Soooo...we've all fallen a little short of perfection in the makeup department at some point, right? It's OK to admit it. I know I certainly have-ask my mom or my husband. Mom used to tell me when I had jacked myself up with dark brown/burgundy lipstick back in my teenage years, my husband kindly lets me know when I've gotten a little heavy-handed with the blush nowadays. But for most of us, FOUNDATION is where we have the most difficulty. Either we can't find that perfect shade, or we can't find just the right formula that makes us feel that "I'm such a rock star" feeling when we look at ourselves in the rear view mirror while belting out the high notes from "Since You've Been Gone".
So fear no more, I have a few tips that may help you in finding your foundation soul mate.
First things first...
Do you really NEED a foundation? If it ain't broke, why in tarnation are you ya puttin' that there grease paint on it? All kidding aside, if you are blessed with beautiful skin, don't cover it up! Save your pennies, use a great moisturizer with an SPF to protect that gorgeous skin of yours and let it glow, honey! Just show it off with a little illuminating lotion if you like the glowy/dewy look. MAC makes Strobe Liquid that is great, and Revlon just came out with one that is a great drugstore find (plus it smells really nice). Or, if you have good skin, but you feel that you just need to "even it out" a little, a tinted moisturizer may be a good choice for you. These are nice because they serve a dual purpose and most lines carry their own. Just make sure that you choose one with an SPF of at least 25.
So, if you answered yes to needing a foundation, get comfy and keep on reading! If you're going to a department store counter or a store like Sephora or Ulta to be helped by a makeup artist or beauty consultant, DO NOT SHOW UP WEARING MAKEUP!!! It is a royal pain in the rear to take off all of your makeup before even getting started! So be considerate of the person helping you-trust me, you're coming to them for help, do you really want to irritate them from the jump? ;) Be prepared to answer questions about your skin. Are you typically oily or dry, or do you have combination skin? Are you sensitive (not you, your skin, smart alec)? What type of finish would you like for your foundation (this one always stumps people-I ask it just to see their expressions)? What problems are you experiencing with your skin (here comes the therapy session)? And so on...it seems like a lot of probing questions, but you actually want someone who is that "nosy". If not, why did you go to them for help? You might as well be flying solo...
Why we ask those questions and how you should answer them...OK-so now that we've put you in a small room with a two-way mirror with nothing but a pot of coffee and a bare light bulb dangling from the ceiling, let's get some answers out of ya. What is your skin type?
When you wash your face and dry it, how does it feel? Do you feel fine-like you could just walk right out of the house, only to notice some shiny spots later on in the day? You're more than likely a bit oily. Now you know if you're really oily if you find yourself being paranoid about it, your bangs literally stick to your forehead like sand on a Now and Later, or people ask you to stand still so they can check their reflection in your T-zone.
Now, when you wash your face and dry it, do you feel OK in most areas with just a little tightness in some? Maybe the tightness is in your cheeks or around your nose? Then you're more than likely normal/combination. You're the easiest of the bunch and have a lot of options when it comes to foundations.
Next, when you wash your face and dry it, do you find yourself clawing at your medicine cabinet desperately searching for your moisturizer because you're afraid to smile out of fear your face will crack like hardened clay? That's me-as dry as a salty fart. This is not fun skin at all.
Then lastly, can you not wash your face because merely looking at soap causes you to break out? Then you have sensitive skin. Joking aside, those of you with sensitive skin know you have sensitive skin, so I don't have to describe all of that redness, blotchiness stuff, right?
So now that we know what your skin type is, we want to know why you're here (other than the fact you want foundation, obviously). Do you have broken capillaries, redness, general uneven skin, acne, etc? Why do you feel that you need foundation? Most of the time (sorry if I hurt your feelings, here) we can see why, but sometimes we can't. Honestly, we are our own worst critics, so to you that little once-a-month breakout may be the end of the world, but to us, it's really nothing! So you may have to point out your "flaw(s)" to us.
OK-here's the question that puzzles everyone- "What finish do you like?" This is really easy, it's just that sometimes people don't really think about it because they're so concerned with coverage that they forget about the end result. Of course, you're going to discuss how much coverage you need with the person helping you-that's a given (that's why I didn't give it it's own paragraph). But, what do you want your skin to look like once the foundation has been applied? Do you like your skin to look matte (kinda powdery-a BIG no-no for dry skinned people like me), do you like it to look natural (great for those with dry or combination skin), or how about dewy (great for dry skin, not so much for those with oily skin).
Once your M/U artist or beauty consultant has put your foundation on, ask him or her for a hand mirror and go outside in natural light to see how it looks. Fluorescent lighting has never flattered anyone (especially not when trying on bathing suits-can I get an amen?) When inspecting the match, make sure that the color is placed along your jawline so that you can ensure that the foundation matches your face, neck, decollete (upper chest), and ears-yes, I said ears. If you're happy with the way it looks, smile, stretch your face a little, make sure you like the way it feels on your face, too. Make sure to ask about how to apply this foundation-is a brush the best way to apply it? Then, maybe purchasing the brush isn't a bad idea. If you really want to duplicate the look, you need the same tools. Now, keep in mind, you may love it and then get it home and not love it-that happens. So make sure you understand the return policy before you bring it home. Most stores have good return policies as long as you hang on to the receipt and boxes and YOU DON'T RETURN IT AFTER USING 3/4 OF IT! (You'd be surprised at some of my stories...)
Here are some key words for you to look for in your foundations:
Oily Skin: water-based, matte-finish, oil-free, oil-absorbing, silica, talc, non-comedogenic
Combination Skin: you will base your key words on where your dryness/oiliness is.
Dry Skin: emollient, polysaccharides, lecithin, any type of oil/silicone, demethicone, vitamins A,C,E, humectants
Sensitive Skin: Non-acnegenic, Non-comedogenic, dermatologist-tested, opthamologist-tested, fragrance-free
There are soooo many great foundations out there that I can't even begin to list them all here, but if you need help choosing one, I can try and help you as best as I can over the internet!!! www.facebook.com/thebeautymark
Again, thank you all for reading-feel free to comment either here or on facebook, I really appreciate your feedback!
I do this all in the glory of my one true Savior, Jesus Christ! 1 Peter 3:3-4
Love, Mel
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