How to Find the Best Foundation for YOU! Part III

 I swear I'm not trying to make this difficult.  I'm not trying to drive you nuts, and I most certainly don't want you to give up and just say, "screw it!". I DO want you to take your time when choosing a foundation.  I don't want you to end up with multiple useless bottles of foundation cluttering your counters, drawers and medicine cabinets.

I wish it was as simple as; if you have skin type x and color y, and you want xy coverage then you need to buy foundation 2(xy). Hee hee!  I knew algebra would come in handy someday! It doesn't work that way.  Even if you are the same color as me and are looking for the exact same coverage, the foundation I'm using will likely not work for you in the same way.

 Skin chemistry is different from person to person.  Some people have trouble with their foundation oxidizing, I have almost never had that happen.  What you do during the day and where you live plays a part in the success of your foundation.  There is no one size fits all in foundation.

There are some general rules of thumb though...

• The younger you are, the lighter your coverage should be.  If you have severe skin problems (acne), foundation will not and should not cover it.  If you have acne you need to focus on skincare not finding a foundation to hide it.
• Oil free foundations are great for oily skin.
• Matte coverage is good if you have problems with shine.
• For dry skin stay away from foundations that require you to buff it in.  Buffing will only emphasize the flakes in your skin. 
• Mature skin and dry skin needs moisture and illumination.  Look for foundations that use words such as glow and dewy.  Mature skin should in general stay away from matte formulas.
• Foundations with SPF will often cause flashback (white face) when photographed.  If this is a concern for you, look for low or no SPF in your foundation.
• Liquid foundations are the most forgiving formulas and usually look the most natural.

I am not a fan of powdered foundations in general.  Mineral powder foundation is an exception to this.  I do not think mineral foundation is the one size fits all solution that the cosmetic industry tries to sell it as.  It works well on young skin, normal to oily skin and relatively even skin tones.

So now you are armed with your list of of what you want from your foundation, you know what color you are and have a general list of guidelines it's time to go shopping.  Finally!

How to Find the Best Foundation for YOU! Part I

Finding the foundation that works for you is a difficult task, one that we often fail at.  Many men and women struggle to find that elusive elixir that will give us smooth flawless skin.  Pick the wrong foundation though and you'll be far from flawless.

To help you find the foundation that works for you, I've created a series of posts to guide you.  Over the next several posts I'll help you find the right formula, correct color and even review the best ways to apply your foundation.

First and foremost when choosing a foundation, you need to decide what you want your foundation to do.  Not one foundation will do all things well, nor should it.  It is not fair to blame a foundation for not providing full matte coverage when it was never formulated to do so.  Be honest and reasonable in your expectations.  A good foundation can even skin tone, smooth out imperfections, blur fine lines but it won't give you the flawless skin of a Vogue cover model (that comes with Photoshop and an airbrush).

I suggest writing a list of the things you want in a foundation.  Do you want SPF?  Do you want full coverage or do you prefer to let those adorable freckles shine through?  Do you want a matte finish or a dewy glow?  Do you want a foundation that's weightless on your skin? 

Consider how much money you want to spend.  It doesn't have to be a lot, but foundation is one of those cosmetic items, that I do believe you get what you pay for.  That doesn't mean you have to invest in a high end brand, there are plenty of quality foundations available in drugstores.

Take some time when compiling your list.  Foundation is the one item of makeup that will simply make or break your look.  Your list may change throughout the year as the seasons change and that's okay.  Just as the weather changes with the seasons so does your skin.  For summer you may want a light formula, high in the SPF.  In the winter you may need more coverage and less if no SPF.  Your list will definitely change as the years go on.  If you are wearing the same foundation you were 10 years ago, it's time to reevaluate things.