Whether you love a natural makeup look or something more dramatic, foundation is an essential part of the final look.
Achieving the look of flawless foundation can seem intimidating, but by taking care when you buy and apply, you can create the perfect look for your unique skin tone and texture.
When You Need to Buy
Choosing the right foundation is key to a flawless look. Without the right product, you won’t be able to create a truly seamless look.
Consider the coverage
One of the first things to consider is the coverage. Most foundations fall into one of three coverage categories: sheer, medium, and full coverage.
Sheer foundation gives you a light, slightly translucent cover of foundation that will give your skin a boost, but won’t cover blemishes or discolouration. Sheer cosmetics might be a great choice if your skin tone is naturally even, or if you want your natural complexion to shine through your makeup look.
Medium coverage foundation is perhaps the most versatile. Often, medium coverage foundation is buildable, which means you can apply multiple layers to achieve the right amount of coverage for your skin.
Full coverage foundation is the least translucent product. Because it’s more pigmented, it evens the skin and starts to hide any imperfections on the skin. Full coverage foundation might be a good choice if your skin has scarring or redness.
Find your perfect match
After you’ve chosen the right coverage for your complexion, you need to find the right shade. Picking the perfect shade is critical for flawless foundation. A product that’s too light will wash out your face, and a product that’s too dark will look unnatural.
Foundation shouldn’t be used like bronzer. Rather, it should seamlessly blend with the skin to give you an imperfection-free base.
To find the best foundation shade for your skin, try the three-swipe test. Choose three shades that look the closest to your skin, and swipe each of them in a line from your cheek to your jaw to account for changing tones in the face. Check the stripes in natural light to choose the one that seems almost invisible.
When You Need To Apply
Finding the right foundation is essential, but after you’ve made your purchase, you need to know how to apply it.
Prime the skin
To achieve a radiant, natural look, your skin should be prepped and primed with proper skin care. First, use a moisturiser to hydrate.
Then, apply a primer. Primer makeup will help fill in pores, smooth the skin, and make your foundation appear softer and more natural.
Start from the center
When applying your foundation, apply the product first to the centre of your face. That way, you can blend outward without creating any harsh borders along the edges of the face. If you have specific areas of concern, add a bit of extra product to increase the coverage.
Go beyond with blending
Blending is the step that can make or break a foundation look. You can blend with either a brush or a sponge depending on your preference and ideal look. Sponges are great if you want to layer your foundation, as they’ll pick up any excess that can make your face look cakey.
A brush offers medium coverage and is easy to use. No matter which tool you choose, it’s essential to blend thoroughly. The more you blend, the more natural your final look will be.
After you blend, apply concealer anywhere that needs extra coverage and finish with some blush, lipstick, and eyeshadow.
