Tuesday, September 10, 2013
#theSOproject // Week 3 Foundation
Foundation in one form or another has been with us a long time, from lead paints used by the Romans via Max Factor's first commercially available offering to today's varied choices from mineral powder to liquid it's quite hard to know where to begin.
Let's start with the purpose of foundation which is to even your complexion and cover any flaws. The condition of your skin will determine which sort of foundation coverage you require; sheer, light, medium or full. If you're lucky you may not even need foundation and can get away with using tinted moisturisers or BB creams with a little concealer for the odd blemish (see last weeks post on concealer).
Foundation should only be used where and if necessary, do not feel obliged to add foundation to your routine if you do not need it. I didn't start wearing foundation until I was in my thirties favouring Benefits You Rebel back in the day and even now I'm comfortable with the coverage my favourite Erborian BB Cream provides (see a recent review here).
The most daunting part of choosing a foundation in my opinion is finding the right shade for your skintone. This morning I suggested seeking assistance from a beauty counter but if you want to go it alone here's what you need to know. Your foundation should be exactly the same colour as your skin and tested on your jawline, NOT your hand. Never try to go a shade darker, I'm still scarred by a friend at school who had the tell tale orange tide line around their neck from badly colour matched and blended foundation. Next view the swatch in natural light, store lighting is not your friend. The shade least visible is your match.
An important thing to note is that cosmetic colours are not standardised in any way so whilst you may be a medium beige with Bobbi Brown (beige, such a dreadful colour association don't you think) Rimmel may call you dark beige and so on. You will need to find your colour match with any product each time. You also need to consider different shades for the seasons as you may be darker in Summer than Winter.
In addition to finding the right shade, deciding on the coverage you require, whether covering bad scars or simply evening out your skintone you'll need to decide on the type of foundation suitable for you. The variations to formulation will often be decided with coverage but you may want to try a few products to decide what works for you.
My 'first' foundation was from Bare Minerals. When I decided I needed more coverage but wasn't looking for anything to full on their mineral powder foundation appealed to me and felt foolproof to my amateur hands which were scared of liquids. I am aware some people are allergic to one of the ingredients so you'll need to bear that in mind but as with any product what works for one will not for another. MAC foundations seem to divide opinion, some cannot live without, others find it causes terrible breakouts so investigation is key.
I also use By Terry Light Expert Foundation and it's fantastic and perfect for those on the go. This is a favourite to apply on my commute to work and whilst the brush applicator may not be everyone's cup of tea it makes carrying around lots of brushes unnecessary.
This leads me nicely on to applying your foundation. Depending on your foundation type will often depend on your method of application, for example you should stay away from applying water based foundations with cosmetic sponges. The Real Techniques Buffing and Expert Face Brushes are great and really do aid using the smallest amount of product on your face and create the flawless finish you should get from foundation.
I hope you find some of that advice useful, foundation shopping can be something of a mind field but if you investigate thoroughly you should hopefully avoid too many mishaps. I'd love to hear any other tips you have for finding the right foundation.
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Oooh I'm really intrigued by the By Terry product, could you do like a little review of it, maybe in the future ? :)
ReplyDeleteHayfa
http://londonloafers.blogspot.com
I loved this post, never really thought about changing foundations due to the season, and I don't really use brushes but I probably should! I've never heard of the By Terry brand, would be interested to see more about that :)
ReplyDeleteJo x
wow the By Terry sounds good!!
ReplyDeleteI've always been fond of Elizabeth Arden. Chanel used to seem a bit orangey for me. It's hard finding the right foundation, and then when you think you've cracked it, they either discontinue it or your skin changes! Argh!
ReplyDeleteYes, very useful blog post.
x
I've never tried any By Terry products but they all look amazing, especially this one! You've picked some unique products :)
ReplyDeleteGreat post - I'm part of the SO project too!
Rosie xo
rosiemickhaiel.blogspot.co.uk
Love By Terry! One of my favourite brands :) xxx
ReplyDelete