I believe majority of people need to educate themselves in what they are actually looking for in order to help the artist. This will in turn help you get exactly what you're looking for. Majority of the time you may not know what you are looking for therefore the artist will struggle to advise you.
First of all know what your skin type is.. it won't be the same as your best friend, your mum or your sister. It is simple to detect what type of skin you have. Do you find your makeup clogs in certain areas? or you have to moisturise more then most to achieve smooth skin.. this is a dry skin type. Do you find you have a shiney t- zone, or makeup slides off your face. Does your face feel greasey to touch? this is more towards an oily skin type. Then combination is a bit of both, most commonly and oily t-zone and then dry patches. Don't be afraid to say you don't have problematic skin, you're one of the lucky few who has good skin, this just means you have more choice of foundations. Once you know you're skin type it will become a lot easier to find a foundation as it will elimate a lot of others which won't be suitable.
Next is what sort of finish you would like out of your foundation. Most commonly an oily skin type will opt for a matte finish and a dry skin for a dewy finish. This isn't always the case are there are no rules, you just need to know what you want so you can be advised towards the right product. For example if an oily skin type wants a dewy finish, you could use an oil control lotion teamed with a oil free foundation and then a liquid highlighter could be added after to give that extra radiance. There is also a semi matte finish available. A satin finish is popular for a more mature skin. Don't be fooled in thinking there is limited options when concerning a finish, just think of how you would like your skin to look. I have dry skin, I am aware of this so exfoliate and moisturise in order to keep it in good condition, yet I feel even when my skin is well hydrated it is slightly dull looking, therefore I opt for a foundation with a dewy finish and for a night out I mix in a liquid highlighter to give me that extra sunkissed glow.
Coverage is one of the things people most struggle with. This is how much of your skin you want to see through the foundation. For example if you have freckles a sheer coverage will mean you can still see them, if you want to conceal them you would opt for a full coverage. I am a firm believer in wearing a sheer to medium coverage for the day time. I find majority of young girls I meet especially late teens and early twenties choose a full coverage foundation because they get the odd break out and blemish. That is concealers job. If you have good skin, yet have the odd blemish full coverage isn't necessary. I understand it is what you feel most confident in, yet if you wear full coverage in the day in bright lights and to the naked eye it can sometimes look obvious and heavy. I prefer to have a more natural coverage in the day so my skin looks different in the day time then it does when I'm on a night out. Sheer coverage looks more natural, medium will give you extra coverage and can be built up over any problematic areas. A full will look the least natural- this is best for those who have a problematic skin, acne or scarring. Remember coverage can also be altered by how you apply the foundation, using your hands will give you less coverage, application using a brush will give you more and when using a sponge you will get the most coverage from the foundation.
The final thing isn't important to a lot of people, yet some have a preference, so i thought i would include it.. It is the form in which your foundation comes in. Some people prefer a liquid or definitely don't want a cream. Consider this when foundation shopping as this can eliminate some options. I personally don't have a preference and I mainly use liquid, yet I have started to wear a lot of cream foundations lately, there is also a powder which again is more popular with a more mature skin type. With me saying I don't have a preference I must admit I am yet to find a mousse foundation which I really like.
Foundation is such an important thing as it is the base of your whole look, therefore spend time working out what it is you want, try as many testers and samples you can. I have tried lots over the years and there are some I like over others and I have a few firm favourites, I will always keep looking and testing others (possibly due to the nature of my job.) What works for your friend may not necessarily be right for you, so try as many as you can, most counters offer sample pots or testers. I believe a foundation is like a perfume, what is nice on one person may not suit someone else and what isn't your style might be someone elses favourite. Once you realise it's a personal choice and hopefully this blog will help you to discover what exactly it is you want from your foundation your are better equipped to ask for help and the advisor is able to choose the best product for you.
Remember the answer to the questions; what coverage? what is your skin type? and what finish? is never tanned/brown. Let the advisor match your colour and you can always lighten or darken with the use of powders. It is essential you get the right shade to match your skin. If you want it to match your false tan, wear the tan on the day of your match.
Fair of Face x
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