Foundation is hands down my favorite makeup product. I am such a sucker for trying new formulas, and experimenting with different brands. I think most of us feel like we are on that never ending hunt for the best foundation. I have tried well over 30 foundations. I know because I actually sat down and wrote out a list! I did end up exchanging/ returning many of them, but this girl is SERIOUS about finding an amazing product.
With so many products on the market, it can so difficult to figure out what to buy. It is especially hard when every girl on Youtube is recommending a different product that she swears by! So today, I wanted to bring you tips that I have learned about what to look for when buying makeup. I will share a few of my favorite products, but I really want to focus on HOW to choose foundation, as opposed to what foundations I like.
1. It All Comes Down to Skin
If you want to solve your foundation problems, then understanding your skin is the first step. You have to realize that what works for one girl, might be terrible for you. The key to finding a good formula that is right for you is knowing your skin type and skin issues. Are you oily, dry, combination? Do you struggle with breakouts, pigmentation, dry patches? Taking care of your skin is the best way for your foundation to look good. I know we can’t always control how our skin reacts. But we must do our best to understand our skin so that we can work around it.
2. Read the Label
Reading the label is so important! Don’t grab something off the shelf just because your BFF told you to. Depending on your skin type, you should look for key phrases. If you are oily, you need to look for “oil free”or “long wearing makeup.” If you are dry, you need to look for words like “luminous” or “hydrating.” Also checking the ingredients on the back is always a good idea. There are some ingredients in foundations are often the culprit of break outs. For a list of comedogenic ingredients, click HERE.
3. Application is Everything
Long gone are the days when we used to apply foundation with only our fingers. There are so many brushes and sponges to choose from that it can be really confusing. I prefer the Beauty Blender because it gives a very natural appearance to the foundation because it helps to blend it seamlessly into the skin. But some would rather use a kind of kabuki brush like Morphe or Hourglass because they believe it provides a more fuller coverage. It is really about what you want. I definitely think it is good to own a sponge and a brush so that you can experiment and find what works best for you.
4. Read Reviews and Test It First
Always check Sephora’s reviews before purchasing any makeup product. It can be so helpful to read other people’s thoughts and experiences with a product. Plus, it can save you some serious cash. But the best way to truly know if a foundation will work for you or not is to try it out! Ask Sephora to make you a little sample of the foundation you are interested in and take it home to try it out. I highly suggest taking several days to play with it. I have made the mistake of being a little to hasty to purchase a product after one use, only to find it really wasn’t the best formula for me!
Foundation Favorites:
After trying over 30 foundations, I feel like I have finally found a couple that I am crazy about. For everyday looks, I will wear my Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation. It looks so beautiful on the skin and has a medium coverage that you can build to more of a full if you use more product. For errand running or for those of you who won’t like to wear a ton of makeup, I would suggest the IT Cosmetics CC Cream. It feels super lightweight on the skin while providing great coverage. I have also been enjoying the Hourglass Vanish Foundation Stick. It seriously makes your skin look flawless; however, I have a little bit of a hard time with it breaking up on me a couple hours into wearing it. So I tend to wear it for shorter amounts of time, such as blog shoots, or going out to dinner.
Because this post is getting super long, I thought I would leave some links to some of my other blog posts and my Youtube video on foundations.
1. Urban Decay All Nighter Foundation Review
2. How to Achieve Flawless Look Foundation
3. You’re Doing It Wrong! Combining Foundations + Primers
4. Battle of the Foundations: 5 Hyped Foundations |YouTube Video|
I actually have several more blog posts on this subject! Just search “foundation” in the search bar of my blog and you will see all the related posts.
What are a few of your favorite foundations? I would love to read your favorites!