This week we're having a chinwag about foundation. Years of doing make up, and a few extra years of doing my own make up, have taught me that your foundation can make or break your look. It's also the major point of stipulation when it comes to a lot of make overs. Owing to the great passion that people have for their war paint I decided to do up a little guideline for those of you who are a bit lost when it comes to buying a foundation.
I'll go through some common make up jargon (i.e the words that'll no doubt be hurled at you at some point when you're in store having a wander) and break them down so that the next time you need to invest the process won't be so daunting.
Undertone; The undertone of a foundation is grouped as either warm, neutral or cool. "Warm" foundations have more yellow pigment in them, and "cool" toned products have more pink pigment. "Neutral", naturally enough, is somewhere in the middle.
The undertone is usually the first hurdle that knocks people down. Some bases have more prominent pigments than others. As a rule of thumb, if the foundation looks grey or washed out you should try something warmer. If your foundation is coming across too yellow, or even orange, try something with a more neutral or cool tone.
Formula; The formula is basically the way the product looks in the packaging, i.e liquid, powder, cream, etc. Different formulas have different benefits and strong points. For example a powder foundation is ideal for an oily skin type as it will absorb excess oil while you wear it. A richer liquid or cream product will be best for a drier skin as it will add a healthy sheen to the skin.
Do a little research into the products you like the look of, as not all formulas stick to straight forward rules. There are some liquid foundations that work amazingly on oily skin and some powders that work nicely on dry skin. It all depends on the finish, which we'll cover next.
Finish; When we talk about the "finish" of a foundation we mean how it looks on the skin. Matte, dewy and satin are all finishes. The finish isn't always determined by the formula, so as I said definitely do a little inside snooping to find out about some attractive products.
A matte finish has no shine to it and gives a soft, powdered look to the skin. A lot of oily skin types like to go for this finish as many matte formulas will absorb excess oil and reduce unwanted shine. On the flip side we have drier skinned folk who like to add some faux glow. They might opt for a dewy finish which leaves the skin looking fresh with a sheen to it. Have a play with some foundations, ask some questions and see what takes your fancy!
Coverage; Oh, the Irish ladies are big into their coverage! Whether they like a light and sheer base or they want full on foundation, the Irish cailíns know their stuff! This is the one area that the Irish public has definitely educated themselves on, and brilliantly so.
The coverage of a foundation determines how opaque the product is. Full coverage will completely obliterate your natural skin tone and replace it with your base colour. Medium coverage will show some texture and natural colour. Light coverage will show your skin and let it shine through while evening out the skin tone.
One thing to consider here is whether or not you actually need a lot of coverage. One or two hormonal spots on your chin won't warrant a blanket of base across the gorgeous clear skin along your cheeks. Consider pairing your foundation with a concealer. Examine how your skin changes and behaves and let that help you in picking your foundation.
So, armed with this knowledge, I hope that you guys and dolls have a little bit more confidence when it comes to picking out your new holy grail product. Buying a foundation can be one of the most influential purchases of your entire make up wardrobe, so I'm aiming to make it a little easier.There's a lot more that goes into creating the perfect foundation but with these four points under your belt you'll be fresh faced and fancy free in no time!
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I hope this was helpful guys!
Until next time,
J x
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