Applying Foundation; Little Tricks that can make a Difference

Here are a few tricks that would help your foundation stay put longer and look better.

Choose the right shade

It’s important when choosing a foundation to test it on the skin nearest your jaw line in natural light. This way you’ll ensure that the foundation tone you choose for your face isn’t a drastic contrast to the tone of your neck.

Tips for picking the right shade:

• Pick three shades that you think are the closest to your skin colour.
• Using a brush, colour a swatch along your jaw line.
• Wait for a couple of minutes for the foundation to dry. The colour will change slightly once the foundation is dry.
• Choose the one that matches best with your skin. The colour is correct if it disappears without blending. 

Apply foundation from the back of your hand.

This is something makeup artists do all the time. Instead of applying makeup straight from the bottle, they put some product on the back of their hand and apply it from there. This keeps the makeup in the bottle cleaner and makes your application go more quickly.

Before applying

For the perfect base, make sure your skin is clean and moisturised. Try to arrange your daily routine such that you apply moisturiser about 20 minutes before foundation. This will allow your skin to absorb the moisturiser before applying foundation. Blot excess moisturiser or foundation will slide off your skin.

Use the right tool

Some people like to apply foundation with their fingers, but that’s not always the best option. For a heavier coverage, use a foundation brush which will give you a nice velvety finish. Try a Beauty Blender – an egg shaped foam applicator – for a smooth, medium coverage foundation. If you are prone to breakouts, you might want to use a makeup wedge that you can replace each time you use it.

How to apply

The way you apply foundation makes a big difference. The best technique is to blend thin layers into the skin. The problem areas to focus on when applying foundation will obviously be different for each individual, but majority of women need a little bit of foundation around the centre of the face- round the nose, mouth areas, the chin and the centre of the forehead. These are areas where you often have blemishes or uneven skin tone. If you really focus on these areas and blend out, the foundation will become thinner as it goes towards the hairline, which will help achieve a much more natural finish.

Use powder to keep foundation in place

Lightly apply powder to banish shine and keep your foundation in place. To give the skin a dewy finish, moisten a gauze pad or washcloth in astringent and gently pat the made up face. The astringent will remove the matte look of makeup and leave the skin radiant.

Apply eye shadow before foundation

Always apply your eye makeup before your foundation. This way, it’s easy to wipe away with cleanser without ruining the rest of your makeup.

Apply foundation before lipstick

Regardless of the brand you are using, you can make any lipstick last all day by applying a dab of foundation to your lips first.