How to Find the Right Foundation Part 1: Picking the Right Formula

By Melissa Barlow on February 8th, 2010

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I hate it when I see the most carefully made up face only to have it ruined by a bad foundation choice. Nothing is more distracting to me than a telltale line along the neck and jaw. I’ve had to physically restrain myself from trying to touch some stranger’s face in an attempt to try and wipe it away.

So many women have a problem finding the right shade of foundation and with so many choices out there, I’m not surprised. I’ve decided to break down the basics of foundation and how to find the right formula/shade for you. It is looking like this will be a 2 part post, so for the first one, I’m going to focus on the different formulas and how they work.

First, I would recommend figuring out your skin type. One way to tell (keep in mind I’m not a dermatologist) is with this little experiment: Wash your face and wait at least an hour before applying moisturizer.

When the hour is up examine your face. Is it oily and shiny all over? You are probably an oily skin.
Shiny only in the T-Zone and dry on the cheeks? You are a combination skin.
No shine at all and you face is screaming for moisture? You have dry skin.

So when it comes to picking out a formula, keep your skin type in mind.
If you have Oily Skin: look for a foundation that is oil-free or that has oil-controlling properties.
If you have Dry Skin: look for a foundation that is hydrating or moisturizing.
If you have Combination Skin: I would determine whether you are more oily or dry and and go from there. Note: Oil-free is not always the best choice for combination skin.

Liquid, Cream, Powder or Mineral…

Liquid Foundations: Liquid foundations are the most abundant and tend to have the most color choices. They come in a variety of different formulas for All Skin types and the amount of coverage you desire. Liquid foundations can be layered so you can apply a thin layer for sheer to medium coverage or “build it up” for maximum coverage. They can be applied with a sponge, brush or your (clean) fingers and most liquids should be set after with a light dusting of powder. Keep in mind that a lot of today’s liquids are meant to let your skin breathe and show through so if you have a lot of discoloration liquids may not give you the coverage you are looking for.

Cream and Cream to Powder Foundations: Most cream foundations offer medium to heavy coverage and usually work best on Normal/ Combination Skin. A cream foundation is usually applied with a brush or sponge and if it doesn’t dry to a powder, it will also need a light dusting of setting powder. Cream to Powder foundations are applied the same way, but don’t need a setting powder as they set with a powder finish. Oily Skins may have problems with cream foundations staying in place and will have to touch up frequently. Dry Skins can benefit from creams but beware as they travel into fine lines easier than liquid and can look streaky on the skin if it is not properly moisturized.

Powder Foundations: I know I will have a lot of people disagreeing with me on this but I feel that powder foundations only really work on Normal, poreless, perfect skin. That’s not to say that they are bad in any way, powder foundations are easy, quick and are usually portable so touching up is a breeze. If you want maximum coverage, powder is the way to go as it will cover up everything and that is one of my problems with it. Powder foundations are applied with a brush or a sponge and cover the skin so completely you must rely on the rest of your make up to bring the color back into your face. Powder foundations are a big no-no for Dry Skin, it will only make you look drier and Oily Skins will lift it right off of their face with one touch (StudioFix users, ‘fess up you know this happens).

Mineral Foundations: Mineral foundations are all the rage right now and when if comes to deciding on if it’s time to switch the only thing I can tell you is that you have to try it on. Mineral foundations, loose powder that is buffed on with a brush offer various coverage options and can give excellent coverage with only a small amount of product. Mineral foundations are safe for All Skin Types and are offering more and more color choices as they get more popular. Here is what I’ve found with mineral foundations: they either work for you or they don’t and you will be able to tell right away. I worked in a store that had 3 different mineral foundations and it was the same for all of them either it looks fantastic right off the bat OR it looks dry and your pores look bigger than ever no matter what your skin type is.

Hope that this helps answer any questions you may have about the different types of foundations out there. My next post will be about choosing the right shade and make up counter etiquette so if you have any questions for me, please leave them in the comments.