Laying a strong foundation

January 08, 2016 04:28 pm | Updated September 22, 2016 11:02 pm IST - Chennai

It’s a new year and it’s been a while since basic make-up was discussed. We’ve covered brows, concealers and various kinds of lipsticks, yet I haven’t once mentioned my favourite make-up item of all — foundation. While to most people, foundation seems like the tipping point between make-up and too much make-up, I love what it can do for your skin. It can even it out, cover spots and scars, smooth over wrinkles and fine lines (depending on the formula), all while giving you a glow.

The categories

The varieties of foundations available today are endless. The bases vary — there are those that are based with oils (brilliant for dry/dehydrated skin), water-based (which are often water-proof and sweat-proof), silicone-based (like most airbrush foundations) and the most recent one, gel-based (brilliant for all skin types and great at smoothing over texture).

While we’re discussing this, you also have the types of foundation. Liquid (which is usually the best in terms of ease of use), cream (usually provides maximum coverage, but they do tend to move around your skin a fair bit) and powder (perfect if you’re always on-the-go and in need of quick touch-ups). You could use a combination of these products to see what works for you. For example, I like using a lightweight foundation to even out my skin on most days, and set the T-zone with some translucent powder. However, on days when I’m in a rush, a powder foundation works wonders in covering everything I want covered (if you have dehydrated skin like me, just make sure to use a heavy-duty moisturiser under the powder so your skin doesn’t end up looking crapey).

The undertone

Now that you’re majorly confused about what foundation to pick, let’s get into colour. Foundations usually come in two to three undertones — warm, cool and neutral. A majority of Indian skins have warm undertones, while some may have more neutral. It’s simple. Look at the veins on the inside of your wrist — are they green, blue or in-between? This is the perfect indicator to your undertone.

Personally, even with neutral undertones, I like using a warmer foundation as it counteracts redness in the skin.

So, when you swatch that foundation on your hand – if it’s looking a bit grey to you, you know why. It’s either too light or too cool. The MAC NC range is excellent for warm skins, as is the entire range of foundations from Bobbi Brown.

The colour match

Finding your perfect colour match is a difficult task. Each person will tell you to swatch it in a different place. I think the jaw line is the best indicator, as it’s closest to both your face and neck. There is never going to be a perfect match; what you will find usually is two colours that would both work — if you have the financial means to get both, I would say get both and mix them. However, always pick the one that looks closest to your natural skin tone in daylight. Daylight is always the key. No matter what the store claims about having indoor light that is supposed to mimic daylight, nothing is as unforgiving as the sun.

If you happen to go to a counter where they try and sell you a foundation that will make you look “brighter”, my advice will be to walk away. They either do not carry foundation to match you, or do not know how. Either way, appreciate your gorgeous skin and try to find a foundation that enhances the rich colour that we’re lucky to have.

The application

And finally, once you have that beautiful bottle or jar of brand-new foundation in your hands, applying it could be a pain. Depending on the coverage you want, you could use your fingers, which will sheer out the foundation and make it look really natural. You could use a buffing brush (Real Techniques buffing brush) to get yourself a non-heavy-looking medium coverage, or a good-quality makeup sponge (Beauty Blender Original or the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge — both available on Amazon India) if you want a full coverage foundation to still look natural (always make sure to wet your sponge and clean it after).

If you have oily skin, I’d say dust a bit of loose powder over your face to set your make-up, and your face is ready for the rest.

Finding a foundation that works for you takes some time and experimentation. Consulting a make-up artist will save you some of that time, but most of the fun is playing with products and finding out for yourself. So ask for samples and get a few makeovers; it’s all just to make yourself feel good at the end of the day.

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