The secret to good make-up always lies in the foundation. You can be the most talented make-up artist when it comes to lips and eyes but if you don’t have the right base to begin with, the rest of your look will fail to impress.
Many women shy away from foundation and not without due cause. If the colour, texture or amount is wrong, the result can be disastrous: think Oompa Loompa orange, a two-tone neck, or layers so thick they could be scrapped off with a trowel.
Luckily, foundation products have come a long way and are constantly improving to make application as foolproof as possible. With a few handy hints you’ll have flawless skin in no time.
New season skin fixes
Every year, beauty brands bring out fresh products to satisfy our varying fads and wants. As foundation is such a cosmetic bag essential, it’s constantly reformulated for better results. New to the market this month are two long-wearing examples: Chanel’s Perfection Lumiere and Givenchy’s Eclat Matissime.
Chanel’s new offering aims to achieve an enviable natural-look complexion with its easy to blend formulation (which includes a protective SPF10) and will work for most skin types. Givenchy has also created a foundation product that works for all skin types without the oiliness or extreme mattifying that usually comes with skin specific formulas.
Skin stars
Once in a while a hero product comes along and sweeps the normally unflappable beauty babes off their feet. Sisley’s Skinleya Anti-Ageing Foundation launched last year to a fanfare reception despite its rather princely sum of £110. The reason for all the buzz? It’s not only a great foundation but also contains the acclaimed Sisley anti-ageing formula.
At the more affordable end of the price scale, Clinque’s Repairwear Laser Focus Foundation also contains ingredients to help soften the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Bourjois’ Healthy Mix Foundation was a superstar product of 2011 and hot on its heels is Healthy Mix Serum Gel Foundation; a reformulation that leaves you with radiant skin for up to 16 hours and includes the complexion-boosting elements of a serum.
Unless you have dry skin, following your foundation with a powder will combat any shine and finish off your look. Benefit’s Hello Flawless glides on leaving a smooth finish and can be layered according to your desired level of coverage.
Application aids
One of the most important foundation fixers is getting your colour spot on. Make-up artist Bobbi Brown always advises testing the foundation in natural light and walking to a window or doorway to check the match. Despite general consensus it’s not a good idea to test foundation on the hand or arm. “The face is rarely the same colour as the rest of the body,” says Bobbi.
What you choose to apply your foundation with will depend on the product you’ve chosen to use. With the exception of powder-based mineral make-up (which is applied with a brush) and cream compacts (using a sponge), most liquid and mousse formulations are best applied with the fingers which will give you the most control over the application of the product.
