How To Choose The Right Foundation

Picking the perfect foundation for your skin can be daunting. Dean Nixon from Master Makeup gives you his top tips when it comes to choosing the right foundation.

The question I’m most asked by women is “How do I choose the right foundation?”
Wander any department store cosmetic floor and you start get a very quick idea as to why. Every brand seems to have what looks like a million different foundation and mostly that would be right.
The first thing you need to do is decide on the brand or cost of your makeup. There are great foundations to fit everyone’s budget.
Next, you need to ask yourself some simple questions:

1. How skin type am I? Am I Oily, Dry or Combination?

This will determine the type of formula you go from. If you are Oily all over the face, through the t-zone and cheeks then you should be looking for an oily free foundation. For Dry Skin, you want a foundation with a little oil to help nourish and hydrate the skin.
Combination skin sits in between and will depend on how oily or dry you are.
Top tip: Hydration is the key.

2. What type of coverage do I like? Sheer, Medium or Full

I believe foundation is all about evening the tone of skin, not coverage. Concealer is much better equipped to hide redness, blemishes and pigmentation. So I would look towards a sheer, sheer to medium or medium coverage and use a Foundation Brush to control your application so you get the perfect amount of coverage where needed and avoid the mask look.
Top tip: If a light sheer coverage is more you, try a BB Cream or tinted moisturiser. BB’s are a great hybrid product that hydrates, primes and covers all at the same time.

3. What type of finish I you want? Dewy, Matte or Radiant

This part is really a personal preference although; a dry skin or mature skin shouldn't go to a matte finish as you want you skin to be radiant and glowing. The opposite goes to an oily skin.

4. What’s the difference between “anti-aging”, “mattifying”, “mineral”?

These types of “catch words” are often more about marketing but can help to lead you to the right finish.
Anti-aging foundations are mostly more hydrating and have a radiant finish so they are great for a dry or mature skin. A Mattifying foundation is oil controlling so great for oily skin and mineral foundation you will need to be a little more careful with. Mineral makeup is oil free and so if you are very dry you might want to try first.

5. Finally, what colour should I choose?

This is where I think a little help is good either by the beauty advisor in store or a friend.
It is never a good idea to go darker in your foundation, as it will only look heavy and unnatural. If you want to be more bronzed, get a fake tan or bronzing powder. You want to choose a colour that absorbs into the skin without having to blend too much.
Top tip: It is best to choose 2-3 shades as close to your natural skin colour and swipe them onto your jawline. The one you see the least and easily absorbs into your natural colour is the right colour.
The best thing to do is try before you buy. Ask an expert or apply it and wear it for the day.
Happy Shopping.