A Solid Foundation Gives You a Good Base
Mar 19 '01 (Updated Jan 07 '03)
The Bottom Line It takes practice and patience.
It isn't cheap looking this easy.
First, do your research and find out what you're applying for....oh wait! wrong topic. This isn't applying to a foundation, but applying foundation.
Wow! Good save....
Okay....here it goes...
I grew up doing theater. I loved the roar of the greasepaint, the smell of the crowds....er....well, it doesn't matter. By the time I hit the boards, only clowns wore greasepaint. The rest of us wore pancake. I bought into the idea that pancake wasn't good for normal day-to-day streetwear for a long time. For many people, it may not be a good option, but don't write it off entirely...I'll get back to it shortly
Before you can apply foundation, you need to select a foundation. A good foundation should even out your skin tone and cover minor imperfections. (G-d is perfect, but human beings all have flaws.) A good foundation also provides something for other make-up to stick to.
The best foundations for daytime provide light coverage. (You might want something heavier for nighttime, or maybe not. That's a personal preference.) You also need to decide if you need an oil-based foundation (good for dry-skin) or water-based (for oily-skin). Also you need to consider the "finish." Just as paints come in flat, semi-gloss and gloss, foundations come in matte, dewy and iridescent. Unless you are a teenager or going on stage (and probably even then!) iridescent is for nighttime wear.
So which do you choose? Here are a few different types depending on how "heavy" you want to go.
"Tinted Moisturizers" are just what they sound like. They are moisturizers with a hint of color to them. These are great for active, outdoor days when you aren't wearing any "real make-up." They'll give you a healthy glow. I recommend finding one that has a high SPF if you're using this for outside. You'll keep your skin in better shape if you moisturize and protect from sun.
"Wet/Dry" This looks like a powder and you can use it that way, or you can apply with a damp sponge. If you apply wet, it goes on heavier. Watch out for cakiness.
"Liquid" It used to be necessary to finish liquid foundation with powders. Most of them don't require that anymore. You might want to experiment, however. Finishing with a powder can give you a very elegant "china doll" finish to your skin.
"Cream" or "pancake" this is the heavy duty stuff. Good for covering birthmarks and such, it can be used as a concealer. It can be applied more lightly though and can be a good option for streetwear.
When you choose the foundation, try it on your jawline - not on your hand. You will not be wearing it on your hand. After you apply it in the store, go outside into daylight. On a day when you know you are buying a new kind of make-up, pack a full sized mirror, not just a compact so you can see your whole face. Match the color of your foundation as closely as you can to your natural skin color. Your natural skin color is, after all, your real foundation. If the saleslady gets impatient, tell her to take a leap. You are spending your hard earned money on something you will wear everyday. It better be right! If the store won't let you go outside and come back to check in natural light, find one that will. It also helps to take a friend along to help you make judgement calls. Remember that salespeople are there to sell you their product. They will try to get you a good match, but lacking a proper choice, will still try to sell you something most of the time.
Once you've selected the right foundation, now you need to know how to put it on.
1) Clean your face. You wouldn't put paint on a dirty wall. Priming is important. Clean and moisturize.
2) Apply where you need it. At night, all over. During the day, you may only have to apply to sections. In my younger days, I applied foundation only around my eyes and on my cheeks to even out my skin tone. Today, I feel better with foundation all over. If you get the right color, you can do it in sections as needed. If you get the wrong color, you'll have to do your whole face and it will still look icky.
3) If you're using a liquid, dab it on then spray a little water onto a sponge and and blend the foundation towards the outside edges of your face. If you're using a solid foundation dampen the sponge and then put the foundation onto the sponge. Dab it onto your face starting around your eyes and working out. Make sure to get foundation into all the crevices along your nose so you don't have lines of no make up.
4) Check for lines - can someone see where the make up ends and you start? If they can, your make up technique needs practice. If you start your foundation behind your earlobe, and run it along and just below your jaw, you are less likely to look like you're wearing a mask.
5) If you are using pancake, you will have to powder. Other foundations, this step may be optional. Use a powder with no color or a slight tint. Load up a large brush with powder then knock off the excess. Tap the powder onto your face then brush to get the excess off.
Regarding pancake and theatrical make-up. I have recently switched from water based liquids to "theatrical" make-up. I am using the most popular brand of theatrical make-up, Ben Nye. I made the change for a number of reasons.
1) More colors. If you can find a store that sells this kind of make-up and you ask them to let you see the foundations, they will bring out 2 or 3 boards filled with samples. Each board is about a meter square has dozens of colors on it. Not only this, you will be encouraged to try to get the best match.
2) It's inexpensive. A container of Ben Nye runs about $4-$5. You're not paying for the packaging, pretty labels, or advertising.
3) The colors don't change with fashion. If a color is called Honey this year, it won't be called something else next year. And all the colors are consistently available.
4) No perfumes or extra gunk. This make up is designed to be used by the largest possible number of folk without problems. They don't want to have allergy problems so they don't include unnecessary items that might cause allergic reactions.
For the same reasons that I list above, I also use Ben Nye powders for setting my makeup, and colors for blush and eyeshadows. I still use eyeliners, lipliners, mascara and lipsticks from the regular store.
An extra hint for applying colors such as eyeshadows or blushes is to keep a separate brush for each color. Get one extra brush for blending colors. This will make your brushes last longer and make the colors stay purer.
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