Makeup Monday: Putting Your Best Face Forward

First day back at work after the holiday season?
Mine too.

Did you go back to the office with a post holiday glow and an even complexion?
I did.

I'd love to say that my skin just glows naturally and I've always had an even complexion, but unfortunately, that is not the case. As a teenager and well into my University years I, like most people, struggled with acne. More than the scarring and obvious imperfections, I hated the way the acne made me feel - self conscious and uncomfortable. I think thats why I not only have a love for skincare, but a love for all things foundation.

So yes, I did go to work today with a nice holiday glow and an even complexion, but it was all faux. I'm not usually a fan of fakes, but I'm all for faking great skin: all you need is the right foundation, concealer, and the right application. Again, it doesn't have to be expensive, but if you are going to splurge for one cosmetic - it should be foundation. Foundation goes directly on to your skin, and the ingredients in it can affect your complexion. Unlike eyeshadows which you can pretty much dupe all colours and textures with drugstore brands, higher end foundation does use finer ingredients that can actually help your skin. A lot are even being made with anti-aging skincare serums mixed right in (I'm all about the 2-in-1, except with the shampoo/conditioner combo: haircare no-no).

A few pre-application tingles...

1. Foundation comes in different formulations to work with your skin
Powder: best for combination or oily skin, when layered on dry skin it can look really cakey, and not the pretty wedding cake version.
Liquid: liquid can be used on all skintones because it comes in so many formulations - moisturizing for dry skin, oil-free or mattifying for combination-oily skins, and for all you b*tches with perfectly normal skin, you can wear anything you want.
Creme or Stick: these are best for normal or dry skins as they usually leave more of a glowy finish that can look rather reflective on an oilier skinned gal
Tinted Moisturizer: again, can work for most skintones except very oily, great for summer as most are now formulated with SPF.

2. Foundations come in different levels of coverage and finishes
Sheer: designed to let your skin show through, gives more of a natural finish and is great for all of you who want to even out your skin tone without that heavy make-up feeling
Moderate: Have a lot of surface redness or hyperpigmentation? Want a little more coverage without looking like wax? Moderate coverage foundation would be a good alternative to trying to cover everything with a heavy hand
Full: the name says it all - full coverage foundation is heaver and more opaque to transform your skin in to a blank canvas. However, unless you have a big scar or a large area of discoloration [or it's your wedding day and you have a very talented make-up artist],I'd shy away from full coverage - not many people can fake geisha-esque skin.

3. Choose the right colour
Tres important - you should have a foundation for summer and for winter, not one for both (unless the sun never touches your skin). Test the foundation on the corner of your face near your jawline, if the colour disappears into your skin - its a match. If you are good with application and your body is darker than your face, you can buy one shade warmer or darker to match, but make sure application is seamless and it stays on all day :)

4. Application is everything
Many things creep me out, and among contact lenses and wet feed in the sand, applying and blending foundation with your fingers is one of them. From my experience and the recommendations of almost any makeup artist you ask - foundation is best applied with a brush. Using the correct brush will allow you to have faster application and spread it more evenly throughout your face - another plus - its definitely more hygenic. Foundation brushes, as opposed to sponges, don't soak up most of the product before depositing it onto your skin, so you'll also use a lot less. Some foundations, like creme or powder will come with a brush or sponge, I've always found a brush works better - and when it comes to foundation and application, I've definitely been around the block (many times).

There are 3 main shapes to a foundation brush and they all affect the way your foundation is applied to the skin. Since I've been around the block with foundations, I've also had time to acquire a couple brushes along the way. You can buy brushes anywhere, and with the exception of a few, most of my eyeshadow brushes are all Target originals; in contrast, my foundation brushes are MAC for a reason: they're the best [well they were, until my Sephora discovery on Saturday that gave me goosebumps. Details later].

Here are my foundation brushes. From left, the MAC 187 and MAC 188 are both circular brushes designed for lightweight application. The 187 is one of the most popular foundation brushes in the world, it picks up just the right amount of liquid or creme foundation and buffs it perfectly into the skin, leaving a really natural look - it also picks up powder foundation perfectly. If you are a foundation novice, this style of brush is easier to master than the MAC 190 (middle). The MAC 190 is firmer and more dense than the 187, designed for smaller strokes for blending foundation outwards from the middle of your face. When used correctly, this can create a seamless and flawless look, but it can also cause streaks or uneven sections depending on the amount you pick up for each portion of your face. Personally, the 187 is a lot easier, a lot faster, and gives a nicer finish [sort of how I imagine David Beckham...]; however, I discovered a new (cheaper) and superior alternative to the MAC 187: introducing the Sephora Professional Platinum Air Brush #55 (2nd from right). For me, this brush tops the 187 hands down - it blends as you apply it, and you can layer your foundations to change your level of coverage - and at any level it looks smooth, polished, and perfect. WIN. The brush on the very right is a Kabuki brush and works really well with Bare Minerals foundation or any loose powder, just be careful not to pick up too much product.

Now that you have the right foundation, coverage level, and application method for you - the rest is simple. Here are the steps that I use, and are generally used when applying foundation.

Moisturize and prep your skin. I use a foundation primer which isn't a necessity, but can really help smooth your skin if you have fine lines or large pores. Oilier skinned gals can benefit from a primer with oil control to help makeup stay on all day.

For liquid, creme, powder, or tinted moisturizer applied with a 187 style brush:

• dab a dime sized amount of product on to the back of your hand, and lightly dip your brush so just the tips are coated with product. For powder, lightly sweep the brush over the top of the powder if its pressed, or dip it slightly into loose powder
• [Powder foundation: skip this step] Starting at the center of your face, dab (like a bingo dabber) the foundation onto both cheeks, your forehead, and chin - this should be all you need to cover your entire face. If you have redness on any areas, you can stipple [continue dabbing over the area before buffing] the brush on those areas for a little more coverage.
• Start moving the brush in circular motions around your face, buffing gently into the skin, making sure to reach your hairline, and going a little lower than your jawline for seamless coverage. If you want more coverage, dip the brush into the foundation on the back of your hand again, and repeat, making sure to blend blend blend. Simple, fast and easy.

..using a 190 style brush (not ideal for powder)

• dab a dime size amount of foundation on the back of your hand and gently coat the tip of the brush with product
• starting at the middle of your face and blending outwards, move the brush in short, small strokes downward making sure to evenly spread the product (you will need to dip again to cover your entire face, the 187 spreads faster with less foundation)
• continue short strokes until you have covered your entire face, paying close attention to your jawline, hairline, and lip area to ensure that all is even.

After making sure everything is even, apply concealer to any discolourations, blemishes, around the edges of your nose, and under your eyes if needed. Using concealer after your foundation ensures the concealer isn't smudged by applying the foundation over it.

After your foundation/concealer is on, if you are using liquid or creme foundation, set it with translucent setting powder using a large powder brush. This won't add any colour to your face, but will give your makeup more staying power, and prepare your skin for blush and bronzer application. This doesn't have to be expensive - but a really great one is Make Up Forever HD Finishing Powder. This will give you that glow, while minimizing imperfections and making your makeup last all day.

So there you go, all my knowledge and experience with all things foundation. As I said before, good skincare is the key to good makeup, but if you're wearing foundation, good application and the right formula for you is the key to natural, radiant makeup.

Next Monday: a short little post on concealer with tips on how to cover all those spots that in reality, only you can see :)

Enjoy your beauty rest...
Xx LM