Foundation Nation Pt. 1
Foundation is personal. Let’s be real: your complexion takes up like 75% of your face and your face is the first thing people see when you greet them. The majority of people don’t greet you and stare at your elbows, (Creeps.) They look right at your face. So finding a foundation to compliment, celebrate and enhance your complexion should definitely be a top-priority.
With a billion options and combinations, words like SHEER-COVERAGE, FULL-COVERAGE, GLOW, and LONG-WEAR appear all over tons of bottles causing hella confusion when you blindly try to pick one. Over the next couple weeks, we will cover all-things foundation: what to wear, how to wear it, how to LOVE it and my favorites in case you are on the prowl for “The One.”
Here are a few things to keep in mind while on the quest for the perfect match:
1. SAMPLES: Always get two color matches to bring home when it comes to foundation or concealer samples. Did you know that Department Store sales associates are PAID to give you take-homes? In all of my years at Nordstrom, there were shifts that were solely for getting samples in the customer’s hands. If you’re trying quality products, this ensures that you’ll go back and buy the full-size! NEVER, ever feel uncomfortable asking for samples. And multiple options at that. This lets you play with different colors to make sure you feel confident that you've picked the right shade. Options will also help avoid that dreaded moment outside of a department store when you walk into natural-light and see that your "match" was actually code for a "mask." Barf.
2. GO LIGHT: When in doubt, chose the lighter shade: Once you get a liquid foundation on your skin, it can often warm-up and adjust up to one full shade. Serious. Using powders, bronzers and blush CAN, (not always, but definitely CAN) darken the color too. Choosing the lighter shade of two options will keep you from having that dreaded-foundation line, AND from looking like an amateur. Real talk. I’d rather pick the lighter option and use my contouring products to darken-up the right areas than start-off on the wrong foot with an all-over color that is wrong to begin with.
3. BRUSH IT UP: Always use a brush. Always. I am convinced that women often think that they HATE a foundation and are ready to pull the plug on it without giving it a fair shot by using a brush. The right brush makes foundation look like it's YOUR skin...not a painted-on mask. Fingers will NEVER give you an even application: (I don’t care if your fingers are webbed… it ain’t happening.) And sponges? Bleh. Think about the sponge that sits in your kitchen sink. No matter what you do, it hangs onto bacteria, smells worse and worse over time, and can’t reeeeally get any cleaner than when it was brand-new. Now imagine using that on your face. Sponges absorb up to 40% of the product you use it for, so say goodbye to 40% of that bottle of foundation. And for those struggling with breakout? Using a bacteria-riddled sponge every day to apply product to 75% of your face is like ASKING for pimples. Skip the hassle. Buy a brush that’s easy to clean and won’t hang on to multiplying bacteria. Invest in a duo-fiber brush and you'll REALLY love your skin more than ever.
Follow those tips, and stay tuned for deets on the ins and outs of my absolute favorite foundations on the market.
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