It’s easy to fake flawless skin when you’ve found your perfect match.
Here’s the thing about foundation: find one that’s perfect for your skin and no one will even know you’re wearing it. Choose a shade or formula that doesn’t quite mesh with what your mama gave you and your
There are those that choose to wear foundation every day and others who reserve it for special occasions only (usually events like weddings where appearing in photos is a given) but whether it’s your makeup go-to or a sometimes thing, making sure you’ve got one holy grail to draw upon is the key to an end result that looks and feels good.
To say that choosing a foundation can be overwhelming is an understatement, no doubt. Firstly, there are the different coverage levels — sheer, medium and full; then you’ve got the formulas — liquids, powders, creams and sticks. It’s enough to send anyone into a spin.
So we’re here to break it all down for you in an attempt to make the road to finding the perfect foundation that little bit easier, with a few suggestions of great formulas to help you narrow down your options from the outset.
Let’s talk coverage
SHEER COVERAGE
Sheer-coverage foundation is lightweight and translucent and is designed to enhance the natural texture and tone of your skin. This type of foundation provides a minimal amount of coverage and is best suited for those who have good skin with very few blemishes.
Opt for sheer coverage if: You prefer a natural and dewy finish that still lets your natural skin shine through.
Sheer-coverage foundations
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MEDIUM COVERAGE
Medium-coverage foundation provides more coverage than sheer-coverage foundation but not as much as full coverage. It is designed to even out skin tone and cover minor blemishes such as dark circles, redness and uneven pigmentation.
Opt for medium coverage if: You want to achieve a natural-looking finish without it feeling too heavy on the skin.
Medium-coverage foundations
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FULL COVERAGE
Full-coverage foundation is the most opaque and provides the maximum amount of coverage. It is designed to cover severe blemishes such as acne, scars and hyperpigmentation. Full-coverage foundation is also suitable for those who have an uneven skin tone or texture.
Opt for full coverage if: You’re having your photo taken or appearing on stage, you like more of a matte finish, or you want to completely cover blemishes or pigmentation.
Full-coverage foundations
The formula fit
Liquid foundation
This formula is the most popular as it tends to cover all your coverage options from sheer to full, as well as a range of finishes — matte, dewy and satin. Liquids are easy to apply either with a brush, beauty blender or your fingers and offer flexibility as they’re very buildable. Even high-coverage formulas can be applied with a light hand, using a damp beauty blender, or even mixed into moisturiser to give you more or less coverage when you need it. This formula tends to suit all skin types from dry to oily, and you’re sure to find one for any concern too, such as blemish-prone skin.
Powder foundation
Powder foundation is a compact or loose powder that provides light to medium coverage. It is suitable for those with oily or combination skin types as it helps absorb excess oil and provides a matte finish. It is easy to apply, great for touch-ups throughout the day and is also buildable.
Cream foundation
Cream foundation is a thick and creamy formula that provides medium to full coverage. It is suitable for those with dry or mature skin types as it hydrates and adds a glow to the skin. It provides a dewy finish and can be applied with a brush, sponge or fingertips. If you love this formula but tend to get shiny during the day, a translucent powder dusted over the top is a great way to lock the foundation in place and freshen up your makeup when you need it.
Stick foundation
Stick foundation is a convenient and portable formula that provides medium to full coverage. It is suitable for all skin types but as with a cream foundation, those with oily or combination skin types may need to use a powder to set it. It’s a good choice for people who only require foundation in certain areas of the face, such as the T-zone, and it’s perfect for keeping in your handbag as there’s no risk of it spilling.
Shopping tips
Stores such as Mecca and Sephora, or those with makeup counters such as Farmers or David Jones, will have staff on hand to assist you so make the most of their wisdom and don’t be afraid to ask for samples too. You’ll be surprised how many brands have the ability to give you a tester to take away and try at home.
Don’t be tempted to test foundation on the inside of your wrist as the skin here is likely not the same shade as your face. Have an in-store consultant apply the foundation on your skin for you, then go outside and see what it looks like in the light of day. If you’re playing around on your own, apply to the jawline and test multiple shades at once to compare.
Brands with a vast array of shades will often have options suited to different undertones, which can make it sound even more confusing, but this can be the key to really finding a great fit. Those with warm undertones will have more yellow in their skin and veins will appear green.
If you have a cool undertone, your skin will have a pink tinge to it and your veins will look blue. There are also people who fall into a neutral undertone category. If this is you, you don’t need to worry too much about your undertone as either will suit your complexion.
For anyone not able to get into a store, there is a handy tool available via Findation.com which helps you find your ideal shade match in most makeup brands based on the shade of foundation or concealer you’re already using. Looking at a swatch on your computer screen is not the best way to tell the true colour of a foundation shade so this is a great hack for getting as close as possible to a perfect match without swatching in real life.
