Foundation - The building block of Make Up.

Foundation is a huge subject with so many textures, formulas, finishes and colours to choose from it can all become a little confusing.

Let’s try and make things a little easier when it comes to choosing your perfect base.

When we search for the perfect foundation, the best thing to have in your mind is to look for a foundation that makes your skin look beautiful and not look like you are wearing any foundation at all.

If the formula, finish and colour is perfect (no matter if you have a full, medium or light coverage) it will always look fabulous.

Here are a few guidelines to remember when you’re looking for your perfect foundation:

• Think about what results you are looking for and if you want a sheer tint, a medium cover or a full coverage foundation.

• Take into consideration the time you have to apply your foundation when doing your makeup.

• Think about the finish you would like from your foundation. You may want a matte finish, something silkier, a Dewy or luminous finish on the skin.

• Determine what undertone your skin has.

• When choosing the colour of your foundation try it out on different areas of the face such as the forehead, the jaw line and the centre panel of the face.

• When first choosing a colour try the foundation in natural daylight and when you feel happy with the colour look at it in different lighting to make sure it always looks great.

• If possible, try out the foundation on the skin for a few hours before you make your decision. This will help to determine if you are happy with the lasting power, the texture and the finish of the foundation.

• Before you go shopping for foundation make sure the skin is prepped in the same way as you would do before your usual foundation application. This will give you the finish You will get when you use your foundation going forward.

• Remember that although the undertone of the skin will always remain the same the actual colour of your skin can change throughout the year so your foundation colour may differ once or twice throughout the year. Whenever the time comes to replenish your makeup always double check the colour to make sure it’s still the right Shade.

• Do some research and check out reviews before you commit to the purchase.

There are also many different formulas and types of foundation so here is a simple guide to knowing what is out there and what choices you have.

Liquid foundation

Your most classic makeup. Liquid’s will offer many different formulas from oil free to hydrating and give many different finishes whether it be Matte, dewy or luminous. Most liquids have the advantage of being buildable in their cover so you can use them to give a light, medium or full coverage to any skin.

Tinted Moisturiser

As the name suggests this is a moisturiser with a hint of colour. You will find these easy to use and great for quick application. The coverage is usually light and sheer. Most tinted moisturisers will give hydration to the skin and a slightly luminous finish.

BB cream (Beauty Balm)

BB creams generally give a sheer to medium coverage and usually contain skin boosting ingredients.

They act as a multi vitamin on the skin and tend to appear a little dewy on application.

BB creams will make the skin look healthier, fresher and creates a slight blurring effect on textured skin.

CC creams (Colour Correcting)

CC creams tend to add a little more coverage and additional hydration onto the skin. They improve the complexion and often add a protection to the skin.

CC cream is great at evening out uneven skin tone with colour correcting technology. Most available will contain vitamin C, peptides and antioxidants.

Cushion foundation

These foundations are great if you prefer the feel and finish of a liquid but want something more portable. The finish is light and often slightly dewy.

Cushion foundations are similar to BB creams but due to them being in a compact form, you can use them on the go. You can build your coverage like a liquid, and they contain similar skin benefits that you will find in a BB or CC cream.

Stick foundation.

These foundations come in a solid stick form, are super easy to use, portable and great to travel with.

The stick foundation formula is buildable, and you can create anything from a light coverage all the way up to full cover.

Stick foundations are also great to have and use as a touch up for your foundation base.

Powder foundation

Often powder foundations are made-up of mineral powders which are kind to the skin. You can get powder foundation in different finishes depending on the content of Mica (Naturally occurring mineral dust often used in makeup).

When choosing a powder foundation, you can choose between a matte finish right up to a radiant illuminous finish.

Many people enjoy using powder foundation because of the ease of application and are great for quick makeup. Powder foundations can come loose or pressed.

Cream foundation

Cream foundation generally has a more luxurious texture, similar to that of a rich face cream. They tend to give a medium to full coverage and appear like a whipped coloured cream.

They have a more immolating texture and add more hydration onto the skin than a liquid and will often appear slightly more dewy on the skin.