Finding the perfect foundation can be a daunting task. And each season there are new brands, new colours and plenty of options available, which is where the confusion lies. Editor Trudi Brewer says it's not just the shade you need to consider it's the formulation to suit your lifestyle. Here she shares the tips and tricks on how to shop your best makeup match.
A foundation is an unsung hero in your beauty routine, why? It’s not just a tint of colour; it's the skin’s barrier to environmental damage, thanks to the addition of antioxidants and SPF protection that is present in most good quality makeup formulas today. Finally, don’t ever be afraid to try new formulas, don’t wear the same foundation for life. Technology changes daily, so what you may love about your foundation today might be different each season. Here’s how to find your match as well as some of the latest innovations.
How to find the perfect colour match
Always test the colour on your face, the jawline is ideal. You do not want your face to appear darker than your neck, which is why the jawline is the right spot. Make sure you check the colour match in natural light to check the colour match, the perfect colour for you should disappear into your skin.
Nude by Nature 100% Natural Luminous Sheer Foundation, $45.
Nude by Nature 100% Natural Luminous Sheer Foundation, $45.
It's ideal for natural cosmetic lovers, a sheer liquid foundation that offers a light to medium coverage with 100 per cent natural ingredients. These include Kakadu plum, Lilly pilly, green tea, and the moisture magnet hyaluronic acid. There are five shades.
How to find your forever foundation
To make sure the colour suits your skin tone, look at the veins in your wrist if they appear green; you probably have a warm undertone. If they look teal (a mixture of blue and green), you have a cool or neutral undertone. Some beauty brands take the guesswork out of searching by marking cool-toned foundations marked with a C, warm-toned foundations with a W and N for neutral.
By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra-Foundation, $106.
This newbie is a good example of makeup with great skincare benefits. Ultra-hydrating, it's packed with hyaluronic acid, so it keeps your skin nourished for hours. The vegan-friendly formula also has built-in 'skin fit technology' that ensure longevity from the lightweight, SPF 30 coverage. There are 14 shades.
By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra Foundation, $106.
My best application tips
Getting a seamless coverage is your goal with any foundation finish. I like to apply foundation with my fingers; this helps warm the liquid makeup before you use it. Add a few dots on the centre of the face, and then blend outward. To give skin a buff to blend any hard lines with a clean powder brush.
Shiseido Synchro Skin Glow Cushion Compact, $59.
Shiseido Synchro Skin Glow Cushion Compact, $59.
A glow-enhancing compact you can use fingers, a brush or a sponge to apply. The built-in 'responsive sensory technology' means this makeup adapts to your skin's condition, day or night. The SPF 23, and skin-smoothing antioxidants such as St John's wort, and wild thyme, protect the skin from environmental damage. Finally, it's the 'glow enhancing powders' combined with a 'time match powder,' which blurs imperfections and controls shine. There are eight shades.
My top trans-seasonal foundation tip
We all have a drawer full of foundations. To use up those not-quite-right foundations, blend them with your regular moisturiser or face oil to create a hydrating, tinted moisturiser that blends into your skin seamlessly.
Estèe Lauder Futurist Hydra Rescue Moisturizing Makeup SPF 45, $78.
Along with ion-charged water, probiotic technology, algae, sunflower, cucumber and chia-seed extracts, Argireline (firms the skin and stimulates your natural collagen production), while jojoba esters, and hydrating sodium hyaluronate, (a derivative of the moisture magnet hyaluronic acid) make this the ideal makeup for anyone with redness or dehydrated skin. There are 16 shades.
Estèe Lauder Futurist Hydra Rescue Moisturizing Makeup SPF 45, $78.
How to get that no-makeup, yet flawless look to your finish
Don't erase the look of your natural skin; only cover imperfections with makeup. A mask of foundation can make you look older, not younger. Less is more with foundation and if you need extra coverage, dab concealer on top.
Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Liquid Concealer, $60.
Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Liquid Concealer, $60.
While this is not a foundation, technically this concealer delivers brilliant coverage just like foundation. The brand calls the finish ‘undetectable’, it’s also long-wearing, crease-proof and covers dark circles, blemishes, age spots and hyperpigmentation. It has a weightless, powder base that fills an uneven skin tone but won’t settle in fine lines - and the white tea extract helps calm redness. Of course, it’s vegan and cruelty-free. There are 22 shades.