Beauty Bomb : Foundation 101

Hey Bombshells!
Today we have another guest blogspot from Danielle of The Style and Beauty Doctor who gives us the rundown on how to choose a great foundation. This oughta be good!
Enjoy!
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The quickest way to look like a makeup novice (or Lil’ Kim) is to wear the wrong color foundation. Every day legions of women are reaching into their makeup stash and pulling out thick, cakey foundations that are too red, too yellow, ugh—just straight up too wrong. To save thousands of women each day from the tragic side effects of bad foundation, I’ve created a handy guide on how to choose the right foundation for your skin tone.

Step 1: Determine your undertone.

Most undertones fall into these categories:

Yellow/Golden
Olive
Pink/Red
Blue

Many cosmetic companies make it easy for you by labeling foundations according to undertone. They may also use Warm/Cool/Neutral as labels as well. Here’s how that would look:

Yellow/Golden (Warm)
Olive (Neutral)
Pink/Red (Cool)
Blue (Cool)

The quickest way for you to figure out your undertone at home would be to :

a.) Take a good look at your skin (in natural light) to see if one of the colors listed above seems to shine through the most. If you (like me) have different undertones in your face than on your neck, go with the ones in your neck. You want your foundation to match your neck. Or if you want to get fancy, you could use two different shades. Many women of color have skin tones that get slightly lighter towards the center of the face so you can use a darker foundation on the outer edges and a lighter one in the center.

b.) Take a look at the veins in your arms do they look green or do they look blue? If they look green, your undertones are more than likely yellow or golden (warm). If they look blue, your undertones are more than likely pink/red or blue (cool).

c.) Grab a pair of silver and gold earrings. Do the gold ones flatter you more? If so, you’re warm. If the silver pair flatters you more, you’re cool. If you look good in either one, you’re neutral (meaning you’re neither warm nor cool).

d.) Don’t get wrapped up in the misconception that a single racial or ethnic group is always a certain undertone. If I hear one more person say that African American women all have warm undertones, I’m quitting this makeup business!

Step 2. Determine your skin tone.

Once you’ve found your undertone, next determine your skin tone. Try two or three foundation shades in your undertone that appear to be close to your skin tone. In three separate spots on your jawline (as close to your neck as possible), blend the shades and whichever one disappears into your skin (when in natural light) is the winner. But before you start throwing confetti around, wear your winning shade for a full day to see if it remains the same color at the end of the day. Sometimes foundations tend to oxidize as the day wears on causing your foundation to mix with your skin’s oils and appear darker.

If you tend to tan in the warmer months, get a sample or smaller size of the darker shade to mix in with your main color to make sure your foundation matches your skin year round. PLEASE do NOT make the mistake of wearing a foundation that is either too light or too dark.

Step 3. Determine your skin type.

Wash your face with a gentle cleanser and let it air dry for 15-20 minutes. How does your face feel? If it feels supple, you have normal skin. If it feels very taut and dry, you have dry skin. If it feels very moist or oily, you have oily skin. If you’re only oily in the T-zone (forehead and nose) you have combination skin.

Based on your skin type, you need to pick the right foundation formula for it. Even if you have the right undertone and shade, if you have the wrong formula, your foundation can make your skin appear too dry or too oily. Cosmetic companies make it easy for you by labeling things by skin type, but here’s a rule of thumb:

Normal Skin: Liquids work well, but this type can also wear powder, creme, or mineral formulas.

Dry Skin: Liquids designed specifically for dry skin or creme foundations work well. As do some mineral formulas.

Oily/Combination Skin: Powder and mineral foundations work best. So do some liquid formulas designed specifically for this skin type.

For all skin types, Blot Powder and Fix+ Spray (both sold at MAC) are must-have items for touching up shine throughout the day without interfering with your makeup. Blot Powder is great because it absorbs shine without adding color to your makeup. Fix+ Spray is a blend of vitamins and caffeine in a spray that leaves skin with a soft, dewy finish. It also helps prevent the “cake face” effect.

Step 4: Determine your coverage amount.

If you already have an even complexion with very few blemishes, a lightweight or sheer foundation (or even a tinted moisturizer) will work to enhance your beautiful skin. This is also a good option for daytime makeup.

Medium coverage works for anyone with skin that needs a little extra help. A good foundation will provide medium coverage, but still look natural. Medium coverage works well for going out or being photographed.

Full coverage helps problem skin appear more flawless. The best full coverage foundations provide excellent coverage for troublesome areas, but still look natural. A light hand is necessary for this type. I recommend only using full coverage in areas where you need it, as it can have the tendency to look like a mask if overused. I also recommend dealing with your skin issues first before piling on makeup to cover it up.

Well, that’s foundation in a nut shell! Stay tuned for more in my “Makeup 101″ series.
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Great tips! I’m totally clueless when it comes to this–what a huge help!
Check out more of Danielle’s fabulous tips at www.thestyleandbeautydoctor.com.

What do you think of our guest blogger?
Smootches!