It may be quite hard to find the perfect base for you. Our skin colors and skin types are different from one another. One product may look good on your friend but it might not work for you. You might be using a foundation right now that you feel isn't quite working out for you. There are several factors in choosing the best foundation for you and I'm here to help break it down for you!
Jam's HG Foundation
Tone:
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| pink undertone (cool) vs yellow undertone (warm) |
This is the most crucial element in choosing a foundation. You see, our skin doesn't just have a gradient of light to dark. It also has an undertone. You might notice some people who have a pink or gray cast on their face that might not match their bodies.They're wearing a foundation with the wrong undertone. There are three kinds of undertones--cool, warm and neutral. People with cool undertone have a pink, red or blue tinge to their skin. The veins on their wrist are blue or purple. Caucasians usually have a cool undertone. People with warm undertone have a yellow, gold or peach tinged skin and their veins are green or olive. Southeast Asians are usually under this bracket. If you're in between cool and warm, you're probably neutral.
Shade:
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| Graftobian creme foundation palette |
In my opinion, your foundation should match the color of your neck or your chest. To avoid putting foundation anywhere else other than your face, swatch the foundation to match your neck or chest. The foundation should blend in with your skin. If ever you buy a foundation that's a tad light for you, you can always warm up your skin by bronzing and contouring your face. However, if it's a little dark, put a lighter concealer to highlight your face.
Coverage:
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| upper L-R: no foundation, light coverage of rimmel foundation lower L-R: medium coverage of revlon's colorstay foundation, full coverage of graftobian cream foundation |
If you have fairly decent skin, you can choose among bb creams, tinted moisturizers or foundations with sheer to light coverage to even out your skin. If your skin is a bit problematic, it's best to use a foundation with medium coverage. You can opt to go full coverage but it may look quite heavy. You can always use concealer to hide stubborn blemishes. Take note that some foundations are buildable, meaning for every layer you apply on your face it will cover more.
Finish:
There are many finishes but we can categorize them into-- dewy, satin and matte. Dewy finish is very luminous and youthful. I shy away from this kind of foundation when I have active pimples because its reflectiveness tends to emphasize the bumps on my face. Satin finish is a middle ground of dewy and matte. It isn't too shiny but it isn't too flat. It has a satin/velvet feel to it. Matte finish is shine-free, which is perfect for me because I have oily skin. On itself, it may look flat, so make sure to add a bronzer to warm up the skin and a highlighter to bring back some of the shine if you think you need it.
Form:
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| L-R: Naturactor cake foundation, MUD cream foundation, MAC studio fix powder foundation, MUFE Mat Velvet+ Liquid Foundation |
Cake foundation are water-activated foundations that have maximum coverage. They are commonly used in theater. Be careful in applying this because this foundation coined "cake face" which means having too much make-up (mask-like). Cream/stick foundation offers great coverage because they are thick. This is the best foundation for mature skin as it provides moisture and luminosity to the skin. To prevent the foundation from sliding, it is recommended to set it with powder. Liquid foundation is the most popular type and the one which offers the most range in terms of formulations for any coverage or finish desired. Powder/mineral foundation is best suited for normal to oily skin. If you have dry skin, moisturize well to avoid the foundation from clinging to dry patches. This can be used on it own, to set the foundation and to add additional coverage. Spray/airbrush foundation offers the best skin-like illusion. Though it gives the best finish, it is expensive and time-consuming for everyday use.
Base:
Oil-based foundations, as the name suggests, use oil as its main ingredient. Cream foundations are usually under this umbrella. They provide the most opaque coverage, stays moist and will not cake up. However, they can smudge and fade. Alcohol-based foundations are the most lightweight kind but are quite sheer in coverage. Water-based foundations have a blend of water & oil and provide medium coverage that has a natural look and feel to it. Silicone-based foundations blend over skin very smoothly. They are lightweight and comfortable on the skin. Other foundations even have more formulations like oil-free and transfer-resistant ones that are great for people who reside in hot and humid places and for oily-skin people.
HD:
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| Angelina Jolie with too much MUFE HD powder |
High-definition foundation is a type of product with finely milled elements that are virtually undetectable on HD television and film. When using a product like Make Up For Ever's HD powder, use it in small quantities and brush off the excess afterwards. When being photographed, it is also important to take note of the spf of your foundation. A high spf content will leave you with a white cast when photographed with flash.
Tips: Moisturize first and apply a primer that will suit your skin type (mattifying if you're oily, hydrating when you're dry). Apply liquids and creams first. Powders come last. The highest coverage you should go for is medium coverage and from there, correct the discolorations with a color-correcting concealer and then apply your foundation or concealer of the same color over it. It will more natural as compared to using full coverage all over your face, even in parts that do not need such heavy coverage. The most important thing to do is to blend your foundation! I usually prefer a liquid foundation with a matte finish because I oil up and sweat a lot. Set your liquid or cream foundation with powder so it won't move. I just apply a powder contour to bring back dimension and a highlighter on top of my cheekbones and a light dusting on the bridge of my nose just so that I won't look flat. If you overdo the powder and you end up looking too mask-like, hydrate your face by spraying a mist of facial spray or setting spray.
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