Makeup can be a smorgasbord of products. Every week there’s a new foundation, eyeshadow, mascara, bronzer or blush; it can be pretty hard for a gal to find out what she needs. It’s especially difficult if you’re a newbie to the makeup scene and unsure of which one you will need for the day. Luckily for you ladies, I have your answer to that question and that is foundation.
I’m sure when you’ve entered your favorite makeup store there’s a bombardment of friendly demands and overpriced suggestions from the pretty salesperson that you don’t feel comfortable with. It’s usually because you don’t know what’s necessary with foundations and there’s not much to it. You’ll need to know color, coverage and your skin type.
When it comes to color make sure to base it on your neck and NEVER on your hands. Your neck will give you the best color match allowing your makeup to look the most natural. If the color of your foundation doesn’t match your neck then it’ll look like your face is “sold separately.”
Coverage is important because it’ll determine how heavy or light it’ll be on your skin. Also, it can compliment or hurt the appearance of your skin. Here’s the types of coverages that can be found and what skin types it’ll suit best.
There’s full, medium and sheer.
Full coverage foundation is best for photoshoots, longwear and women suffering from skin dilemmas. It can weigh heavy on the skin throughout the day and blotting paper will be needed to avoid the cakey look. This foundation type is best when applied with blotting powder. When purchasing a full coverage foundation make sure to find out of it’s oil or water based. If it’s water based it’ll work best with oily/acne prone skin and even combo because it won’t slip off. If it’s oil based it works best with dry skin.
Medium coverage foundation is predominantly all foundation sold in makeup stores. What exactly is it? It’s coverage that is just enough but not too much. It does work best with all skin types because you can build coverage by applying more pumps. Also, it can be light if you don’t apply less.
Sheer coverage is powder foundation as well as BB cream. It’s best for girls who are not a fan of heavy coverage or have sensitive skin. Sensitive skin can affect all skin types and normally sheer coverage foundation causes less irritation. Sheer coverage works best with any skin type as well, just as long as your skin is clear. It can be paired with a medium coverage foundation to provide a more photo-ready finish.
Stay tuned for Foundation 101 part 2 which will cover the types of “finish” in foundation and a more in-depth write-up about skin types.
-Neah Ivanna
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