Welcome to Foundation Week, I’m so stoked! I have seen and heard all of your questions on foundation, so we are covering it ALL this week. There is so much to cover in a short amount of time so buckle in friend. Below we will be breaking down the basics that you should know before heading to the store or understanding why not all foundations work with your skin type. If you at any point have any questions or any tips you have yourself, make sure to share them! Let’s kick off today with the basics of foundation 101.
Makeup can be tricky, I think, especially with social media; there are SO many opinions out there on how to do this and what NOT to do. It can get a bit confusing too. We all have different skin types, needs, redness, dry skin, large pores, etc. So finding a “system” that works can get tricky.
Now remember I am not a makeup artist; these are just my tips and tricks, things I have learned along the way. I want to remind you to take things with a grain of salt on everything you read or watch on social media. What works for one may not work for the other. With makeup- you will have trial and error; you will only learn when you try. Remember, makeup can be washed off- it’s not meant to be taken seriously.
First, let’s break down the basics of foundation (hence it’s foundation 101 today?), the different types of foundations, finishes, coverage, and find out which will work best for your skin type.
Foundation type
Liquid foundation is the most popular option for foundation and is just what it sounds like – it is a liquid formula foundation.
Cream foundation a cream foundation is thicker and creamier inconsistency and a great option if you tend to have dry skin.
Powder foundation is not as popular as a liquid foundation but can be great for layering and tends to work well if you have oily skin.
Serum foundation tends to be a hybrid where you can combine skincare and makeup to create a foundation that is a liquid foundation but again with skincare ingredients.
Water-based foundation is also liquid but is water-based and can be a great option for acne prone skin.
If you want to take a step further, you can dive even deeper into CC creams, BB creams, tinted moisturizers, and the list can go on.
Coverage
Next up you have different coverage; sheer coverage, medium coverage, full coverage, and buildable coverage.
Finish
You also have different types of foundation finishes;
A natural finish resembles your skin hence the name. It’s not matte or dewy.
A matte finish is shine-free and most popular with those with oily skin.
A dewy finish gives you radiant and glowing skin and is typically preferred with those with dry skin.
Foundation Base
Finally, you have three different foundation bases water, silicone, or oil-based. Choosing the right base for your skin type in my opinion can make or break how your makeup wears, how it looks, how old applies, etc.
Water-based foundation does not contain oil or silicone at the top of the ingredient list now some water basin nations can have silicones in them but the quantity is small. Water foundations will typically work best if you’re prone to breakouts.
Silicone-based foundations usually contain ingredients ending in – CONE/-METHICONE or -SILOXANE as the second or third ingredient the first ingredient will most likely be water but that does not mean that the foundation is water-based. Best for oily skins
Oil-based foundation oil will be listed as a second or third ingredient. This type of foundation works great for dry skin type.
How to pick and find your match
Finally, how do we pick the right foundation for our skin type? How do we match the right shade when finding our foundation? First up, determining the right foundation for your skin type and skin needs is going to determine the type of finish that you’re looking for, if you want full coverage, a natural finish or whatever the case may be.
Now when it comes to finding the right shade, the correct way to find your match is to properly match your foundation to your neck and chest and not to your face. You should also take into consideration your undertone and skin tone.
Different skin tones can be fair, light, light medium, medium, medium deep, and deep.
Your undertone is the color underneath your skin. To identify your undertone examine the inside of your wrist if your veins are blue then you have a neutral undertone which means you can wear both cool and warm foundations. If your veins look purple-ish then you have a cool undertone giving your skin a pink tent. If your veins look green then you have a warm tone giving your skin a golden tone.
When choosing the foundations you will have warm (yellow and gold), cool (blue/pink), olive (yellow & green), or neutral (mix of green, red, yellow) foundations. Determining your undertone will help you determine your color.
This will be a trial and error- and will take some time. I only get my foundations from Sephora or Ulta because I know I can return and swap out shades if need to. Test your foundations in different lighting and then go from there! findation.com is a good place for online shopping too!
Phew, you still with me? I know this a lot!
Thank you so much for stopping by for foundation 101! I really hope this helps and that you are excited about what is coming this week. As always if you have questions please drop them below so I can help answer them this week.
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