Masterclass - How to Pick Foundation

Last week's masterclass was on foundation's purpose and the different types (You can view last weeks here). This weeks the aim is to look at the pitfalls of looking for foundation, what looks right and what looks like a disaster.

You should be prepared to pick in some hours to get the right ones (maybe even days), I found when I have rushed into buying a foundation for the sake that I was in a hurry it's turned out wrong (more on that later). Wearing a light make up that can be easily taken off or even wearing none at all will mean you can apply it to the area you will be wearing it. I do see alot of people trying it on the back of their hands, which is great if you are planning to wear it there.

Au Natural with nothing on

When I was consulting on foundation there was the key questions we asked and these are worth keeping in mind:

• What do I want my foundation to do? - Illuminate, cover, mattify? It'll give you your basis to start from.
• How will it fit in my routine? - No use buying one that needs to be applied carefully when you only have minutes to get ready.
• Are you being it as a one off event or for everyday use? Your skin will change colour when you're on holiday and you might find your foundation will look whiter/chalkier when your skin gets tanned
• Budget? - No good looking at ones that are £20-£30 and you only have £10.
• Where am I going to be wearing it? - In artificial light I find that you can get away with a tone darker foundation (as long as it is blended in), if I wore a pale one under fluorescent light I found that it made me look ill.

Next to consider is the colour of the skin, everyone has a tone to their skin. Tones are much of yellow or pink exist in the skin, this is when consultants also talk about cool tones (they have more pink, keys colour word to look for would be rose) and warm tones (they have more yellow tones, key word to look for is beige). Bobbi Brown once wrote that 90% of people in the world would suit yellow tone foundations, as the it would suit warmer toned skins but also tone down any pink in the cooler tones.

I have slightly olive skin and once I got put into a cool tone foundation (must to my protest), took a picture and it was like I had a pink glow around my face with a tanned neck. Wrong just wrong. The two pictures below are an example of foundation gone wrong, the colour on the left was the one I brought in a hurry thinking that will be fine, while the right is my MUA Cosmetics BB Cream.

There are also two different coverages in these photos, the left side is a thicker foundation while the BB Cream on the right provides a more lighter. The left one would be perfect for nights out or photos are it gives more colour, while the right is perfect for everyday as it is more my natural skin tone.

My foundations that I have got in the past are on recommendations from friends and other bloggers. I would then go into store have a play with testers or if possible speak to a consultant. Don't be scared to speak to them, they are the experts on their ranges (and sometimes on other peoples. When I worked at Lauder nearly half of the department wore Double Wear!).

Also a lot more brands are introducing a sampling system, letting you have a consult and then taking the recommendation home for trail. With these I never buy without trying the sample for a few days to play with.

I wish there is a quick way to fall in love with the right foundation, but there isn't. Hopefully this will give you more of a short cut round the bad foundation choices.

Next Week - The first vlog attempt and how to apply foundation.

A quick note here: I felt like Two-Faced from Batman doing these photos!