Beauty Beginners: How to choose the right foundation ?

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Finding a foundation that blends well and looks seamless on our skin can be very difficult and quite irritating to be honest. I’ve had my fair share of foundation and I’m still on the hunt to find something even better. It really all comes down to understanding your skin and trial/error. Obviously, biologically we are all alike but no face is the same. We differ on many features for instance facial structures, skin types, skin color, undertones, imperfections and discoloration. The key to finding the right foundation is to really understand your own skin, not just your undertones but your skin type as well. This will also contribute to having an overall healthy skin. This is basically almost everything I know on foundation and I know it’s a lot but I believe that it’s important for us to at least have a basic understanding about undertones and skin types. So stay with me and let’s get started.


STEP 1 – Finding your undertone (cool/neutral/warm)
STEP 2 - Understanding your skin type (normal/dry/oily/combination/sensitive)
STEP 3 – Choosing the right formulation and shade


STEP 1 – Finding your undertone (cool/neutral/warm)

Foundations usually come in three different undertones; cool, neutral and warm. Be careful not to confuse skin tone/skin color with undertones because they are completely different. Skin tone depends on the amount of melanin, a pigment produced by melanocytes cells in the outer layer of the skin. Darker skin tones have a greater amount of melanin than lighter skin tones. With sun exposure (uv rays) and age, skin tone changes whereas undertone always remains the same. Undertone is the color that lies beneath your skin tone; cool (blues/pinks/reds), neutral (greens) or warm (yellows, golds, olives, peaches).  




Here are a few tips to detect your undertone;

  • Cleanse, tone and moisturize to have a clean face to start with. This tip should be done in daylight and all you need is a mirror. Pull your hair back away from your face, in a white towel with your shoulders exposed, just analyse and compare the tones on your face, neck, chest, shoulders and even hands. Does your skin look slightly blue, pink or red? If yes, then you have cool undertones. If your skin looks slightly yellow, gold, olive or peach, then you have warm undertones. If neither and your skin has a greenish tinge, then you probably have neutral undertones.
  • Study the veins on your wrist. If they appear blue or purple, you have cool undertones. If your veins look green or olive, then you have warm undertones. If it’s hard to tell whether the veins are blue or green, then you have neutral undertones.
  • Hold a piece of silver and gold jewellery near your skin and see which complements you better. If silver looks better on you, then you have cool undertones. If gold looks better, then you have warm undertones. If both look good on you, then you probably have neutral undertones.

STEP 2 – Understanding your skin type (normal/dry/oily/combination/sensitive)

You need to find a foundation that not only complements your undertones but your skin type as well. I can’t emphasize this enough. Foundations are now made with different formulas that target specific skin types.

Here are tips to figure out your skin type;

  • Normal: Your skin’s not to dry or too oily, clean, smooth and firm. You may have a few imperfections but overall, a healthy complexion.
  • Dry: Due to your skin’s weak barrier, there’s a loss of moisture and your pores are less visible. Your skin’s flaky, dull, rough and dry.
  • Oily: Sebaceous glands in your skin produce an excess of sebum oil which makes your skin look oily and pores are more visible. The excess oil may clog pores and as a result, blemishes and pimples occur.
  • Combination: Your skin is similar to the signs of dry or normal in certain areas and oily in others (T-zone)
  • Sensitive: Your skin easily reacts to different factors and as a result suffers from redness, itchiness and breakouts.   


STEP 3 – Choosing the right formulation and shade

A foundation’s purpose is to unify your skin tone and cover small imperfections. The coverage ranges from light, medium, to full coverage. I recommend choosing medium since you can always build up the coverage. They come in different types of formulation and finish that benefits specific skin types. So now that you’ve figured out your undertone(s) and skin type, the following will help you choose the foundation that works best for you;

  • Normal: You’re the lucky ones, you can choose from a wide range of products (powder, creams or liquids) and base your choice on the finish you prefer (matte, semi-matte, dewy, or sheer).
  • Dry: You want a sheer (light coverage), dewy or semi-matte finish. Avoid using powdered foundation alone since it’ll only dry you out more, stick with liquids and creams. Your foundation should be oil based, hydrating and you can even use an anti-aging foundation due to its moisturizing formula.
  • Oily: You want a sheer, matte or semi-matte finish and most importantly, an oil-free formula. When you use a liquid foundation, you always want to set it with a powder.
  • Combination: Both tips for dry and oily skin types should work for you. You can base your choice on whether you’re more dry or oily.
  •       Sensitive:  A sheer or semi-matte finish is best for you. You can try a dewy or matte finish, just be careful. Choose a water based foundation free from parabens, fragrances and oil.
When you purchase a foundation in department stores, there are beauty advisors to help you but choosing a foundation based on no information about your skin is difficult. Knowing your undertones, skin problematic and skin type and guiding them can go a long way in finding your perfect foundation. No one else knows your skin better than you. Once you’ve chosen your specific foundation, pick a color that you think best matches your skin tone and try it on the side of your neck. Since stores usually have bad lighting, you should do this in front of a window or outside in natural light and see if the foundation works for you. You can always ask for samples as well and test the foundations in the comfort of your home. I hope this helps you learn a bit more about your skin and I’ll talk to you guys soon J J 







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