How to Make Your Foundation Look Flawless!

When it comes to foundation whether it be liquid, pressed or mineral, we all want one thing.  To make sure it goes on smooth and looks flawless.  When foundation cakes, flakes or looks uneven, it really gives you an unkempt look.   Having a polished look boils down to two things 1. the foundation you use and 2. the tools you use to apply it with.  If you screw up either of these two then you run the risk of having cakey and uneven looking foundation on your skin.  So we are going to break it down on what you need to do in order to get that flawless natural look.

Foundation

 

Foundation now-a-days comes in many different forms.  Liquid, pressed, loose powder, stick, cream to powder, tinted moisturize and mineral foundation.  Grant it you have some variations here and there like Maybelline's  mousse foundation, but it can still be classified in one of the above mentioned categories. 

What you want to do is get a foundation that works according to your skin type.  For example, powdered anything does not go well with dry skin.  However if you are adamant about using only powder foundation then make sure you use a good (and I mean good) moisturizing cream before applying your powdered foundation.  If not, your skin will look and be drier.  Powder tends to suck up the natural moisture in your face because, I mean come on, that is what powder in general does.  It absorbs oil and water.  So if your face is already dry, this will make it drier and emphasize the lines and dryness on your face.  

If you are using liquid foundation you need to pay attention to what type of foundation it is.  Liquid foundation come in oil free, matte, long wearing and moisturizing formula.  If for example you have oily skin, then oil free foundation is the way to go.  Wearing a foundation with moisturizing formula on oily skin will only make your oily areas look extra shiny, make you blemish prone and just not a good look all around. 

Part of getting a flawless complexion with your foundation is finding the right formula that works for you.  It is in your best interest to read up on what type of foundations work for your skin type, research the product and then go try it out.  Sephora is a great place to get samples.  The sales associates are more then happy to give you samples of their products (foundations) for you to take home and try out.      

Tools

In the last few years, makeup tools for applying foundation have gone from the same old boring white wedge sponges to basically rocket science tools!  In my time I have used just about every common tool for applying foundation.  Depending which tool you use for your foundation, will depend greatly on the results you get.

Wedge Sponge

Wedge sponges were one of the first tools used to apply foundation with.  They work mostly for liquid foundation but I have seen women use it for powder as well.  The problem with these sponges is that they pick to much product and breed bacterial very easily.  The good thing about these sponges is that they are dirt cheap and disposable.  

Foundation Wand

Foundation wand's were makeup artist's little miracle when they first came out.  They don't pick up to much product and allow the user to apply foundation to their face as if they were painting a canvas.  They work only for liquid foundations.  The bad thing about them is that they can leave streaks behind on your face which cause you to have to use another tool to get rid of them.

Kabuki Brush

Kabuki brushes were the rave when they first hit the scene.  They work amazingly for applying powder foundation.  You can use them for liquid foundation however not advisable.  The only issue with some of these small kabuki brushes is that the bristles are a bit hard on the skin. 

Stipple Brush

A stippling brush is used to stipple your foundation on your face. It work for both liquid and powder foundation. You use it by gently tap the brush in a up and down, sideways and circular motion around your face. This helps to give you a flawless look while minimizing the appearance of pores. The only downside to this brush is that you need to clean it after every use and if you stipple to much you can give yourself a completely airbrush appearance that some love but others consider to be too fake.

Stippling Kabuki Brush

 Out of all the foundation tools available, this one is my favorite. A stippling Kabuki brush is made of kabuki head material in a stippling brush form. This brush not only stipples your foundation but it also buffs it in so that you get an amazing flawless finish with no lines, streaks or uneven application. It work for both liquid and powder foundation. The downside is that you need to wash this everyday. But really, I don't see how that is a downside to start with!

Blender Sponge

Blender sponges are great for applying liquid or powder foundation.  You have to first emerge these babies under water for 30 seconds, squeeze the excessive water out and then apply your foundation with it.  It gives you an amazing flawless appearance and doesn't allow a lot of the product to be soaked up by the sponge.  The famous of these is the pink egg shaped Beauty Blender.  The only problem with these sponges is that they are still sponges so they do collect bacteria.  You MUST wash them after every use and after a few months  (or uses) they start to tear and need replacement. 

Extra Tips to Consider

A trick to get around dry skin (especially during the winter months) is to fortify your moisturizer. I currently use a cream moisturizer that during the winter months I add two drops of argan oil in my hand and then mix it in with the face cream. This has helped me big time to keep the dryness at bay when applying my foundation.

If your foundation ever looks cakey or powdery, buff it out with a velour pad.  These are the puff pad that come with many compact powders.  You can also buy some at any makeup store, drug store or at Sephora.  They work great to buff out any powdery mess your face may be exhibiting.  

If you are like me and you wear face powder to set to your foundation, then make sure you buy a powder that is finely milled and I mean pulverized to a pulp so that when you apply it you don't see any powder at all but just a prefect flawless complexion.

If you have tiny peach fuzz hair on the sides of your face or cheeks; get it waxed or threaded.  When you apply foundation over these hairs (depending how thick they are regardless of the color) it will make the foundation look uneven and messy.  When you apply it over a clean hairless face, it gives you a picture prefect complexion.

Use primer before applying foundation so that your foundation glides on smoothly, last all day and helps to set and not move.  Primer is amazing to hold foundation down especially if it is a silicon based primer.  

M.A.C. makes a facial spray called M.A.C. Fix+ which is great to apply after all your makeup is set to get rid of any powdery look.  I use it every time I put my makeup on and it helps to eliminate any powder issue potentially left behind by any of my makeup products. 

So there you have it!  Ways to correct your foundation issues and get that flawless look you always wanted!

Keep Smiling!

Dayana