Foundations
Finding your colour
Repeat after me. I must wear the correct foundation colour for me. I must wear the correct foundation colour for me…
According to the Makeup Police (yep, me), the biggest makeup crime EVER is wearing a foundation that doesn’t match your skin colour. We’ve all seen a lady wearing a ‘mask’ of foundation – that tell-tale tidemark along her jaw line that screams, ‘I’m wearing the wrong foundation!’ So, how do you avoid a trip to the Makeup Police slammer? Easy, your foundation should be the same colour as your skin – not lighter or darker, warmer or cooler.
Most foundations come in a cooler based tone or a warmer based tone. The way you can usually tell is that one is more yellow based (cooler) and one is more pink based (warmer). Pick the colour you think you are and test it out. Don’t worry if you don’t get it right on your first try, just keep testing until you get it.
Wondering where to test drive foundation on your skin? Well, avoid being ‘that’ lady above by dabbing it on your jaw line. If it’s the right shade for you, the foundation should blend in with the skin tone of your face and neck. After applying, wait a moment to see what happens. Once foundation dries it can turn quite white so don’t run to the counter with your plastic until it’s completely dry! When it’s a match made in makeup heaven, the foundation should completely disappear. If not, keep searching. Try different shades, brands, liquid, powder, anything – just keep testing till it disappears. Don’t forget, you’ll probably need at least one other shade depending on the season - like in Summer you'll probably need a darker shade than in Winter.
Applying flawless foundation
The best way to apply foundation all depends on the type of foundation you choose. Here’s a breakdown of tools and techniques you can use to achieve a flawless application:
Foundation brush – Most makeup artists use foundation brushes to control the amount of product used and get into all of the forms (e.g. around the nose and mouth) in the face. This brush also allows an even application of product over the face. Sometimes, though, they leave streaks so it can take some time and practice to get used to.
Sponge – Sponges give quite a good, flawless finish but can soak up too much product making them an expensive option. Play around with different sponges as some are better than others. Great for that ‘porcelain skin’ look.
Skunk or kabuki brush – You’ll love the finish that a skunk brush gives your skin. Brush the foundation on in circular motions and see how amazing it looks! This is a great option because you don’t seem to use as much product. Bonus!
Powder or fluff brush – These big, fluffy brushes are designed to apply powders. Use in a circular motion around the face.
Fingers – Some people swear by applying makeup using their fingers. This is because it warms up the product to glide on more easily and your hands can move and form to your face effortlessly. The only problem with this is the age old ‘don’t touch your face’ rule. The bacteria on your hands that touch your face may cause skin irritations or worse – breakouts!
The type of foundation you choose, whether tinted moisturiser, liquid foundation, powder, liquid powders, sheer or full coverage, is really up to you. Experiment and have fun. Remember, it just washes off!
Types of foundation
Tinted moisturiser gives you fairly sheer coverage but is good to even out your skin tone and protect and moisturise your skin.
Muse Pick: Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser $72 (Adore Beauty)
Muse Pick: Benefit You Rebel Tinted Moisturiser $49 (Adore Beauty)
Liquid foundation offers a little more coverage than tinted moisturiser to even out the skin. It’s usually buildable, which means you can add layers to increase the coverage. Some liquid foundations provide sheerer coverage than others – you’ll just have to experiment to discover what suits you. Check the base of the foundation, too. Is the first ingredient water? If so, then it’s water based so it shouldn’t make your skin too greasy. Some people with oily skin may find it difficult to wear liquid foundation.
Muse Pick: Face Atelier Ultra Foundation Pro $28 (Makeup Artists & Co)
Muse Pick: Smashbox Halo Hydrating Perfecting Powder $79.50 (www.themakeupmuseshop.com.au)
Mineral foundation comes in liquid or powder form. If you prefer to feel like you’re not wearing much foundation, then mineral based foundation is a great option for you. It generally offers a sheer coverage, however some mineral foundations can be more intense. Mineral foundation is usually quite lightweight and smooth in texture
Muse Pick: L'Oreal Bare Naturale Powdered Mineral Foundation $35 (Priceline)
Muse Pick: Smashbox Halo Hydrating Perfecting Powder $79.50 (www.themakeupmuseshop.com.au)
Cake (liquid/powder) foundation usually comes in a compact with a half/half of wet and dry textured foundation. It looks pretty solid but has a creamy texture as it goes on, drying to a powder finish. Generally offering quite dense coverage, with this one, it’s very important to get the right colour for you and blend it well so you don’t look like you’re wearing a mask!
Muse Pick: M.A.C. Studio Tech $56 (M.A.C)
Powder foundation can be used on its own for sheer coverage or on top of a liquid or cream based foundation to set the foundation or mattify it. Powder will give you a matt finish, which can be good if you have an oily skin type.
Muse Pick: M.A.C. Studio Fix $48 (M.A.C)
Concealer
A common makeup misconception is that your concealer should be a shade lighter than your foundation. Well, that’s not completely true. While you can use a slightly lighter colour under your eyes to brighten up the area, your concealer should be the same colour as your skin when used everywhere else.
While we’re talking about the eye area, a concealer with warmer undertones (pink based) is generally best as it evens out the blue-green colour of the skin around your eye.
Always blend your concealer to make sure it doesn’t stand out and conceal your eye area before your foundation. Then, conceal any other spots you want to blend in AFTER your foundation. This is to ensure you don’t overuse the concealer, plus the foundation may hide most of the imperfections anyway.
Muse Pick: Face Atelier Ultra Camouflage Duet Concealer $38 (Makeup Artists & Co)
Muse Pick: YSL Radiant Touch $69 (Strawberrynet)
Blush
Blush is not only great for adding colour to the face, it also contours and adds definition! But don’t worry, where you apply blush is not rocket science. There are a few ways to work it out, so play around with your blush to find what works for you:
- Smile and apply blush to the apples of your cheeks (the cute, cushy bits over your cheekbones). This can look a little doll-like if it’s not blended in well so be sure to blend up to the cheek bone once you stop smiling.
- Measure two fingers from your nose and sweep up towards your temples across the cheek bone.
Make sure the colour you choose suits your own colouring and the rest of your make up. Blush should generally be subtle – just enough to give you a hint of colour and some structure and contour but not rosy cheeks (unless, of course, that’s the look you’re going for).
Blush with a hint of shimmer can also be really pretty. Apply with a medium-sized contour brush (that’s an angled brush) so that you stay in control of where the blush is going and don’t end up looking sunburnt. Kabuki brushes are also a great option. Blend out so that it doesn’t look like two circles or two streaks on your face.
Types of blush
Powder – The easiest to use, most of the time powder blush comes pressed but can also be loose.
Tint/stain – Sometimes difficult to apply, tint/stain can give you a natural pinched-cheek look.
Cream – Cream can be great for a dewy finish and, when applied well, looks really pretty. Cream blush is also a great option for more mature faces as there’s less powder to sit on top of the skin.
Muse Pick: Benefit Posietint $53 (Adore Beauty)
Muse Pick: Nars Blush (Orgasm suits almost everyone!) $62 (Mecca Cosmetica)
Primer
Primer is essential for giving your make up a professional, ‘finished’ look. Primer prepares the skin for makeup by filling in the pores and creating a layer between your skin and foundation. It also hydrates and smooths the skin’s surface while reducing the oils sitting atop it. It’s your secret weapon! If that wasn’t enough, it also sets your makeup so that it lasts longer and won’t budge or transfer.
Muse Pick: Inglot Face Primer $33 (Inglot)
Powder
Setting Powder
Used to ‘set’ foundation so that it doesn’t come off and looks ‘finished’, setting powder can be applied with a puff brush or large powder brush in circular motions. Or pat it down as you move around your gorgeous face!
Muse Pick: RCMA No Colour Powder US$17 (Camera Ready Cosmetics)
Blotting Powder
Used to remove shine and oil from the face, blotting powder is particularly good for film productions, photo shoots and brides throughout their big day. Thanks to sweat, makeup starts to move around and get damp, so blotting powder is the perfect makeup superhero to remove shine and get your makeup back in place.
Muse Pick: M.A.C. Blot Powder Pressed $36 (M.A.C)
Bronzer
Some say you should apply bronzer where the sun hits the face – that’s the forehead, down the nose, the chin, top of the cheeks etc. This is a good tip because it will provide you with a sun-kissed look and give your face some shape and contouring.
Another school of bronzing thought is that it should be applied all over the face, as you usually tan your entire dial and not just where the sun ‘hits’.
What does The Makeup Muse say? Try both options and see what works for you. One bronzing method may suit you better by day, and the other, by night.
Muse Pick: Smashbox Soft Lights Baked Fusion - Starburst Bronze $46 (www.themakeupmuseshop.com.au)
Highlighter
Just like you highlight important words in a document, so, too, can you emphasise your best facial assets to the world! Add shape and a little sparkle simply by using a highlighter.
Shimmery highlighter products usually work best so you only need a tiny bit. A sweep of gold colouring looks fabulous at the top of the cheek bones – the highest part of your face – and really catches the light. A light or pearl colour at the arch of your eyebrow can give the illusion of an even higher arch. And then, of course, there’s the cupid’s bow, where a little bit of gold at the apex of your lips can make them look luscious and full. Angelia, eat your heart out!
Muse Pick: Face Atelier Ultra Sheer Prom Luminates $28 (Makeup Artists & Co)