03-23-09 | Posted by Wendy Lewis

Share this

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Linkedin

Can’t be bothered to wear foundation? Don’t think you need it? Not wearing foundation or wearing it badly can add instant years to your face.

Many women use the same tired old products for years, even though these may not be the best choices.  The ideal way to minimize imperfections lies in improving your skin as the first step. When your skin is clear and radiant, you have the ultimate foundation. Applying makeup on good skin is a real pleasure. The two go hand in hand – great skin and clever makeup. You can’t really have one without the other. Bad skin and good makeup is just like putting a tiny Band-Aid on a big oozing wound – you can never cover it up sufficiently.

I am a woman who looks after her skin. My life is at my laptop, in my office, or airports and hotels 24/7, and I rarely see the natural light of day. I use all sorts of creams and home treatments, and pop in for lasers and peels a few times a year. Fortunately, I got good skin genes. Yet, even after these advantages, there is a sharp contrast between my face with makeup, and without it.  

For women over 35, makeup takes on a new art form. To soften lines you have to be meticulous about blending your foundation. Adjust the level of coverage for specific regions of your face, and remove any excess with a clean sponge. Avoid using greasy creams where you have the most lines. Foundation primers are usually silicone based and can clog pores. Beware – anything slippery will make foundation migrate and sink into creases.  If you have dry skin, choose a lighter texture with added hydrating ingredients. If you have oilier skin, stick with a matte formula to minimize shine.

No matter how flawless your complexion, a face with the right foundation will always look smoother, and have a more even tone with less redness and blotchiness.  When you get the right foundation, and learn how to use it properly, you will see the difference it makes in your overall look.  You don’t absolutely have to wear foundation every day if you live in the country and spend your days riding horses. As a grown up, you should at least know how to dress up your complexion when you want to put your best face forward.

5 BAD EXCUSES FOR NOT WEARING FOUNDATION

Foundation washes me out – Use a formula in a slightly darker shade to add some pigment and warm you up, and blend around jawline and hairline

Makeup makes me break out – Switch to an oil-free product that won’t cause blemishes or clog pores

It feels too heavy on my skin – Try a tinted moisturizer or mineral based brand that is super light, or use less of the foundation you already have. In a pinch, you can dilute your liquid foundation with some light moisturizing lotion too.

The color never looks right – Choose your shade in natural daylight, or get an exact match that is custom blended and hand mixed just for you at a Prescriptives counter

It doesn’t stay on my skin – Go with a matte formula that stays put and use powder to set all day. Don’t be afraid to cleanse and reapply before you go out for the evening.

 
Don’t rely solely on the SPF in your foundation or tinted moisturizer for all day long protection. The natural oils of your skin will break it down in a few hours, and you’ll be left naked in the sun.

 

Think of foundation as treatment – not just as color makeup. The best foundation looks and feels invisible on your skin.

For me, no amount of money is too much to pay for a formula that really suits your skin and elicits compliments on how good it looks, even from total strangers!

FOR REVIEWS OF THE BEST AND WORST FOUNDATIONS – THE FACE PLACE