Flawless Foundation and Achieving the Perfect Base

Finding the right foundation is one of the trickiest things women deal with.

 Is this the right color?
 Is this the right undertone?



 Is this leaving a line of demarcation?... aka "The Jaw-Line Ring"  
 What finish do I want? 
 Should I use a brush, a sponge, or my finger tips?

Ect...

So many questions we ask ourselves to help us find the perfect foundation for our skin type and tone.  

Here are my tips and tricks for finding a flawless foundation that suits YOU and creating a perfect canvas!

1. When trying out a new foundation, apply it on your jaw line to make sure it blends seamlessly with your skin tone.  The back of your hand is often a different shade than that of your face or neck.  Also, try to look at it in bright sunlight so you can get the truest color.   If you can see it very clearly, it most likely will not be the shade for you.  However, if it seems to blend nicely with your natural color, you've got a match.


2. Find your right undertone.  

You have a COOL undertone if your veins appear blue or purple, silver jewelry is more flattering to you than gold and you have a pink, red, or blue tint to the skin. Also, you may tend to burn very easy.

You have a NEUTRAL undertone is your veins appear blue/green, your skin does NOT HAVE a pink, red, blue, yellow, gold or peach tint, AND both silver and gold flatter your skin tone.

You have a WARM undertone if your veins are green or olive, gold jewelry flatters you more than silver, and your skin has a yellow, gold, or peachy tint.  You also may tend to tan very easily.  


3. Know what finish you want.  If you want to look luminous and glowy, think Jennifer Lopez, you will definitely want a liquid foundation.  Such glow giving foundations include: Urban Decay Naked Skin, Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk,  bareMinerals BareSkin foundation, It Cosmetics It o2 and L'Oreal True Match Lumi. Don't set this with any powder, but reach for a setting spray.  Powder will make it set to a more matte finish, while a setting spray will set and lock it in to place as it is.  If you want a matte look, go for a foundation such as Tarte Amazonian Clay, L'Oreal True Match, or Maybelline Fit Me Shine Free Foundation Stick.  Be sure to set this with a translucent powder.  I know other people are fans of the bareMinerals Powder Foundation.  I, however, feel these can make you look cakey very quick and personally avoid these types of foundations.

4.  The best way to guarantee a flawless looking foundation is by using a brush.  Finding the right foundation brush will help ensure that you get the finish you want.  Brushes will distribute the product evenly and help skin cling to the product while sponges absorb most of the foundation.  The only sponge I would recommend would be the Beauty Blender.  With this product you will use a stippling motion to help skin grab on to the product.  There are cheaper dupes for this.  But, please, stay away from those white triangle sponge applicators.  You will end up wasting a lot of product by using these as they do absorb quite a bit of product.  Also, when you use your fingers, you will tend to just move the product back and fourth and waste a lot of time, and most likely end up with a streaky application.  This is why I NEVER apply foundation without a brush.

Finally, the best way to ensure you get flawless looking foundation is to EXFOLIATE AND MOISTURIZE your skin.  Your canvas has to be perfect to get a perfect application.  If you have dry, flaking skin, your foundation is going to look very patchy and flaky itself.  I recommend cleansing, exfoliating, and moisturizing your face at least 30 minutes before you apply foundation.  Another step you can take it to use a primer before applying foundation.  This will help to smooth and correct your skin and will see to it that your makeup last ALL DAY.  


PRODUCT RECOMMENDATIONS:

Foundations: 

- It Cosmetics It O2: http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod5770255

- Maybelline Fit Me Shine Free Stick: http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod5721110

- Urban Decay Naked Skin: http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod4550001

- Tarte Amazonian Clay: http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod4130103

- Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation: http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/giorgio-armani-luminous-silk-foundation/2853110?origin=category-personalizedsort&contextualcategoryid=0&fashionColor=&resultback=570&cm_sp=personalizedsort-_-browseresults-_-1_2_C

- L'Oreal True Match: http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=fs1017872


Brushes:

- Real Techniques Expert Face Brush:  http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod4260015

- Real Techniques Stippling Brush: http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod3220083

- Urban Decay Good Karma Optical Blurring Brush: http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod4560011

- Beauty Blender: http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/beautyblender-makeup-sponge-applicator/3406503?origin=PredictiveSearch-personalizedsort&contextualcategoryid=0&fashionColor=&resultback=0&cm_sp=personalizedsort-_-searchresults-_-1_0_B

- Ulta Super Blender Sponge: http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod4710031

-Sigma F80 Flat Top Kabuki: http://www.sigmabeauty.com/F80_Flat_Kabuki_p/f80.htm


Primers/Powders/Setting Sprays:

- Benefit PoreFessional: http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod2290003

- Smashbox Photo Finish: http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod3590043

- Urban Decay Naked Skin Ultra Definition Loose Finishing Powder: 
http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod6371232

- Dermablend Loose Setting Powder: http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=90

- Tarte Smooth Operator Clay Finishing Powder: http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod2430057

-Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray: http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod4930049

- Pur Minerals Miracle Mist Hydrate and Set: http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod5640366