A Regular Girl’s Guide To Shopping For A Liquid Foundation

Foundation is the, um, foundation of your makeup look. I guess that’s probably why they call it that. Anyway, foundation truly can make or break your look. It can make you look flawless, or it can make you look like the lighting in your house may not be so great. So let’s talk about the basics on how to make the base of your face basically perfect.

The Shade Of It All

The riskiest part of buying foundation is what color to get. Each brand has different names and numbers of each shade, so you should always check to make sure you are getting the right color. The best place to swatch test is actually on your neck. Your face gets more sun exposure than the rest of your body, so by testing there, you won’t have to worry about your face not blending with the rest of your body. Also, foundation gets a little darker when it mixes with the oils on your face. If you have pink undertones, go for a cooler color. If you have yellow undertones, go for a warmer color. If you’re not sure, there’s usually a neutral option. Remember you may need to get different shades for different times of the year depending on how your skin reacts to sun exposure. You can even mix shades to get a customized color.

Calculate The Coverage You Crave

You can go with a tinted moisturizer or BB cream if you want a barely-there look, or you can go up to a full coverage foundation. It all depends on what look you are going for and how much you want to hide.

Keep Your Pores Happy

Makeup can be a double-edged sword for your skin; you wear makeup to cover up imperfections, the makeup makes you break out, then you have to wear more makeup to cover the extra breakouts, etc. The keyword you are looking for when you are shopping for foundation it “noncomedogenic.” This term means the makeup was specifically made to not clog your pores. Another way to make sure you’re not packing your pores with pimples is using a wax-based foundation. Wax-based foundations sit on top of the water in your pores while water-based foundations sink to the bottom of them.

Look For Bonus Features

Foundation can have properties that actually help your skin. There are foundations with SPF, salicylic acid, and/or moisturizers to make your skin flawless on the inside as well as the outside.

Finally, Find A Finish

Foundations have different types of finishes to regulate different types of skin. Matte finishes are great for oily skin, while dewy finishes are great for dry skin. The wrong finish can accentuate the exact features of your skin that you are trying to improve.

Remember, you will be adding blush, highlighter, bronzer, powder, etc. on top of your foundation, so it will look a little crazy when you put it on by itself. But when you finish, you will see how choosing the right foundation can make you look effortless. Even if it took a few hours of trying and intermittently watching YouTube tutorials to complete.