Your foundation questions, answered!
Thursday, July 12, 2012 at 11:38AM I get a boatload of foundation questions over at the Ask Liz forum. Some of them can be repetitive, so I thought I'd put the most common questions here - and then some!
I don't want to wear foundation. Can I get away with it?
If you have fairly good skin, I don't see why not! Congratulations. Don't bother with powder, just blot when you get oily. However, if you have uneven, blemished skin...well maybe you can still skip foundation, technically. Have a heavy-coverage concealer on hand to erase marks - make sure it is your EXACT shade match, and blend well! - then set it with pressed / translucent powder.
Palgantong Theatrical Powder is a nice semi-translucent powder for days when you don't want foundation
It's actually easier and quicker to just use foundation to blur out minor imperfections, then add concealer to remove the darkest blemishes. It's also much more photogenic and natural-looking in the end. But hey, it's your party, so use what makes you most comfortable. :)
What foundation would you recommend for oily skin?
I would recommend a powder or liquid foundation. I have oily-combination skin, so I prefer to use liquid foundations for days when I'm out and about for a long time. When I want a super lasting power I just set the liquid with a powder foundation.
Affordable powder foundation: Revlon PhotoReady Two-Way Powder Foundation, In2It Oil Control and Oil Free Foundation
High-end powder foundation: Lancome Maqui Blanc Miracle Foundation, MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation
Affordable liquid foundation: Revlon ColorStay Liquid Foundation (I haven't personally tried this but everyone else recommends it)
High-end liquid foundation: Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Even Finish Foundation, Smashbox Studio Skin 15-Hour Wear Foundation, Lancome Teint Miracle, NARS Sheer Glow Foundation
Yes, love liquid foundation! Invest in a good one and you won't regret it.
High-end cream foundation for oily skin: Cinema Secrets Foundation Palette, hands down! It can also double as concealer.
How about foundation for normal to dry skin?
If you're not particularly oily, having just occasional dry skin, you can go for foundations that are light-textured.
Affordable powder foundation: Majolica Majorca Skin Remaker Pore Cover Foundation, Kanebo Kate Mineral Powder Foundation, L’Oreal White Perfect Pearl Duo Powder Foundation
High-end powder foundation: Clinique Perfectly Real Radiant Skin Compact Makeup, Shiseido Supplist Poreless Foundation (or current equivalent since this is discountinued)
Affordable liquid foundation: Revlon PhotoReady Airbrush Mousse Makeup, Max Factor Ageless Elixir Foundation + Serum
High-end liquid foundation: Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Brightening Makeup
What's a good foundation for acne-prone skin?
This is a tricky question, but it all comes down to this: if you have a lot of pimples, it's best to lay off on most foundations or skincare products for that matter. Just use the products recommended by your derma until the acne is healed. No makeup, however expensive it may be, can cover up skin that is suffering.
Buuut I feel ya. I do know that it's damaging to one's self-esteem to go out of the house looking unpolished, with a raging breakout, to boot! So this is what you can do. Use mineral foundation to at least lessen the appearance of redness and rawness of your skin.
Mineral foundations are usually lighter and more skin-friendly than average foundations. There are less irritants and the ingredients shouldn't clog your pores, too! Side note: How to apply loose mineral foundation.
Affordable: Ellana Loose Mineral Powder Foundation (my favorite from before!)
High-end: Colorescience Pressed Mineral Foundation Compact (best I've tried, but crazy expensive), Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Mineral Makeup SPF15, Clinique Superbalanced Powder Makeup SPF15/PA+++, Jane Iredale Dream Tint Moisture Tint with SPF15
What is the best way to apply foundation?
There are a myriad ways to do it, but these are the techniques that I personally find most effective.
Pressed powder: Don't use the sponge; the finish will look thick, cakey, and unnatural! Use a fluffy and dense kabuki or powder brush. Buff the foundation in with quick, circular strokes.
Liquid foundation: Fingers if the texture is very watery. Stippling brush if you want natural-looking coverage; just dot the foundation in, then blend. Flat tacklon brush if you want precise, heavy coverage; just start from the outside going in. Flat top kabuki brush for very thick textured-foundation; buff it in as you would a powder.
Cream foundation: Sponge, sponge, sponge. There's no better way to spread the cream foundation while still conserving product.
How do I choose the righ foundation shade?
I wrote a super long post about this before. Hope this covers the basics! :)
Do note that these are just my personal recommendations. :) You can use pretty much anything you like but there are just some products that are more appropriate for certain concerns. Just dig deep and find out what you need! Hope this helps!
Reader Comments (16)
Thanks for this Liz! Will a foundation brush work just fine with a cream foundation?
Liz..you should do a post about makeup remover such as cloths/wipes, cleansing oil and cleansing milk. I am recently been impressed with cleansing milk(Roc's Multi-action Makeup Remover Milk). It claims that it's a 3 in 1 that cleanses, tones and moisturises. Use a cotton pad and gently wipe your face. Very nice on the skin. ;)
Thank you so much this post is really helpful.
The formula of Revlon ColorStay Liquid Foundation doesn't sit well with extremely oily skin and large pores(especially nose area).
I regretted getting one and have not used it because it makes me hella ugly.
Plus this foundation doesn't offer that many shades with yellow undertones.
Better off with powder foundation.
Can a mineral foundation and mineral concealer offer coverage like the liquid foundation/BB cream? I like using BB cream but it can't cover my imperfections (blemishes and acne scars/marks). I'm thinking of getting a mineral foundation but I'm worried about it's coverage. Thanks! :)
I like how you lined things up Ms. Liz and from those things you listed, I'm now a fan of mineral makeup. I have a combination of oily/sensitive/acne-prone skin and from experience I actually skipped liquid foundie and switched to mineral loose powder/pressed powder because it worked a lot better (for me) in reducing the redness and blemishes and looking more natural after those dry, patchy seasons after undergoing treatment. Also for sensitive skin, I recommend going for talc-free makeup which can be found from all-natural mineral makeups and I recommend Bare Ecsentuals, Bare Naturals, Ellana and Krave for that because it won't just hide your imperfections, it will actually heal them in the long term. Also, be moderate with the regular heavy coverage to let your skin breathe from time to time. :)
FAQs like this are a boon to makeup beginners like me. Thanks Liz!
This is definitely one of your most helpful posts. What heavy duty concealer for dry skin can you recommend to cover hyper pigmentations?
How about shades of foundation?
I really love the Palgantong Theatrical powder... Nice one Ms. Liz :)
Hey guys! As usual, loved reading the feedback.
@Anne Sounds fab! Don't think it's available locally though. :( Also hi! Missed hearing from you!
@April no. Creams are harder and difficult to spread with just a brush. Best to use a sponge!
@Alexis It's very rare to find a heavy coverage mineral foundation because their nature is to be as light as possible. If you're really concerned about your marks, use a heavy-coverage concealer then set with powder.
@Soleil Makeup Forever Full Cover Concealer :)
@Beauty_follower Updated my post to link to my guide on choosing foundation shade
thanks liz!
Thanks! :)
Thanks Liz! Ok now I need to buy me a sponge... :)
Hi Liz, I am on a tight budget but I have tried various mid range liquid, powder foundations and bb creams and they just fall short of my needs since I work in Sales and part time as a wedding coordinator. I need a long lasting makeup! So I have decided to invest in a good foundation. I have oily skin prone to pimples, which liquid foundie do you suggest for me...Bobbi Brown or the Smashbox? Thanks! :)
Hi Ms. Liz! First of all, thanks for the helpful post! I own the palgantong theatrical powder as well, but I can't seem to enjoy it because whenever I use it to set my liquid foundation, it always looks dry and sometimes even cake-y. I use a large powder brush and apply it in circular motion and I don't know what I'm doing wrong! :( I have combination ski and I use a moisturizer, it usually looks good after the liquid foundation but then the dryness on my nose and mustache area shows up whenever I apply my powder! :(