Makeup,  Tips and Tutorials

Foundation Etiquette – The 10 good rules of wearing foundation

 
Just as there is an etiquette of behavior and guides of good manners in society, makeup can have its own etiquette and rules of good wear and application. Online trends in makeup are taking the world by a storm but this does not mean that these trends encourage what looks good on a day to day basis. 
 

1.   Always take care of your skin. No foundation will cover a bad or non-existent skincare. Make sure you prepare the skin for makeup and that you hydrate it beforehand. It will make a world of difference.

 

2.   Make sure you leave all that skincare to sink in the skin before going in with foundation (sunscreen included).

 

3.   Choose the type of foundation you use according to your skin type. There are so many products out on the market now, it could get overwhelming. For example, if you have dry skin try not to choose something that says ‘for oily skin’. This is way more important than you might think, so if you have dry skin, make sure you choose something appropriate for it, such as ‘dewy’, ‘hydrating’ or ‘lightweight’. When in doubt, always do some research before buying a foundation. 

 

4.   Spend as much time as you can on your base. Foundation is the canvas of your makeup so the more time you spend making sure your foundation looks as good as it can, the better your entire makeup will look!

 

5.   Always choose the right shade for you. Go for the perfect shade if possible, but if not possible due to cost or availability, your favourite one not having the exact match etc. at least make sure the undertone is right and that it is not too far off from your actual shade. If the colour is only slightly lighter or darker you can correct it by putting some foundation on your ears and neck or by bronzing and lighting up the face with other products. Unfortunately, it is really easy for someone to notice if your foundation is too pink, orange or a complete mismatch.

 

 

6.   As previously mentioned, foundation is the canvas for the entire makeup so try your best to shade match and choose the right texture for your skin. You should always test a shade in natural light, as foundation looks very different in artificial lighting.

 

7.   Match the type of foundation you use with the rest of your skin. If you wear dresses or show skin, make sure you match the foundation finish to the rest of the skin. If your body skin is shiny, hydrated and glowing (either naturally or from products), maybe try not to leave your face extremely matte. This will bring unwanted attention to it.

 

8.   Do not choose the same coverage or type of foundation for both during the day and night. High coverage foundations are usually too thick and heavy for daytime use, and unless you have severe skin issues you are trying to hide, the use of a lightweight foundation with less coverage is always preferable during the day.

 

9.   Foundation is for evening out the skin tone, not for covering imperfections – stop saying foundation does not have enough coverage. Your acne scars, undereye circles and hyperpigmentation is not meant to disappear with foundation – foundation should only even things out. If you use foundation to cover up everything on its own, you will end up looking like you are wearing a mask. Don’t forget that beauty influencers use strong lighting and HD cameras and their foundation routine is rather suitable for a studio than an every day day-time makeup.

 

10.   Do not be afraid to choose a low coverage foundation if it makes your skin look healthy and glowing. Covering imperfections is the concealer’s job.

 

 Bonus:

 

11.   Most importantly, coverage is highly advertised online at the moment but do not be afraid to not wear any foundation at all on a day to day basis. If you feel a little concealer does the job, go for that. Similarly, if your skin is in good condition and you only want to put a tiny bit of foundation in the centre of the face that seamlessly blends in, do that.

 

Disclaimers:

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