A Guide To Finding The Right Foundation

​A few weeks back those of you who follow me on Instagram may remember me sharing a poll if I should write a blog post all about foundations well a large number of you selected yes! So here is the blog post you’ve been waiting for. 

Believe it or not,  foundation has been around for years and years it dates back to the Greeks as they would lighten their face using chalk and it was considered to be highly fashionable but back then it was known as ‘face painting’. The aim of the foundation is to create an even complexion and can be used to cover up any imperfections on the skin. The very first foundation to ever become available was created by max factor 'pan-cake' it was hugely popular and max factor were overwhelmed by the interest in their product but nowadays there is a large number of foundations to choose from, This blog post is to help you understand the different variations of foundations that are available and the shades.

• ​Sheer - Foundation has the least amount of colouring to it and is more transparent than others. It doesn’t cover or hide imperfections as well but it even outs your skin tone and is the most natural looking giving you the appearance that you have no foundation on at all, for example, Nars sheer glow foundation would be a good option to go for if you are looking for a sheer coverage foundation 
• Light - foundations can cover unevenness and slight redness in the skin but still leaves skin looking transparent and feels light on the skin I would suggest giving Paese foundations a try or Charlotte Tilbury light wonder. 
• Medium - foundations cover discolouration, freckles and pimples that are present on the skin a medium coverage foundation I would suggest is Makeup Atelier waterproof liquid foundation.
  
• Full - foundations cover every imperfection and feel so much heavier on the skin and is more noticeable on the skin Vichy dermablend, urban decay all nighter, illamasqua skin base foundation and Estee Lauder double wear foundation are all on the full coverage side. 
  

Okay, I know that's a lot to take in but we aren’t finished yet did you know that foundations even come in different formulas I constantly get asked whats the difference between oil based and water based foundations well I’m finally going to explain it all.

• ​Oil and emollient based foundations they are normally thicker in texture would and hydrating on the skin good for those of us who have dry skin Pease have a range of oil-based foundations. 
• Alcohol-based foundations again I wouldn’t see a lot of them would be used for acne prone skin and are normally sheer coverage and can be quite tricky to blend on the skin.
• Powder based foundations will always have talc as their main ingredient just like most eyeshadows talc is what gives the eyeshadow or the foundation the pigmentation and generally, provide more coverage to the skin, for example, Mac studio fix foundation. If applied to mature skin it can look rather drying also if you have dry skin the foundation would flake and wouldn’t apply correctly to your skin.
• Mineral has become popular over the recent years this is a loose powder and can be buffed gently into the skin and is more natural looking bare minerals and Bella Pierre both have good mineral foundations available. 
• Water-based foundations are quite common and have medium coverage can be used for both oily and dry skin. Makeup Atelier waterproof foundation, illamasqua skin base, Charlotte Tilbury magic foundation and Maybelline fit me foundation, no7 hydraluminous foundation all are water based. 
• Silicone-based foundations are great for oily skin they mattify the skin and control shine such as Giorgio Armani luminous silk, Maybelline fit me matte  and poreless foundation 

If you are ever unsure what the formulation of the foundation it is it states it in the ingredients at the back of the bottle normally in the very first line or sentence. 

When it comes to shades of foundations it all comes down to the undertones of your skin so I am quite pale and would have blue undertone so I would select a foundation that would have cool tones generally brands would state it in the titles of their shades for example ‘cool ivory’ Or Mac have ‘NC20’ the C stands for cool and if I had a warmer skin tone I would go for a foundation that would have a pink undertone for example ‘warm beige’ or  same as above Mac ‘NW15’ w standing for warm. When it comes to choosing the right shade don’t be afraid to test it out along your jawline try to test out each one until you find one that fades naturally into your skin tone. I really hope this post helps with choosing the right foundation for you. 

Until Next Time Bee's 
Queen Bee.