How to Choose the Right Foundation for Your Face

Foundation is one of the most essential makeup products that should be available on your makeup table. It evens out your entire skin tone and hiding any flaws, scars, acne, or blemishes on your face. But, finding the perfect foundation for your skin tone is like finding the perfect man—it’s difficult.

You have to go through many unsuitable types, shades, and textures of foundation before you find the right one. Sometimes the color suits your skin but it makes your skin dry, sometimes the texture is fine but that brand doesn’t have the shade that suits your skin tone. Finding foundation is sure tiring, isn’t it?

But, worry no more. There are few tricks that will help you to find the ‘true one’. You have to consider 3 things before you decide which foundation is right for you:

Skin Type

• Normal skin
  If you have normal skin, you can use any foundation from mineral powder to tinted moisturizer—depending on your required coverage and shade
• Dry Skin
  For dry skin, you will need the added moisture in your product. The best ones for dry skin are oil-based foundations, mousse product, tinted moisturizers and mineral product. Keywords that must be written on the product are ‘hydrating’ and ‘moisturizing’. Avoid matte ones as they will make your skin looks dull.
• Oily skin
  Opposite to dry skin, you need to find those products that are oil-free. A matte-finish foundation is the perfect choice for your oily skin. Use a pressed powder to set your foundation right.
• Combination skin
  If you have normal-dry skin but oily at the T-zone (chin, nose, and forehead area), you should avoid normal liquid foundations. The best foundation for this type of skin is liquid-to-powder foundations and powdered foundation.
• Aging skin
  If you notice signs like wrinkles, fine lines & probably a little saggy loose skin, don’t get freaked out and start opting for heavy coverage foundation to hide the imperfections. Choose a medium coverage product with light reflecting pigments that will make you glow naturally.

Shade

Choosing a foundation shade may be the most difficult part in finding the right foundation for you.

• Make sure you test the product in broad day light and not just in the store lighting, as it can be deceiving.
• Never test the product on your hand. Your hand has different color and texture than your face. Always test the product on your jawline and then double test it on your forehead to see if it matches your natural skin tone.
• Also, try to click pictures of yourself testing the product. You don’t want to regret your purchase after you realize the shade looks different on photos.
• Don’t hesitate to ask the beauty consultant at the makeup store, as they know more about the product and which one suits you the most.
• Don’t feel pressured by the sales persons to ask for samples for usage of 2-3 times from sales person as you can test it according to your convenience during day/night.

Coverage

There are three types of coverage in foundation:

• Sheer

  

  This is the lightest coverage for those people who want to just even out their skin tone and have a natural look. Sheer foundation is suitable for daily look.

• Medium

  

  Medium-coverage foundations are thicker in consistency and provide some coverage for people with blemishes, discolorations or other minor imperfections.

• Full

  

  Foundation with full coverage helps erase severe imperfections such as acne scars. Also, it’s the best form of foundation to use for photo shoots or formal occasion like wedding.

The key on finding the right foundation for you is by trying it on your skin. You will wear that foundation all day long, so you have to know how it works on your skin—the color, texture, coverage, and lasting power. Happy finding your true one!