How to choose the foundation is the hardest part of the make-up!

Today I asked Simona Talento, my co-worker and make-up expert, some advice about it:

WHERE IS THE BEST PLACE TO MATCH TO YOUR FOUNDATION?

One of the most common mistake is to try the foundation on the back of the hand or on the inner wrist.
The foundation must be tested on the jawline: that is the part with the most neutral pigmentation.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE FOUNDATION BASED ON UNDERTONE?

There’re different type of undertone: yellow, pink, neutral and olive.
Before you buy a foundation, it would be helpful to do an image consultation to find out if you have warm or cold colors.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE FOUNDATION BASED ON THE TYPE OF SKIN?

Here the formulations for the different types of skin:

LIQUID. They are the most popular
COMPACT (I mean compact powders). Appropriate for normal skin
LOOSE POWDER. To avoid if you have dry skin
STICK (rather creamy and pasty). Not advisable for oily skin

Keep in mind that your skin may vary depending on the season, so you may need to change the foundation in the year.

HOW TO DECIDE FINISH AND COVERAGE OF THE FOUNDATION?

The finish refers to the result you want to see on your face, in terms of coverage:

DEWY (a luminous and radiant effect). Perfect for skin that tends to be dry, because it’s more moisturizer. To avoid on a oily skin.
MATTE. The coverage is higher (ideal for video and photoshoots). This formulation is perfect especially on a skin that tend to be oily, because it controls the excess of sebum. Be careful: if you’re skin is very dry, the foundation can highlight signs of aging!
SATIN (that is between matte and luminous effect). This finish looks perfect on anybody, being very balanced. If you’re skin tend to be oily, apply a veil of powder to prevent shine.

HOW TO APPLY FOUNDATION?

BRUSH: ideal for liquid and powder foundation. The classic flat brush, or the duo fiber (made of natural and synthetic bristles) is ideal for a lighter coverage; the one with harder and dense bristle for an higher coverage; the kabuki is perfect for applying powder foundation.
SPONGE: for liquid or creamy products. The pro is that it doesn’t leave streaks, but a uniform and more natural surface, leaving a perfect skin. The con is that “capture” (wasting) part of the product. The ideal would be to put foundation with a brush, and then blend everything with a sponge.
HANDS: ideal for tinted creams or BB creams. The product is heated from hands and it helps to to blend it with the skin. It’s mandatory you washi your hands!

For a perfect base, also read the post on how to cover dark circles, with other advice of our expert make up artist Simona Talento.

Rossella Migliaccio
Image Consultant