How To Find Your Perfect Foundation Match
How Do I Find The Right Shade Of Foundation For Me?
To find your perfect shade, test the foundations you are considering on your skin in natural daylight. For the best results, pick three shades that are closest to your natural skin tone and swipe them onto your cheek towards the centre of your face, which is the area you’ll need the most coverage. The shade that blends in most seamlessly is the shade for you.
Brands such as Kevyn Aucoin, NARS, Laura Mercier and Surratt have a wide selection of foundation shades to suit all skin tones. If you’re shopping online, try our Foundation Finder to help filter the right shades for you.
Is Primer Necessary?
While a foundation primer isn’t an essential, it does have two key benefits, which includes improving the finish of your foundation, helping to smooth and even out tone as well as increasing longevity. The next-generation of primers come with multiple skincare benefits too. Take Laura Mercier’s Pure Canvas Primers for example. The disguises pores and imperfections, while the keeps dry skin plump and moisturised, and the boosts radiance.
When choosing yours, consider your skincare needs – if you’re prone to a 4 o’clock shine try Becca Ever-Matte Priming Perfector, £14.00, or if you want to disguise large pores we love Nars Pro-Prime Instant Line and Pore Perfector, £10.50.
Which Foundation Texture Is Best For Me?
The three most common types of foundations are powder, cream and liquid. Deciding which of these suits you best depends on your needs and preferred method of application. Ariane Jaksch, Becca‘s Education Manager explains, “Liquid formulas can easily be layered for a bespoke look, powders are best suited for barely-there finishes and mid-day touch ups and creams tend to provide fuller coverage that’s ideal for on-the-go application due to their balmy texture.”
What’s The Best Way To Apply Foundation?
Foundation can either be applied with your fingers, a brush or a beauty sponge. Using your fingers brings the benefit of adding warmth to your foundation so it glides on smoothly, though make sure your hands are clean first, so you don’t spread any bacteria.
If you prefer to use a brush, choose flat topped, synthetic bristles to prevent product absorption and buff in using circular motions to disguise brush strokes. The exclusive new Space NK Brush 102 - Foundation and Blusher, £24.00 is well suited for easy blending and the short bristles speed up application
For sponge fans, Beautyblender Beautyblender Nude, £17.00 provides streak free, uniform coverage. James Webster, Laura Mercier’s training manager gave us some tips, “Always dampen your Beautyblender before use, then with a bouncing motion dab the butt of the sponge over your face to blend, using the pointy tip for any hard to reach areas such as around the nose or under the eyes.”
Do I Need Light Or Full Coverage?
From lightweight tinted moisturisers and CC creams to highly-pigmented foundations, there is a sliding scale of coverage options available to achieve your desired finish. To even skin tone and brighten your complexion with minimal product like Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser Natural Skin Perfector SPF30, £42.00 Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser works wonders. If you have redness or breakouts a medium coverage foundation, such as helps to disguise imperfections. And, for a totally flawless finish that can cover scars, pigmentation or rosacea try By Terry Cover-Expert Perfecting Fluid Foundation SPF15, £13.50.