BY: KIZZY COURTNEY
Choosing the right foundation can be overwhelming and downright scary at times. The easiest way to pick the right foundation for you is to first know your skin type and second know how to match your shade. With so many brands and so many different finishes, how do you choose? How do you know which is right for you? Well, having someone match you at the drugstore is out of the question and going into Sephora or MAC can be hit or miss as well. Especially when it comes to the deeper skin tones. There are other options to wearing foundations however i.e.; a BB cream or Beauty Balm, a tinted moisturizer or maybe even a powder. Those options are not why you are reading this. You are reading this because you want to find the right foundation for you.
Do you know what type of skin you have? Do you find that throughout the day you’re constantly shiny or greasy especially in the middle of your face? Well, you my friend have oily skin or combination oily (this is when you get the oiliest in your ’T Zone’ or the middle of you face and dry or normal everywhere else). If you have this skin type, as I do, you want to look for a mattifying foundation. The best drugstore foundation and my personal favourite is the Maybelline Fit Me Matte & Poreless foundation. This foundation keeps you matte for up to 8 hrs and it also minimizes your pores. Being a drugstore foundation the shade range is passable but the price makes up for it. If you are looking for something a little more high-end I recently tested the Clinique Stay-Matte Oil Free foundation and it is amazing. This foundation keeps you matte for a little over 9 hrs, controls shine, lightweight, leaves a nice matte finish and is oil free. Now on the other end if you are constantly moisturizing or have dry patches on your face then you’ve guessed it, you have dry skin. When it comes to dry skin it is best to choose a foundation that promises a dewy finish, that hydrates and is water based. A few drugstore options that received good reviews are the Maybelline Fit Me Hydrate + Smooth foundation and the L’Oreal Infallible Pro-Glow foundation. Both foundations work well on normal to dry skin.
Now that you know your skin type and you’ve decided on a foundation, how do you choose your shade? Well it’s simple, choose a few shades that is closest to your skin tone and swatch each of them on your neck. Why the neck you ask? Well think about it, your face is often a lighter shade than your neck and the rest of your body. So, choosing a shade that matches your face will make it seem as though you’re wearing a mask with a clear line of demarcation being seen. Placing the swatches on your neck will allow you to see the true shade and get the perfect match. After the swatches are placed on your neck the shade that basically disappears into your skin is your shade. This may be difficult for some, because they are people that are in between shades and by simply mixing a light and a dark shade should give you your perfect match. Natural lighting is the best lighting when choosing a shade. I know it may sound silly but after you’ve placed your swatches walk outside in the natural light and look closely in a mirror. From there choose the shade that blended nicely into your skin.
I hope by reading this article, you have a clearer understanding on how best to choose a foundation that best suits you and your skin type. So, next time you’re at your drugstore or Sephora, don’t feel scared or get overwhelmed girl, because you’ve got this.
