Flawless Foundation

To neutralize your skin tone and make your foundation last all day, apply a primer. A primer has many benefits. Green and lavender are popular colors used in primers. A green colored primer corrects any redness, such as a blemish or rosacea. If your skin tone is sallow or dull, you would use a lavender colored primer. Just like a bronzer, you would apply a lavender hint to the areas that the sun would naturally hit on your face; cheekbones, nose, and chin. Smashbox cosmetics offers a collection of ten well-known primers called "Photo Finish";

Foundation Primer: Perfect Skin, (Oil Free)
Light: Refresh oily/ sensitive skin (Oil Free)
More than Primer: Blemish Control  (Oil Free)
Foundation Primer SPF 20 with Dermaxyl complex (bronze): Age-defying
More than Primer Unificateur Plus: Fade Dark Spots (Oil Free)
Hydrating: Hydrates skin
Luminizing: Add Radiance (Oil Free)
Color Correcting (green): Banish redness
Color Correcting (apricot): Even skin tone
Color Correcting (lavender): Brighten and even out skin tone
Targeted Pore and Line primer: Target problem areas








   

There are many tips and tricks on how to apply your makeup. There is no right or wrong way to put it on; every makeup artist has their own way. The first step is the foundation. When you're deciding on a foundation, just like the skincare process, ask yourself: “Do I have dry, normal/combination, or oily skin?” Then, it depends on what you want to get out of your foundation. Choose the type of coverage that best fits your desired look. “Sheer” coverage is a natural, lighter foundation. “Medium” coverage is a more moderate foundation, not as light as a sheer coverage, yet not as heavy as a full coverage foundation. “Full” Coverage is more pigmented and longer lasting. Also, there is a photogenic makeup; when you take pictures, you look flawless. If you choose a firming make-up, it won't seep into your fine lines and wrinkles.

 

 

 

 Natural Coverage Foundation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Medium Coverage Foundation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Full Coverage Foundation







Now that you have chosen what type of makeup you want, it's time to select your shade. There is a cool, neutral, or warm tone for everyone's skin type. “Cool” means you have a pink undertone. “Warm” means you have a yellow undertone and “neutral” means you have neither.


 

 

 

 Put one stripe of each shade along your jawline to get your perfect shade of foundation. If you are alone and without a make up artist, look at the bottom of the bottle; there will be “C” for cool, “W” for warm, and “N” for neutral. Blending downwards all three separately, the color that blends in to your skin color is your perfect match. Now that you have your perfect match, apply using a foundation brush. Squeeze a small amount of the foundation on the back of your hand. With your foundation brush, start by your nose blending outwards towards your jawline. Your skin will look flawless after using a foundation.

Estee Lauder's Double Wear foundation in liquid form is my all-time favorite product! It has a 15-hour wear, medium, buildable coverage and a natural semi-matte finish. I layer the powder form of Double Wear over my foundation for longer staying power. It comes in 26 shades and has an 8-hour stay. It's photo-friendly and oil absorbent. $37/$38 esteelauder.com





 

                              
From left to right: Estee Lauder's Double Wear Powder Foundation ($36.00), Estee Lauder's Powder Foundation Brush 3 ($46.00) Estee Lauder's Foundation Brush 1 ($36.00),  Estee Lauder's Double Wear Liquid Foundation ($37.00), and  esteelauder.com.



To correct any flaws or dark circles under your eyes, use a pink corrector and a concealer that best matches your skin tone. An orange-based corrector blends best into dark or black skin. Always apply your concealer after your foundation. Cause you will defeat the purpose of all your hard work of applying the correctors and concealer. With a concealer brush, start with the inside corner, and sweep the brush downwards, covering the entire eye area.


Bobbi Brown is known for their concealers and correctors. They have a natural, lightweight texture and finish. I carry them around with me when I am feeling tired and dull to give me a little pick-me-up! Bobbi Brown Corrector, (apply under your concealer). ($24.00) bobbibrown.com  Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit, left: concealer, right: setting powder. ($34.00)   bobbibrown.com

Estee Lauder's Double Wear concealer comes in 10 shades and has a luminous finish. I wear this concealer when I am going out for the night. Because it has a 15-hour wear, there is no need to touch up! It's oil-free, water, perspiration resistant and applies with a wand. $23 esteelauder.com

 

 

 Lancôme Effacernes Waterproof Concealer comes in 15 shades and is long-wearing and won't crease. I use it only under my eyes in the shade "light buff", mostly at weddings or funerals when I know I'm going to cry. When I am at the gym, because I hate being naked-faced, I put it on very lightly-only focusing on certain areas. During the summer, when I'm at the beach or by the pool, I use the shade "suede" and put it all over my face as a foundation for a matte, flawless finish. $23 esteelauder.com

I use Bobbi Brown's Face Touch-Up Stick on my blemishes and red, blotchy areas. It is creamy and is easy to apply (even if you do not have mirror handy). It is oil free, so don't be afraid to put it on your big bad zit! ($26.00) bobbibrown.com