps below for a perfectly flawless finish.


Dot foundation onto the forehead, cheeks, chin and nose - use your fingers or a sponge, whichever you prefer. A slightly damp sponge gives a sheer finish and a dry sponge gives fuller coverage.


Blend the foundation outwards across the cheeks, forehead and nose. Fade it out gradually down to the jaw and towards the hairline. Don't blend it upwards - it will clog in your facial hairs and eyebrows.


Concealer On Skin. Corrector Dots Under Eyes.  

Use your ring finger (it has a lighter touch than the index finger) to dot concealer around your eyes and gently pat it in. Don't put it on your lids, as it can cause eye shadows and creams to crease.

For a better blended and more even finish, sweep the clean side of a sponge over your face, then do a final check in natural daylight. If you look good in this, you should look good in any light.

Applying Foundation With Sponge 

Getting your base right is the most important step of your makeup routine and I have come up with simple ways which will help you perfect your base in a flash. I know a lot of us skip this step. But it's really essential to prep your skin with a primer, moisturizer, and a sunscreen. But if you don't want to load your face with a lot of products then a BB cream is what you should use. It helps to even out your skin tone and hydrates it over a period of time. I usually wear this Maybelline BB cream in this shade 03 Natural. It keeps my skin fresh and matte all day and doesn't even clog my pores. For those of us who have dark circles, pigmentation, and blemishes, concealers are your hero product. Cream-based concealers give more coverage, whereas liquid concealers are lightweight and easy to blend. I prefer concealers that come with a sharp precision brush like the Dream Lumi Touch concealer or the ones that come with a wand, like the Fit Me concealer. It helps to spot conceal better. So, I am going to show you my makeup routine starting with a bare face, so let's get started! I am using the Fit Me concealer to conceal all my blemishes as well. When concealing it's very important to place the product precisely in the right areas and the wand really helps you do that. Starting with my under eyes, I am just going to make a triangle. This helps to highlight deep-set eyes like mine. Now I am just going to use my fingers and gently dab it in. If you don't need a lot of coverage, you can use your concealer after you apply your foundation. Now always keep in mind to pick a concealer shade that's closest to your skin tone so you can correct your spots and blemishes. You can go in for a lighter shade as well as they help to brighten the under eye area. But if they're too intense, then this isn't the best idea. Apart from being a magical blemish banisher, concealers can be used in a lot more cool ways and I make the most of it. I use it to define my brows by simply outlining the shape and blending it well. Perfect brows in a jiffy! This trick is the best. You can hide any discolouration on your lips and make your lip colour pop. As you can see, just by using concealer, this side of my face looks bright and fresh. Next up, the most essential part of my makeup routine, which is foundation. They come in various textures like mousse, liquid or powder to name a few. But, it's not that complicated. So to break it down, if you fall into the dry skin category, you can mix a little bit of moisturizer with your foundation which will hydrate your skin. If you have oily to combination skin, just like mine, then going for a liquid foundation is your best bet. Also, liquid foundations provide more coverage whereas mousse foundations provide sheer coverage. The swatching trick is pretty old school but it always works. Just swatch a few shades from your cheek to your jawline and the one that looks closest to your skintone is the one that will work best for you. I'm using the Fit Me Matte and Poreless foundation in the shade 230 since my skin falls under the oily to combination radar. So try and go easy when you apply your foundation by taking a small amount first and then building up on it if needed. What I like about this new range is that it's great quality and caters to all skin types. So take a pea-size amount, let your body heat warm it up a bit and then go ahead and apply it with your fingers or a brush. Dab the foundation on the centre of your face in small dots, then stroke your brush outwards in a downward motion gently to blend the product well. Almost done. Now I am just going to set my base with a compact powder and finish off my look. So I am going to use the Fit Me compact powder in the shade 220. I am going to make sure that I powder my T-zone really well since it gets very oily during the day. Whereas the rest of the face, I am just going to dust some powder very lightly. So as you can see, this side of my face looks so fresh and radiant and now it's high time I go and finish the other side of my face. Getting your base right can really make a difference to any makeup look. Be it natural, bold or bright. Now that you know the trick, looking flawless will never be a hassle. I hope you found these tips helpful.

tony

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