If you’ve ever spent an hour carefully blending your makeup only to discover it’s turned into a “makeup mask” once you step out into the sunlight, you understand the struggles of choosing the proper foundation that provides flawless coverage and accurate skin tone matching.
Despite the range of colors, formulations, and brands available, foundation is one of the most challenging cosmetics to master. Our skin can be fickle, changing tone and texture depending on any number of factors, making the perfect foundation obsolete just a few months after you think you’ve finally found “the one.”
Next time you find yourself in need of a new foundation, keep these 5 tips in mind:
1. Look for Ingredients That Serve Your Skin Type
Foundation spends more time than any other cosmetic against your skin, so you want to ensure that the ingredients contribute to its overall health.
Some of the most nourishing ingredients to keep an eye out for are hyaluronic acid to help with hydration, vitamin C for brightness, and an SPF to protect against UV rays.
Another factor to keep in mind is the foundation’s finish. A dewy finish can make oily skin feel oversaturated and add even more shine, while the light-catching properties can enhance dry skin’s radiance.
On the other hand, matte foundations emphasize and contribute to dry skin concerns like flakes or tightness, but they can help control shine for oil-prone skin.
2. Color Match Like the Experts
It’s worth spending a little extra time in the store to ensure the color of your foundation matches.
First, skip the makeup routine before heading to your favorite cosmetic counter. Any pigment or foundation on your skin can completely change how another product looks. You want to have clean, bare skin for the most accurate results.
Second, avoid swatching on your arm or hand. Different parts of our body get varying levels of sunlight, and these areas likely don’t match the tone of your face and neck.
Instead, swipe several colors in different spots along your jawline and blend them down into your neck. Then, observe how it looks in the store’s light, then step outside to see it in the sun. A foundation that looks blended under fluorescents may turn a sickly shade of orange under natural light.
A sheer coverage to consider that corrects, protects, brightens, conceals and hydrates the skin, all while providing an SPF 45, is Revision Skincare® Intellishade®. Available in Original, Matte and TruPhysical formulations, Intellishade®’s universal tint blurs imperfections while providing anti-aging skincare.
3. Learn Your Undertones
No matter your skin color, you have undertones that profoundly affect how everything from clothes to cosmetics looks when you wear them.
There are three undertones: Warm, which appears golden or peachy; cool, which appears pink or blue; and neutral, where your undertones are a very close match to your actual skin color.
It may come as a surprise that extremely pale skin can still present with warm, golden tones, while dark skin may have cool, pink hues. That’s why it’s tricky to find that perfect foundation shade. You want your foundation to match your skin color and undertones, as this is the best way to enhance your natural color while hiding imperfections.
The easiest way to figure out your undertones is to look at your veins. Warm undertones typically come with greenish-colored veins, while cool undertones have purple or blue. With neutral, your veins closely resemble your skin color.
4. Choose an Oil-Free Formula
Comedogenic ingredients, or those that clog your pores, can wreak havoc on your skin, and oil is one of the most common culprits.
While most high-end foundation brands have oil-free formulas, drug store favorites can contribute to breakouts, especially if you neglect a nightly skincare routine that removes all of the product.
jane iredale THE SKINCARE MAKEUP® offers seven foundation options that care for your skin, four of which AST carries in store. PurePressed® Mineral Foundation, available in 26 shades, is a client favorite. It’s clean, mineral formula multitasks as a foundation, concealer and SPF. While being buildable, it is also weightless, line-blurring and hydrating. Antioxidant ingredients like Pomegranate Extract and Pine Bark Extract help to promote an even skin tone, decongest pores, and clarify and balance skin. Finish with a hydration spray to set the PurePressed® Mineral Foundation to give a long-lasting skin-like finish.
5. Change with the Seasons
Once you find a favorite foundation, it’s tempting to snatch up a stockpile. Before you do so, keep in mind that the perfect winter color match likely won’t work for your skin tone in the summertime. With more sun comes a tendency to tan, even if you’re diligent with sun protectant. If you notice that you’re lighter or darker than the last time you purchased foundation, it may be time to get acquainted with a new shade– at least temporarily.
Consult with Skin Care Professionals to Find Your New Favorite Foundation
If you’re struggling to find the perfect foundation, let the Advanced Skin Therapeutics skincare experts lend a helping hand. We’re experts in skin nurturing makeup that enhances your natural radiance with dermatologist-approved formulas.
