If we compare makeup to an orchestra, we can say that foundation is a conductor that sets the tone for the entire composition. After all, this is the basis of all makeup, which can make a positive or, on the contrary, such a negative impression that even the most flawless makeup will look unprofitable. But the right choice of foundation will make you a queen even with minimal and natural makeup. It’s worth understanding the terms: foundation and foundation are often distinguished. By foundation we mean a base for makeup. Therefore, now we are talking about foundations, in the classical sense of the word.
Advantages and disadvantages of using foundation
Pros:
— Visual alignment of skin tone. A high-quality foundation will refresh your face, illuminate it, even out the tone and structure of the skin surface, hide redness, age spots, scars and acne scars.
— Masking of inflammation. Of course, covering a pimple with cream will not make it disappear, but it will become much less noticeable. In addition, many foundations, especially those intended for problem skin, contain antiseptic substances that dry out rashes and relieve inflammation.
— Makeup stability. A good foundation will not float from the heat or your sweat, and will not give way to oily sheen in the T-zone. This will give you the opportunity to look great not only immediately after applying makeup, but also a few hours after the manipulation.
— Protective properties. During the cold season, a layer of foundation plays the role of a protective screen for vulnerable skin. In addition, foundation may contain UV filters and other substances that protect against the harmful effects of the urban environment.
— Nourishing and tightening properties. Anti-aging and nourishing foundations contain beneficial substances and partially replace day cream.
Minuses:
- Clogging of pores. Thick foundation does not allow sweat and sebum to pass through; they remain on the skin and can cause inflammation of the sebaceous gland duct.
— Violation of air exchange. Due to the film of the cream, the fat balance of the skin, its breathing, and blood circulation may be disrupted. As a result, the natural complexion may become somewhat pale.
— Impossibility of ideal tone selection. Of course, manufacturers often produce lines of foundations with a huge selection of shades, but each person has their own unique skin color, which, moreover, changes over time, for example, due to tanning. Therefore, makeup with not carefully selected cream may not look entirely natural.
However, most women admit that they cannot imagine their cosmetic bag without foundation, and cosmetic companies use modern technologies, look for new textures and produce a wide variety of products to improve your beauty and reduce the negative consequences of using foundation.
Types of funds
Depending on the consistency and density, solutions are divided into several groups.
The most common of them is . They have a thick consistency and contain fats. With the right shade, you can effectively disguise skin imperfections.
The foundation with a dense composition is filled with minerals that provide the necessary shade.
Due to its dense texture, it is difficult to apply in an even layer. Because of this same quality, it is better to use it as a base for evening make-up.
Product with a light structure.
The structure is dominated by silicone oils of the latest developments. They are easy to apply and easy to wash off with plain water. It is suitable for daily use.
Camouflage.
The product has a compact consistency. The main goal is to hide natural and acquired flaws. With its help you will hide freckles, moles, scars and scars after plastic surgery. Due to its thick structure, it is difficult to distribute in an even layer.
Thanks to the silicone, wax and pigment included in the composition, the product perfectly masks and lasts a long time. You won't have to constantly correct your makeup. It can only be washed off with special compounds.
Designed for oily skin, as it absorbs excess oil from the skin. Has excellent masking properties.
There are also types of tonal solutions that will have to be considered in detail.
Fluid is a product with a delicate texture that smoothly covers the skin.
Suitable for dry skin. This prevents the formation of a mask effect. It can be used every day, and is especially convenient to use during the hot summer months. A small minus is that it does not completely mask the shortcomings.
Soufflé or mousse is a product with the softest structure, resembling a foamy substance in appearance.
Designed for girls with combination dermis. It does not clog pores or cause wrinkles, so it is suitable for everyday use. As a minus, note the lack of camouflage.
Creamy powder - combines the characteristics of both substances.
Designed for daily use and to disguise imperfections. Suitable for oily skin types.
Sprays - produced in the form of a represant.
Apply using a spray or makeup brush. Thanks to its light structure, the product perfectly mattifies and evens out skin tone.
Pencil - designed for covering small areas with product.
With the help of spot distribution, you can hide individual flaws.
Convenient to apply with a brush or sponge. Requires careful shading. It is better to use together with powder.
How to choose a foundation for your face according to your skin type
Where to start when choosing a tone? Just as with any creamy product, the main attention should be paid not only to choosing the right shade, but also to the extent to which a product suits your skin type.
- Oily skin requires light textures - gels, foams, fluids, caring creams with a tonal effect that do not burden the skin, which is already suffering from excess sebaceous secretions, are very suitable for it. The liquid texture of such creams contains a minimum of fats, silicones and a maximum of the finest mattifying powder, which acts as an adsorbent for sebum. A thin layer of product does not prevent the skin from breathing, but at the same time it is evened out for a long time and becomes matte and silky. It is best to apply them with a brush to avoid spreading and apply a thin layer.
- If you have problematic porous skin with pimples and acne, the best concealer will be cream powder - a dense and well-evening product for the skin. Skin unevenness and redness are easily hidden under cream powder, pores become less noticeable, and complexion is evened out. In addition, products for problem skin must contain antibacterial agents that dry out inflammation. It is best to apply such foundations with a damp sponge.
- Dry and sensitive skin needs classic foundation and BB creams. Their active moisturizing ingredients, oils and silicones, as well as nutrients and vitamins, hyaluronic acid keep the skin hydrated and prevent dry skin. These are dense products that hide skin imperfections and are best applied with a damp sponge or fingertips.
- Mature skin requires a liquid foundation with reflective particles that evens out the complexion, nourishes the skin and visually reduces wrinkles. Often these products contain wheat proteins and chitin, as well as pigments in a special moist shell that prevent the cream from collecting in wrinkles and emphasizing them. It is better to apply such creams by lightly patting your fingertips.
- All of the above products are suitable for normal skin. But if you have a naturally even complexion, then for daytime natural makeup a day cream with a tonal effect will be enough. In the evening, use a thicker product.
How to choose the right shade
When choosing a foundation, you should remember one very important rule, which, unfortunately, many girls either do not know or forget about - the color of the foundation must be completely compatible with the shade of your skin. Otherwise, your face will either stand out too much against the background of your body (neck, arms, décolleté), or defects will be visible. However, sometimes representatives of the fair sex, in order to look more tanned, use foundations whose color is an order of magnitude darker. The dark brown option is suitable only for those girls who have previously visited the solarium several times or have just returned from a vacation at the seaside.
If you decide to purchase such cosmetics for the first time, it is better to do this in specialized retail establishments, since products ordered through a catalog may look completely different in real life. In addition, your natural complexion influences the final result. So, the first thing you should do is apply a small drop of foundation to your skin, smear it with smooth movements and wait about ten minutes. If the shade matches, then this is an ideal option. Please note that the product should not be tested on the crook of the elbow or on the back of the hand, as was customary to do before, but only on the face (chin or cheeks).
How to choose a foundation for your face by shade
Many of the fair sex, when testing a shade of foundation, try to apply it to their wrist or elbow. However, this method does not give any idea about your skin tone: moreover, the main shade here is distorted by blood vessels running close to the surface. Interestingly, the average complexion can be found... on the face itself in the jaw area. You may argue that applying tester cream to your face is unhygienic, but beauty requires sacrifice. In any case, you can use a little cream on the desired area, and after the test, wipe it off with an antibacterial damp cloth.
When choosing, rely on your own color type. Today, each of us is able to determine our own color subtype - cold (winter and summer) or warm (spring, autumn). If you are still in doubt, try experimenting with yellow and blue scarves, alternately placing them on your face. The color that will refresh you will become the key to your color type.
It is necessary to evaluate how invisible the foundation will be when applied to the face in daylight, and not in salon lighting. Most cosmetic stores have large display windows. Approach them and evaluate whether the shade of the product matches your skin tone.
Features of foundation for dry skin
Many representatives of the fair sex very often wonder why it is necessary to choose a foundation for their type. The thing is that due to lack of moisture, the skin begins to age, stretch, and expression and age wrinkles form on it faster. By choosing the wrong product, you will only speed up this process, making you look much older than your age by the time you are thirty or forty years old. Cosmetics should nourish, moisturize, and protect from UV exposure.
How to properly apply foundation on your face
- Cleanse and prepare your skin: wash your face with your usual product and apply day cream. If the cream is not completely absorbed, remove the excess with a napkin using blotting movements.
- Apply makeup base (foundation). It will even out the complexion and smooth out skin unevenness, highlighting the desired areas. At this stage, you can also apply a liquid illuminator, which will create a base for sculpting the face.
- If any defects in your appearance - capillaries, dark circles under the eyes, redness - are so strong that they are noticeable even after applying the base, use color correctors to disguise them.
- Apply the actual foundation using your fingers, a damp sponge or a brush. Carefully smooth out the product so that there are no uneven stripes left.
- To reduce fine lines or shadows under the eyes, apply a liquid concealer with reflective particles.
- Carefully blend the boundaries of the foundation application, especially along the jaw line and hair growth - lines and smudges may be noticeable there.
- Dust the foundation and corrector with powder (preferably loose).
- To set your makeup, lightly spray your face with thermal mineral water from a spray bottle. The main thing is not to overdo it so that the finished makeup does not float. The result of the procedure will be permanent, natural and soft makeup.
The main differences between dry skin
In order to determine your type, you need to take tissue paper or a dry napkin, rub it over your face several times and see if greasy stains remain on the surface. If the skin is dry, there should be no marks. Also try to take a close look at your face. A large number of small pores, a dull appearance, roughness - all this indicates that you belong to this category. To avoid mistakes, it is recommended to consult with specialists, as you may have combination skin.
What properties do they have?
Foundations differ depending on their own properties. There are products with a mattifying, moisturizing effect, on a water, oil, or powder base. Let's consider their properties in more detail.
Mattifying effect.
Powder base.
Water based.
In addition to masking, they have a moisturizing effect. The composition contains fats, even if this is not reflected on the label. Thanks to its light consistency, it is easy to rub with your fingertips. You can also use a sponge or brush.
The oily foundation is designed to camouflage imperfections and provide hydration during the winter months. Easy to apply with a damp sponge.
Tonal base.
Combines the components of powder and foundation. Designed to hide problems and even out skin tone. Recommended for use by girls with oily or combination skin.
Foundation in a tube masks imperfections in certain areas, and not over the entire surface. To complete the make-up, apply foundation with a light structure.
