Monday, June 8, 2009

Tip for the Day: Foundation

(note from Author: All brands discussed here are not used by author but just examples of what's out there, please purchase products at your own discretion, thanks)

Thanks for the positive responses on my series on "What do I need to purchase to start my makeup collection?". I am happy that you find it exciting to read my advises and thoughts! You don't know how much I appreciate it!!! :D Made me an energizer bunny! THANK YOU!!!!

As promised, here's the next installment, this time, let's talk about FOUNDATION!

How do you choose your foundation?

First you have to know what are the types of foundation available ---

Oil-free and matte liquid foundations -
lasts longer on oily skin, but can make your skin feels dry and flaky.

ex. Nars Balanced Foundation, Bobbi Brown, Laura Mercier Oil Free Foundation, YSL Matt Touch Foundation etc..




Ultra Matte Foundations -
great for seriously oily skin, goes on very heavy and can leave the skin very dry.

ex. Clarins Ultra Matte Oil Free Foundation, Guerlain Fleur De Teint Ultra Mat Perfect Wear Foundation, Dior Skin Ultra Matte Foundation, Clarins Truly Matte Foundation, etc...



Water based and Standard Liquid Foundation -
Best for normal to dry skin. Coverage is light and sheer, can goes on smoothly when applied, shows a slight shine. Super oily skin can stear away from this type of foundation.

ex. Bloom Cosmetics Liquid Foundation, Maybelline Angelfit Liquid Foundation, Cover Girl TruBlend Liquid Foundation, Revlon Color Stay Foundation, MAC Select Foundation, etc...



Oil based foundation -
great for extremely dry skin, this can tend to be greasy if you have oily skin to start with.

ex. Elizabeth Arden Flawless Finish Foundation, MAC foundations, Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation, Max Factor Lasting Performance Foundation, etc... (NARS Foundation should not be included, sorry)



Pressed powder based foundation -
easiest to use, great for oily or combination skin. Dry skin can get a flaky skin if not used properly.

ex. Paul & Joe Protective Dual Powder Foundation, MAC Studio Fix Powder Foundation, NARS pressed powder foundation, Maybelline Pure Stay Powder Foundation, Shu Uemura Powder Foundation, Revlon Color Stay Foundation, etc...


Cream to Powder foundations -
not for oily or dry skin, this is great for normal skin type. This is better coverage than pressed powder, blends on quickly and easily.

ex. Giorgio Armani Designer Compact Foundation, Prestige Touchtone Cream to Powder Foundation, Smashbox Conversion Foundation, Cover FX Total Coverage Foundation, etc...



Liquid to Powder foundations -
powder finish is not the best for dry skin. This works really well on normal to oily skin as the powder finish cuts down excess shine.

ex. Maybelline Wonder Finish Foundation, Max Factor Silk Perfection, Cover Girl Advanced Radiance Foundation, L'oreal Matte Cashmere Liquid Powder Foundation, Cargo Liquid Powder, etc...




Tinted moisturizers -
great for people who has great looking skin. Very minimal coverage.

ex. Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer, Neutrogena Tinted Moisturizer, Stila Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer, Physicians Formula Organic Tinted Moisturizer, Bobbi Brown Tinted Moisturizer, Kiehl's Ultra Facial Tinted Moisturizer, Smashbox Sheer Focus, etc...



"What if you plan to purchase foundation for professional use?
Do I need to purchase all the shades and foundation types???"

If you are rich, please do! lol Purchasing foundation to start up your profession is quite difficult as you are unsure of the skin type and color of your clients. I remembered one gig I had and I was surprised to have a very dark client, I breathe a sigh of relief when I found my train case with a dark foundation! I mixed and match and that's where the love story of mixing foundation began.

Here are some tips to start off your foundation collection!
  • purchase a light, medium and dark foundation, if you're unsure, do ask around, check with SA's as most of them have basic training. Ex. MAC NC15, 30 and 40 trio or MAC NC10, 35 and 42 trio
  • mix foundation in same formulation - oil free, water based, oil based (check the labels)
  • use the closest foundation shade to the client, slowly add in a lighter foundation little by little until you get the closest color. Do not squirt like there's no tomorrow! You are just wasting foundation
  • try to purchase the lightest foundation that's a bit "ivory" in color. Do not purchase one that has a pink or peach cast
  • if you're too lazy to wonder which formulation is which, try to purchase light, medium and dark color of the same brand to achieve the right consistency (but this is NOT required)
  • just starting out and not enough funds? According to Basement Academy teacher Ms. Cheryl Cabanas, purchase Revlon's Custom Creation foundation, a cheaper way to have different foundation shades to choose from!


Askmewhats' tips
  • do not overdo your foundation, as looking like you're wearing a mask is a big turn off
  • do not try to cover your imperfections, natural beauty do need to come through and others do find your imperfections beautiful!
  • remember to match the foundation shade with the neck color!
  • applied foundation too light??? No need to wash your face, brush on a bronzer or contouring powder all over face!

Wow! Time flies so fast when I'm typing an article I enjoyed so much!!! Most information are based on my own research, books and notes from Makeup class, my own experience! feel free to give out your thoughts and ideas! I'd love to have a wonderful conversation with my readers! :D

Whew....thanks to Kim for the wonderful program, that's what I used to combine all the photos I got! :)

Hope this article enlighten some of you who are quite confused with foundations! :)

Next series? I don't know!
It'll be a surprise!
To be honest, I don't have any clue yet! LOL
So bear with me! :)
have a wonderful day!

Keep smilin'
Stay Happy!


** all photos taken from various websites
Posted by Askmewhats
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51 comments:

  1. Thanks for the tips sweetie! I noticed that you have NARS' Balanced Foundation in both Oil-free and Oil based foundations...
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  2. Blair, thanks for letting me know :) I am getting old! LOL I fixed it, NARS Balanced foundation should be oil free :D
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  3. wow thanks for all the useful tips!!! Now I know what types of foundation to avoid for my oily/combo skin! thanks so much sweetie :)
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  4. I have a problem with the neck colour - but only 'cause my neck really is darker than my face, lol, I guess I should use sunscreen there too :-P...I've started ;).
    Thanks for the very long & informative article :).
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  5. THanks for the helpful info =)
    Now I know more about foundations >.>
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  6. I love your tips, I love tinted moisturizers the most! :)
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  7. wow what's this little innovation?
    Revlon's Custom Creation foundation?
    sounds so cool. :P

    owh and i didnt know mac foundation the liquid one is meant for normal dry skin
    no wonder the SA all recommend me to take the compact one :P
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  8. AWWW THANKS FOR THE TIP :D

    VERRRRRYYYY HELPFUL :)
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  9. i'm a foundie junkie, still searching for my HG. :) i heard good things about Laura Mercier Oil Free Foundation, i wanna try but it's too pricey. :((
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  10. this a super useful post!!! a lot of work too. i am so bookmarking it. thanks for the hard work.
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  11. Lulu No problem, it's my pleasure writing this post :)

    Cris, really? oh no, you do have to start using sunscreen :)

    Sally Rose Mei my pleasure! I'm glad you find this article helpful!

    Female_intuition, with our humid weather, tinted moisturizer is the key!!!
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  12. LyNn , ooh the Revlon's Custom Creation has been available for months now, I think the first time I saw it was last year from a Magazine! :) And they're available locally, so I hope it's available on your side! But it's water based, so you have to check if water base foundation is for you

    Aika, you're welcome~

    Nehs, yes, the LM is really pricey, you have to test it before you purchase! It's a big deal to spend such amount on a foundation that at the end you find out won't work for you!

    jojoba, awww thanks!
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  13. Thank you for this foundie post!

    I had wanted to write something about foundie, was thinking bout it this morning :P

    My neck's darker than my face, which makes buying foundation hard, and worst still, my skin is combination of dry and oily! >_<

    any recommendations? :(
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  14. Great article,as always!I love my pressed foundation because it's very practical :) in particular I love majorlica majorca pressed foundie because it's light and natural looking.what foundie do you use most?
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  16. nice post~! Maybe you can include a blush post in this series. Like how different types of blushes look on cheeks etc. Btw, I never knew about this Revlon Custom Creation foundation~! hahaa..so outdated..
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  17. Nikki! you really amazes me with all the knowledge/tips you are giving! Im so very into your blogs hihihi!!! More power and more blogs to come po!!!!
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  18. i wonder where do u classify the professional foundation of the face shop?? thanks for this wonderful post. very informative ;)
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  19. i always having problem in selecting foundation.. hahaha...is not too pale or dark but yellowish or pinkish problem... some ppl saying certain foundation makes them look greyish but I seems to can't differentiate / understand that at all.
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  20. Oooh what a fab post!!! I struggle with foundation! Thanks :)
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  21. Hana aka acutelife, I am using my P&J Dual Powder foundation the most, but I make sure to moisturize my skin well before using it :)

    Connie, thanks sweetie!

    Sarah, yes! that's a great idea ;) Thanks for the suggestion, I'll keep that in mind!

    I Am Me, thank you for the comment, I appreciate that you find my blog informative!
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  22. Abby, the one in silver "toothpaste" like tube? I think they are waterbased as most Face Shop Liquid foundations are waterbased, I've double checked and yup, they said they are OIL FREE foundation ! Do you own one?

    Syn@3sTh3sI@, most foundation turned grayish if the person who's using the foundation is acidic, or could be the problem of the ingredients of the foundation reacting to the skin's acidity. Such example like Bismuth Oxide in most mineral foundation can make someone turned grayish, not to everyone. So it all boils down to trying out testers..and walk around the mall, as most of us tend to purchase ASAP!

    Sarah, thank you! I hope this foundation post helps you out even a bit :D
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  23. Hi Nikki, thanks for the post, I have oily skin and I'm undecided if I should get the Oil-free and matte liquid foundations or the Ultra Matte Foundations. My face gets oily even after just 5-10 minutes after I wash my face. :|

    Great post, learned new things from you. :)
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  24. Thanks for this post Nikki!! It's really informative!!

    I always thought makeup artists must have all different shades of foundation!! Mixing them is such a great idea and it's more economical that way too!!

    Will definitely keep this mind next time! :D
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  25. these were all so helpful. thank you nikki dear
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  26. wow special mention ako =) hehe Thanks Nikki. You're always energetic and you really do great in everything you do. Keep it up =) Miss yah
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  27. Keep it coming! I really like how you mentioned that we shouldn't cover our imperfections and that it is beautiful to others. You have amazing tips.
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  28. Great guide! So informative (: Thanks, and thanks for the congrats! :D
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  29. oh wow! another good leg of your series! anyways, how does revlon custom creations hold up? i haven't tried it yet. btw, for mac for the lightest, middle and darkest you can also use NC20, 35 and 45. :)
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  30. Madz have you tried using any primers?

    Jenn, hahaha nah, imagine lugging all the different shades? hahahah I'm glad we aren't required to carry all those shades!

    jo, you're welcome my dear!
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  31. Kim, awww miss ya sis and hope to see you again!

    My My, yes, that's one important tip everyone should know :) Freckles, beauty marks, they're there for a reason! :)

    e.motion in motion, no worries! I do congratulate you from the bottom of my heart!

    Steph, thanks for the added information, about the custom creations, it's water based so be careful in application, if you touched the face of the person accidentally, you'll see the liquid foundation slide off easily, but it's really great for starters :D
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  32. yes, this should def be a helpful post to a lot of peeps out there :)

    gurl, what program u used for the pics? thanks!! :)
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  33. I was really observant because I have NARS's Balanced Foundation lol ;p

    I bought it on a whim so I'm glad that I bought something that suits my skin type =D

    Nikki, what do I do when my foundation gets too dark? And I don't have lighter shades to mix it with?
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  34. Aquaracer, Photoscape :) To combine the photos :)

    Blair, hahaha thanks for letting me know, and you were the first commenter so you saved a lot of mistakes on my side :) What do you mean about foundation getting dark? Is it light when applied and it gets dark right after? Your skin is acidic? If foundation shade gets too dark, you can use it as is but have to pat on with a lighter powder..but to be honest, if it's too dark to look at and it's too obvious, you have to purchase a light liquid foundation (even drugstore one) to mix it! Such a waste rather than not using it at all :)
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  35. This is certainly very helpful and informative!
    My only concern is that I have a combination skin which tends to be dry/flaky but some parts like my T-zone area is oily. What foundation should I use?


    Please drop by at www.mrszeus.blogspot.com to participate on my Beta:Monday Matters game, thanks!
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  36. Nikki, ohmigooodness, look at all of this good info! The next time I do a post on foundations I will definitely be linking you. Amazing!
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  37. wow!! a great detailed post!! ^^
    thanks for taking the time to share this great information!! :D
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  38. Wonderful tips!! You're so helpful Nikki!
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  39. great post! The tips are so helpful, thanks!
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  40. WOW! Awesome post! Very informative! :)
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  41. this is such a helpful post for all the people who use foundie :) I will keep this in mind whenever I decide to use foundie again :D
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  42. Mrs.Zeus, if you have combination skin, you can use tinted moisturizer so your skin gets to breathe every now and then. On days that you need coverage, I advise you to use 2 types if you have both, use the foundation great for dry skin for dryer areas and for oily skin for the oilier areas then pat gently with a finishing powder! If its a big hassle for you, you can use Standard Liquid Foundation :)

    B, awww thank you sweetie!!!

    miRaCLe, it is my pleasure!
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  43. Fuz, thank you! I learned a lot from beauty bloggers too and it's great to share and interact!

    Gio, you're very much welcome!

    Pang, glad you find this informative! Worth my time writing this!

    Iyah, BB cream works well on your lovely skin! you don't even need foundation!!! :D
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  44. thank u so much for this super informative post!
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  45. THANK YOU VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY MUCH.
    i have started makeup and beauty about 3 years now. And you have to be surprise, I don't have any liquid foundation. !! seriously, i don't like the way it feels on my face. The stickiness is horrible for me. and I live in Thailand+Florida, the most EXTREMELY humidity place in the world LOL.

    I have one thing to share with you, that I recently found very good, dream foundation. It's LUNASOL (from kanebo Japan). Would love you to try it. ^__^
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  46. Thank you very much for answering my question! I will definitely have to consider all these insightful 411 you passed down to all of us, thank you for sharing it again!
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  47. thanks for the info nikki :)
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  48. M , you are welcome my dear, I'm glad you find this post helpful! :)

    PinkyKathy, oohhh there's a lot of liquid foundation available in the market now that's not too sticky :) I know how hot it can get there! Ooohh I missed Thailand, I've only been there once!!!! Lunasol..yum, I've seen great reviews about that, thanks for sharing, I'm not sure if we have that line down here!

    Mrs. Zeus, no worries, it's my pleasure! :)

    Aquaracer,no worries! It's nice to see that you like this post :D
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  49. wow this has been super helpful! Thank you :)
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  50. Sher, I'm glad you find it helpful! that's the best I can do to help out readers :D
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  51. Oooh sorry for not clarifying! I meant to say I got lighter, so my foundation is too dark for me now...
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