Hey there, you makeup lover!
If you’ve landed yourself here, let your face beam because you are in a space that’s surrounded by makeup geeks.
Now that we share mutual interests, let us make one thing clear and put it out into the universe – Makeup is an Art! It demands a fiery passion, the act of submission to the activity, and eternal love for itself.
Just like an artist needs their artistic abilities and toolbox to get started at their art form, a makeup practitioner needs their makeup abilities and makeup toolkit to ace their art of makeup. And the most essential part – you need to work on your makeup skills and keep practicing it to become a pro.
So if you’re a fresher to the sublime universe of makeup and have a zillion of questions, you’re at the right place. We are here to help you with the very basics of art. As it happens, in any subject matter, you can only set the stage after going through the foundation of it. It’s the same with makeup, in fact, quite literally.
The foundation sets the very base of your face and the entire makeup. If you make blunders here, you’re setting up yourself for a pool of mistakes. Everything right from finding the right foundation shade to applying it the right way is important. Let’s learn the very basics of foundation –
What is a Foundation and Why is it Important?
A foundation is exactly what it sounds like Рit is a makeup product or cosmetic that builds the base for your entire face makeup. It is applied to provide coverage to your skin forming an even, uniform, and seamless skin tone. It is applied all over the face and sometimes, on the neck, d̩colletage, and body as well.
When you’re applying makeup, the skin of the face needs to have a smooth base. Foundation provides just that. It’s major function is to cover all the flaws of the skin. Since it’s the first makeup product you apply to your skin before diving into the makeup web, it has to be perfect. That’s the reason why it’s important to find the right shade of foundation that suits your skin.
How to Find the Right Foundation Shade?
Makeup is a reflection of your own self. That’s the reason why you are at liberty to try different colors, shades, and palettes of different makeup products. Be it lipstick, eye shadow, blush, or even eyeliner, there are tonnes of color options and you are at your free will to try any one of them. It’s not the same case with foundations though. We can’t stress enough how important it is to find the right foundation shade for your skin.
We are aware of how difficult this task could be. There are various options available in the market. There aren’t just different shades but different types of foundations as well – liquid, dry, powder, cream, water-based and the list goes on. Further, finding the right foundation shade involves consideration of several factors – skin color, tone, undertone, shade, texture, type, etc. It could be a real struggle.
Expert Tip - Maybelline New York Fit Me Matte+Poreless Liquid Foundation Tube is rated as one of the best and cost-effective foundation options. It’s super blendable, flawlessly matte, and gives a Seamless finish. You can buy Maybelline New York Fit Me Matte+Poreless Liquid Foundation Tube from Amazon easily.
However, you need to remember a few tips and tricks to nail your makeup base. After all, you don’t want terms like cakey, mask-like, uneven, etc to be associated with your skin. Let’s get to know how to find the right foundation shade for your skin –
First, Know Your Skin
Most of us are clueless about our skin preferences. Unless we know our skin, it is impractical to buy any product for it, let alone a foundation. Determine your skin type through the following factors –
Understand the Concept of Undertone
Your skin undertone is the natural color underneath the surface of your skin. It affects the overall hue of the skin. The surface of your skin may change due to exposure to sunlight, acne, infections, or other elements. But the undertone always remains the same. There are three undertones: cool, warm, and neutral.
Know the Undertone of Your Skin
Knowing your undertone is very important before choosing a foundation shade. The right foundation shade will compliment your skin’s undertone enhancing the hues of your skin. To know the undertone of your skin, go through the following tips –
- You have a cool undertone if you have hints of pink, red, and blue glow to the skin. It also burns easily in sunlight.
- You have a warm undertone if you have hints of peach, yellow, or golden tone to your skin. Your skin is prone to easy tan in sunlight.
- You have a neutral undertone if you have a balanced mix of both warm and cool undertones. In this case, your skin doesn’t tan easily in sunlight.
Must Read – How to apply Mascara correctly?
Determine the Foundation Type on the Basis of Your Skin Type
A foundation isn’t just about the right shade but about the right type as well. You can choose a type of foundation only by knowing your skin type –
- If you have an oily skin type, you can opt for a matte finish or a powder foundation.
- If you have a dry skin type, a stick foundation, or a moisturizing foundation with a dewy or satin finish may work well.
- If you are someone with sensitive skin, a hypoallergenic or scent-free foundation can be a good choice.
- If you have a combination skin type, a powder foundation or satin-matte foundation may work nicely.
Know the Desired Coverage Level of Your Skin
Not everyone wants to have makeup that provides complete coverage to the skin. You need to purchase a foundation on the basis of your skin coverage choice –
- If you have an uneven complexion and want to cover your entire face heavily, go for a foundation that offers full or medium coverage.
- If you only want to even out your skin tone and want a natural look, you can opt for a sheer or light coverage foundation.
Proceed to Find the Perfect Foundation Shade
Once you know your skin and its preferences, you can jump to finding the right shade for yourself. It’s time to put your theoretical knowledge into practical –
Pick Out the Shades
If you are a person with a cool undertone, go for shades like cocoa, rose, sable, and porcelain.
If your undertone is warm, shades like caramel, golden, tan, chestnut and beige will suit you better.
For people with neutral undertones, shades like buff, nude, ivory, or praline will go well.
Ask for Help If Needed
You certainly have theoretical knowledge, but it’s possible to get confused while making a purchase. If you’re at a store, don’t hesitate to ask for help from the beauty department experts. Now, if you’re making a purchase online, shop only from the ones that have a virtual try-on tool. If not, at least choose the website that has a return policy.
Expert Tip - Daily Life Forever52 Liquid Long Lasting Full Coverage Flawless Weightless Foundation is a popular option, known to help both makeup beginners and pros create a smooth canvas for their makeup application. You can buy L.A GIRL PRO Coverage HD Foundation from Amazon easily.
Test Different Shades
You should never make a purchase without testing a makeup product, be it a foundation or anything else. If you’re at the store, request for store-testers. Choose a few shades that you think are apt for your skin. Do not swatch it on the back of your hand or wrist. Apply the tester on your jawline and dab it. Make sure you check it in natural light; fancy lights can trick you into buying the wrong one.
Finalize the One
After testing, give the foundation a few minutes to blend in with your skin. If it completely disappears into your skin giving the area a perfect even finish, congratulations! You’ve found the right foundation shade for your skin.
Foundation, being the base-provider to your face, can make or break your look. It sure is a hell of an effort to find the right foundation shade for the first time. But once you find it, you’ll find every effort worth it. And then it’s up to you, whether you want to hold onto it or keep experimenting with different ones.
That’s all for today’s makeup class. If you want to learn more about basic and advanced makeup, keep watching this space.
Feature Image Credits – Cover photo created by valuavitaly – www.freepik.com
