Foundation Facts Ц Determining the Best Base for Your Makeup Routine

Articles on Makeup | Topics: makeup, cosmetics

by Cullen Jennings

Everyone has their own natural beauty. And for centuries, ladies have been using makeup in some form or fashion to enhance that beauty. These days, the cosmetic industry is booming with a plethora of products from eyebrow pencils to lipsticks to eye shadows to foundation. It is foundation, or liquid makeup, that provides the base for most women's beauty regiments.

Obviously, with the variety of ethnicity and skin types, all foundations are not created equal. So how do you decide which foundation is right for you? First of all, you have to know where to buy your foundation. You can purchase your makeup from the grocery store or even a pharmacy. And while there are some great makeup buys at those stores like eye pencils and lipsticks, the best place to buy your foundation is a department store. The makeup counters have experienced personnel who know about the various products that complement certain skin types as well as matching the skin tone and application techniques.

One of the first things you have to consider in regards to choosing the foundation that works best for you is your skin type. What condition is your skin in? Do you have dry or flaky skin? What about oily skin? Or maybe, your skin is a combination of the two. If you are a little unsure of what may describe your skin condition, ask for the opinion of the makeup consultant at the department store beauty counter.

After determining your skin type, you have to decide which foundation formula would best suit your needs. If your skin is dry, hydrating or moisturizing foundation formulas are great choices to provide a great base for you beauty regiment. Oil control foundations work best for the oily skin. And if you are prone to breakouts, look for formulas that cater to acne-free results. When you have combination skin, you need to find a foundation formula that would suit both oiliness and dryness.

аBit of History

Make gracious attempts at sanctifying Jenny,
Supply cosmetics for the ordering of her frame,
Think of her as Leda, as a goddess,
Emptying a smile on Redkey, Indiana.

—Allen Tate (1899–1979)

When shopping for new foundation, make sure that you are not wearing makeup already. Having a clean face will ensure that you can apply a few colors of foundation on your face without it clashing with something else. Determining your skin tone is very helpful in choosing the best foundation as the basis for your makeup. Fair skin might require a foundation with rosy undertones while a darker complexion might need something more yellow-based in color. With the multitude of skin colors Ц from the fair skin of Caucasians to the olive complexions of Latin descendants to the darker undertones of African Americans or Middle East Asians, there are a countless shades to choose from.

Pick the two or three shades that you think might best suit your skin tone. Apply the foundation shades at various places along your jaw line. Your skin in this area is the most true to the type of makeup color you need. Whatever you do, do not apply the makeup on your wrist or hand because these are not optimal areas to best determine the foundation's tone and color. Because the lighting in the store is mostly fluorescent, you want to go outside in natural sunlight to look at how well the foundation blends in with your skin. Your best selection would be the one foundation that is virtually undetectable on your skin. You should be the one wearing your makeup, not the makeup wearing you.

The reason why buying your foundation at a department store is stressed is because no one person perfects fits the standards colors you may find in a pharmacy or grocery store. For the most part, people are in between shades. The department stores offer higher end foundations that are possible to custom blend into the shade you require. Another reason that department stores are optimal for your foundation purchase is because the makeup consultants can give you tips on applying your foundation as well as suggest complementary products or alternatives that you may not have thought of like concealer or tinted sunscreen or moisturizer.

Be sure and think about what you want out of your foundation as well. Do you want light and natural or something that makes your skin more luminous for evening events? How about a satiny finish or matte finish? The possibilities are many, but your needs are few. Decide what role your makeup will play in your daily life and activities and choose the best foundation that fits that role.

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Please note: All personal opinions expressed in the "Foundation Facts Ц Determining the Best Base for Your Makeup Routine" article belong to the contributing author and are not necessarily shared by BeautyHairMakeup.com.

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