Foundation

Foundation is the first, most important step to achieving a beautiful, healthy face. It protects your face from environmental pollutants. Depending on which foundation you choose, it can moisturize, treat blemishes, absorb excess oil, and even provide protection from harmful UV rays. Choosing and applying the correct foundation for your skin is vital to sustaining a youthful, glowing appearance.

Choosing the Right Foundation

When choosing foundation, keep several things in mind: your skin type, skin problems, and coverage requirements. If you have oily skin, choose foundation that will help reduce shine; if you have dry skin, choose foundation with a moisturizer to keep your face looking fresh all day. If you have skin problems like acne, you will want to choose a foundation that contains salicylic acid or other medications that will treat your skin as well as provide coverage. If your skin is very blotchy, darkly freckled or scarred, you will want to choose a foundation that is thicker and provides maximum coverage.

Once you've decided on the type of foundation you need, you will want to test it. When testing foundation, allow it to set for at least a minute; the chemistry and heat of your body may change the color of the foundation. Test the foundation on the inside of your forearm or on the bottom of your jaw close to your ear to make sure it matches. Foundation should match your face and neck, so you may need to compromise and use a shade in between.

Applying Foundation

Now that you've found a foundation that matches your face and neck and meets all of your skin's requirements, you'll want to perfect the application. Always apply foundation to a clean, moisturized face. Moisturizer will prevent streaking and keep foundation from creasing if your skin is dry. You may use your fingertips or a clean sponge to apply foundation. If you need coverage over your entire face, pull your hair back and make sure that foundation is blended into neck, jaw line, hair line and area between face and ears (if foundation gets into hair, remove with a moistened washcloth). Most people will only need coverage in a few areas; in this case, apply foundation to specific areas and blend well. When foundation is blended, brush your entire face lightly with powder and remove excess with a large makeup brush. This will set your foundation and prepares it for the application of blush, eye shadow, and other make up.

Foundation Tips

Lengthen the Life of Your Foundation

Create a sheer, healthy glow and mix a drop of foundation with your moisturizer. You'll use less foundation and give your skin that extra moisture it's craving.

Concealing Scars

Apply concealer with high levels of pigment to the scarred area with an eyeliner brush on top of your foundation. Set the foundation and concealer with a dusting of powder.

Blemishes

Apply concealer with an eyeliner brush to cover red areas. Moderation is the key; if you cake on concealer, it will accentuate the blemish and make it more noticeable. Set concealer with loose powder applied to a cotton ball-even the softest of brushes will remove all of your hard work.

Moles

If you'd like to draw attention away from your mole, use a brighter lipstick or blush, and make sure that your foundation and powder are lightly applied to the area with the mole. To make moles more dramatic, darken existing moles with an eyebrow pencil.

Freckles

Make sure that your moisturizer and/or foundation has an SPF of at least 15; this will prevent future freckles. Apply moisturizer and foundation every day. Unless your freckles are very prominent, a sheer foundation will look most natural and lessen the appearance of freckles.