Happy Monday friends! I know this blog post is (yet again) coming to you two weeks from my last post, which bums me out considering my goal is to have two posts up a week. Also I know that I am always explaining myself to you guys: but I just wanted to briefly touch on how I’ve been doing these last few weeks. Longest story short, I haven’t been doing well, and I’ve been going to counseling and support groups at my university to help deal with a lot of these things. I’ve even been pretty absent on my instagram, another bummer – but like always, I’m trying! Progress in the form of baby steps.

side note, my friends have been amazing this last week and I love you guys so much!

Bumming out aside – today I want to talk about something that has been driving me crazy lately. As you guys know, most of my blog posts are inspired by conversations I’ve had with friends, and this one is no exception. Today I am going to be talking to you all about foundations! Why does this drive me crazy you ask? Because multiple times in the last few weeks I’ve had friends make Facebook posts asking for advice about their skin concerns or makeup in general, and seen people suggesting to them foundations that tend to be super expensive and very skin-type specific.

I’ve kind of touched on this before, but foundations are sort of like a chemistry experiment. Because everyone’s skin needs are so varied, different products are going to work extremely different for different people, while almost every other makeup product is basically the opposite. For instance, the only things you honestly need to ask when shopping for like a blush or an eyeshadow palette is “do I like this?” and “can I afford this?” Foundation, though, practically requires an algorithm to shop for.

This is where my inspiration for this week’s post comes from – I wanted to create a shopping guide for anyone looking to get into foundation that won’t recommend specific products, but instead give you buzzwords and things to look for to help find products that are best suited for your own individual needs! Foundations are really NOT one-size-fits-all, and it takes a hot second to really try things out enough to find the perfect one for you.

I’m going to be looking at a lot of different things in this post: types of foundation, finishes, matching your foundation, coverage, longevity/wear, and even briefly touch on best methods of application. Also want to greatly emphasize that at the end of the day I am not a makeup artist or beautician, so it can’t hurt to go to your local Sephora or Ulta etc and ask those wonderful experts for their suggestions!

Types of Foundation:

As this category suggests, foundations come in all different forms, and new forms of foundations are coming out every day (recently saw a solid serum foundation???) – so I am just going to touch on the most common types of foundation you might find both at the drugstore and the department store.

Because I do not own examples of each foundation type in my own collection, I am just going to use stock photos: this does not necessarily mean I am suggesting to use that specific product. Also, not every foundation shown will be cruelty free, they’re just for reference!

• Liquid

Kat Von D Lock-It Foundation

This is, of coarse, your most popular and most standard kind of foundation. Though a liquid foundation can have different consistencies and coverage, I can guarantee when I said “foundation” this is what you thought of – some goop in a jar (hopefully a jar with a pump!) or squeeze tube. Also for the sake of getting through this post, let’s include creams and mousse in this category as well.

• Stick

Anastasia Beverly Hills Stick Foundation

Stick foundations are a much more condensed, thicker type of foundation that is, as the name suggestions, in a stick form that you would twist up in the packaging, just like a lipstick. Stick foundations normally claim to be extremely full coverage (more on coverage later) and you (should) need less product to get a full face worth of makeup versus a liquid foundation. Stick foundations blew up all over social media last year – however my one problem with stick foundations is that they can be a little pricey but with less product than what you could get with a liquid foundation (0.3 oz vs 1 full fluid ounce???).

• Cushion

Sephora Collection Wonderful Cushion Foundation

Also something I saw get very popular on social media last year, cushion foundations are a very thin, liquidous foundation that is packed into a sponge cushion within the container it comes in. These are also supposed to be highly saturated with pigment, meaning a little should get you a longer way than an average liquid foundation.

• Powder

Urban Decay Ultra Definition Powder Foundation

Obviously not a liquid or cream at all, powder foundations are face powders with enough pigment to have coverage like a standard foundation would. This makes them different than setting powders, which often are translucent because they are meant to mattify or set foundation, as opposed to adding coverage. However, some people use powder foundations to set liquid foundations for the added coverage.

• Spray

Dior Airflash Spray Foundation

Spray foundations are interesting, but I have no idea how convenient they actually are. They can either be in aerosol cans or need air brushes to use, but I rarely ever see anyone using a spray foundation (outside of stage makeup maybe?).

• BB and CC Creams

Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream

Beauty (or blemish) creams and color correcting (or control) creams are technically not foundations, but are more similar to tinted moisturizers, except with a lot of added skincare benefits. They often contain sunscreen, and can have claims to do everything from minimize fine lines and wrinkles to even out redness and fade scars. These are actually great options for anyone who doesn’t need a whole lot of coverage, but to even out their skin while also getting the sun protection or other benefits.

• Tinted Moisturizers

Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer

Again, not technically a foundation, but can be used for light coverage. Tinted moisturizers are just that – they are moisturizers with just enough pigment to give you light coverage. These would also be good for someone who doesn’t want to put foundation on, but just needs to even out their skin tone or who have very little they want covered, as well as anyone who wants as minimal steps in their morning routine as possible.

Finishes:

Just like eyeshadows have different finishes, which I discussed in my Eyeshadow Palette Mayhem post, foundations have different finishes as well, and some finishes might be better for different skin types.

• Matte

A foundation with a matte finish is going to have no shine to it, it is going to be “flat” looking. Matte foundations are typically best for people who have combination to oily skin, and may help control oil throughout the day. If you have dry skin, a matte finish might not be best for you since it could emphasize dry patches of skin. I usually rely on matte foundations to get me through my 8-12 hour school days.

• Radiant/Dewy

Much the opposite of matte, a radiant or dewy foundation is going to have a shine to it, like if your skin was just barely a little sweaty??? but in a glowy kind of way. These types of foundations tend to have more moisture or possibly even oil to them than a matte foundation, and are best suited for people with dull or flat looking skin that want to look more hydrated and radiant. Also, some people just like that glow-from-within kind of look, but for me this kind of foundation would make me look like an oil slick.

• Satin/Natural

Somewhere in-between the two above finishes lies satin or natural finishes. This finish is going to be the most “natural” looking, and have some shine but not as much as a dewy foundation. This kind of finish may be best for dry to normal skin types, possibly even combo – all just depends on your preference. I feel like most foundations, unless specified to be matte or dewy, will fall into this category. As someone with combo/oily skin, I like natural finish foundations for days where I am running errands or only need to be out for a few hours and don’t want to cake product on, since they tend not to last long enough for a full school day for me.

Coverage:

Rather than making bullet points for this category, I’m just going to write a small blurb. The type of coverage a foundation has ranges from light, to medium, to full. A foundation with light coverage will most likely just even out discoloration, and freckles, scars, and acne will still peer through. Medium coverage will do a better job at not only evening out color, but covering all those things we liked to be covered, but darker spots can still come through. Finally, a full coverage foundation is going to basically give you a blank slate, covering almost everything, and can even help hide things like enlarged pores. Not always, but sometimes full coverage can leave you feeling cakey or heavy, so your preference for coverage might vary on how much you want or need covered, or just whether or not you want to look or feel like you have a lot of makeup on.

Longevity/Wear:

As I sort of briefly mentioned earlier, some foundations (possibly depending on the finish, but not necessarily) might have a longer wear time than others. Of coarse, wear time is also going to be affected by your skin type, what kinds of moisturizers or primers you use, things like setting powder and setting spray, what activities you plan on doing throughout the day, and of coarse the weather.

Foundations will breakdown throughout the day from the sweat and oils that your skin naturally produces. This can cause your foundation to visibly separate from your face, look greasy, or rub off. Some foundations have claims to have 8, 10, 12, or even 24 hour wear, and these foundations also tend to be heavier and mattifying to combat oils. How long you want your foundation to last is obviously going to depend on your preference and needs – like I mentioned, I have very long school days so I need an extremely long wearing foundation, but you might only want foundation for when you are going out to run errands for a few hours.

Also, bringing a compact of powder along in my purse or some blotting sheets could also help extend the wear of my foundation – but like I said, I’m a grease ball.

Matching Your Foundation:

Matching foundation is pretty tricky and can be discouraging. For starters, while some foundation lines may have 30+ shade ranges to cover everyone, others might only have 3 to 5 options to choice from, and of coarse there aren’t that few skin colors out in the world. The people who tend to be left out the most of a foundation selection are typically the very pale and more often, the very deep (that is a whole other conversation that I definitely want to get into eventually).

Also, just because a foundation has a light or dark enough tone for you, still doesn’t mean it is going to match you perfectly. Everyone has different undertones to their skin, or levels or “coolness” and “warmness” (blue to pink vs yellow to golden). In the past, you might have heard people saying they are a season, like a winter or an autumn, and this all has to do with undertones.

Here are some tricks to figuring out your undertones: First, look at the veins that are visible through the skin, do they appear more blue (cool) or green (warm)? Think about the colors you like to wear that look best on you, jewel tones might look best on someone with cool undertones, while golden tones will look best on someone with warm undertones. Have you ever put on a color of clothing and thought “I look sickly” or “washed out?” – it might be conflicting with your undertones too much. Another trick is to think about what kind of metals look best on you, and an old fashion magazine trick is that silver jewelry will look best on cool undertones, and gold on warm undertones (obviously, wear what you want though).

Of coarse, you can also be neutral and not quite be completely cool or completely warm. A lot of foundations will specify either on the foundation bottle or color description whether or not a foundation is warm, cool, or neutral.

When trying to match a foundation, your first instinct might be to swatch the foundation on your hand or arm for comparison. The best place to match, though, is actually your neck or chest. Obviously, different parts of your body can be different shades due to sun exposure, so matching to your neck and chest is the best way to make sure your foundation is going to look seamless, and like your head matches the rest of your body.

A final note on matching foundation – some foundations might oxidize on you, meaning that exposure to oxygen (and possibly your own body chemistry) is going to affect the color of the product. When testing out a new foundation this is important to look for, and if there is a foundation that you absolutely love the formula of but you know oxidizes on you, it might be best to go a shade or two lighter than what you would normally wear.

One last thing – finding a true, 100% perfect match is always going to be difficult. You might be between shades and need to mix two foundations together, or you might need a foundation mixer like the ones from Nyx to get a foundation lighter or deeper. Maybe you randomly took a vacation to the beach and got tan and don’t want to buy a whole new foundation – mixing things might be the best option for you, but it might get tricky if you aren’t mixing two of the same foundations for instance, since different formulas might affect each other. Play around for best results! The lighter coverage a foundation has, the more you can get away with not matching 100% perfectly, but the fuller a coverage is, the more you’re going to want to get as close as possible, because it will be more obvious when your foundation doesn’t match.

(Bonus: Go to your local Sephora and ask to be matched, especially if you’re trying to buy an expensive foundation!)

Application + Final Tips:

Now that we’ve covered all our foundation buzzwords, I want to briefly touch on best methods of application for foundation!

You did it, you bought a foundation that meets all your skin needs and matches you and you’re excited to finally put it on your face – but how you apply it can make the difference of whether or not you even end up liking it.

(I’m not here to tell you not to put makeup on a certain way, because makeup is an art and a craft and insanely personal, so if you feel like you get best results by using your hands, then go for it! These are just some tips that I have found work well for me, and might work well for you too.)

• Brush vs Makeup Sponges

Your best bet for applying foundation is going to be with a foundation brush, or a beauty sponge. If you exist on social media and are a part of the “beauty community” you might know about the cult favorite Beauty Blender, or if you follow me on instagram you might have seen my bowl of Real Techniques sponges. But if you’re also on social media you will also have noticed brushes designed just for foundation application – which may leave you wondering which is better?

Honestly, this depends on your foundation. Some foundations apply best with a brush, others a sponge, some maybe even a little of both??? A really amazing foundation bush that I love (which was the only foundation brush I took on my trip to Pittsburgh) was the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush which you can get from Target, Wal-Mart, and Ulta, but I also really love a flat top butter like the Y6 from Morphe.

As far as sponges go, you can’t beat Real Technique sponges, and the miracle complexion sponge (which has also become a cult favorite), especially for the price. A beauty sponge differs from those little cosmetic wedges they sell in packs of like 100 at drugstores because you are saturating it with water before use, and the thought is by loading the pores of the sponge up with water, it will not suck up any of your foundation. This, however, can then also sheer out foundations because water is now being added to the mix, or it could react funny with an oil based formula. A brush most likely will not sheer out product or interact with the formula, but may not fill in pores as well or could leave brush strokes.

In my own experience, I have found that brushes tend to work best with thicker, more full coverage foundations, while sponges work better with more viscous, lighter coverage foundations – but of coarse, this is not makeup law. If you have a new foundation and don’t know which method of application will work best, try a half face of each. Also if you already own a foundation you can’t seem to apply nicely, try switching up how you apply it.

• Final Foundation Tips

Anyway, here are just a few random tips that belong in this section as we start to wrap up everything:

1. For both brushes and sponges, try not to swipe product around your face, but instead tap or stipple the product into the skin: while this takes more time, I promise the application will look nicer.
2. If you are having trouble blending into the sides of your face, try starting your foundation application in the center of your face and working outwards to the perimeter, so less product overall is being blended.
3. The denser a brush, the better, because a brush with lose bristles is not going to give you an even application.
4. Keep your brushes and sponges clean – too much built up gunk is going to affect the application of your makeup.
5. Toss out your makeup sponges every 1 to 3 months, or if you start to notice any tears, discoloration, or *gasp* mold.
6. A moisturized face is going to plump up the skin and get it ready for makeup (yes, even if you have oily skin), but give your moisturizer time to sink into the skin before applying foundation, or the products could interact. Personally, I’ll apply my moisturizer right after getting out of the shower, go get dressed and drink my coffee etc, then start my makeup.
7. Target your skin concerns in every step of your skin care and makeup routine: find a face cleanser that is suited for your skin, exfoliate, invest in a primer that is best for you (I use mattifying primers, you might need a hydrating one) etc. Something as simple as changing up which primer you use could turn a foundation you originally hated into a holy grail (I originally hated the Pur Bare it All Foundation, until I tried it with a mattifying primer from Cover FX).
8. Blend down the neck to avoid a line – seriously, you don’t have to blend all the way down, but at least get past the jaw line.
9. Keep your damn hands clean! In fact, keep everything clean! Clean your brushes and sponges, wash your hands before putting on makeup, don’t touch your phone while you’re applying makeup etc – all of this will prevent the spread of bacteria which will help fight against breakouts as well as prolong the life of your cosmetics.
10. When trying a new foundation, try to keep variables at a constant. Meaning, if you are trying a new foundation, don’t also try a new moisturizer or primer or setting spray etc, because then if something doesn’t work out or causes a reaction, you’ll have no idea why.
11. Avoid gimmicks – foundations are going to try and sell you their specific brush or sponge that is going to claim to be the best way to apply the product with, and 9 times out of 10 that is probably not true and is just going to get you to spend more money.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well, there you have it! It took me three days to get this post together and read and re-read it and get as much information as I could and try to make this as helpful as possible. I hope to everyone who requested a foundation post that this didn’t disappoint.

At the end of the day, if someone is recommending products to you, foundation or not, it is best to do your own research and just give things a shot – hang out to your reciepts and return anything that doesn’t end up working out.

In a few days I would love to get another post up, specifically talking about “dupes” and all the controversy that has recently been stirred up by Kat Von D about duping products that has a lot of the “beauty community” in a whirl.

Of coarse, I really just hope this post was helpful in the slightest and that you enjoyed reading it. If you have specific questions about products for oily skin, I can give it my best shot. I am going to include a link to one of my favorite Youtubers, ThaTaylaa, because she does amazing foundation reviews and is geared more towards acne prone and oily skin.

And like I always throw out there – if you haven’t already please subscribe to my blog if you are a wordpress user, if not sign up for email alerts, it really helps me out! Also please follow me on my instagram (spookylipsandfathips): I post mini hauls, quickie makeup tips, product reviews, makeup of the day pictures, and more recently I’ve been doing some get ready with me/tutorial type IG stories!

Have a great rest of the week, and I’ll be back in a few days!

-Lacie ❤︎❤︎❤︎