What Foundation Should You Use?

Let this photo convince you to airbrush and glow-ify your skin in one step. Your perfect-match product is waiting here. By Kayleigh Donahue Hodes, REDBOOK.


Top foundation tips:


1. Hold your horses! Give your moisturizer at least five minutes to sink in before you put on foundation. Otherwise it can sit on top of your skin and make the foundation pill or cake.

2. Put on too much? It happens. Dampen a makeup sponge and sweep it over your face to fix a foundation overdose. Misting with a hydrating spray and blending with your fingers works too.

3. Pay special attention… to dry skin around your nose or the corners of your mouth: It's like a magnet for foundation to settle into. A gentle go with an exfoliator smooths away flakes and roughness.

Liquid foundation
What it is: This is what most of us think of when we hear "foundation": a fluid base that comes in many finishes--sheer, matte, anything you want.

Related: The 10 Best Cure-All Lip Balms

Why you'll like it: It feels weightless on the skin, is available in formulas from oil-free to moisturizing, and can be layered to get as much coverage as you need.

How to apply: You can use your fingers or a brush, whichever you're most comfortable with. Gita Bass, a makeup artist for Simple Skincare who works with Tina Fey, likes to start from the middle of the face and blend outward. "Then gently pat a damp sponge over it to remove any excess, particularly at the jawline and around the nose," she says.

Our faves: Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation, $62; Rimmel London Match Perfection Foundation, $5.99.

Powder foundation

What it is: There are two kinds, baked and pressed. Baked ones tend to be lighter and have a slightly glowy finish. Pressed ones make your skin matte.

Why you'll like it: They'll give you a shine-free, poreless effect. Anyone can use them, but they're extra-smart for women with oily skin who want to avoid looking shiny. And, of course, they won't leak in your bag.

How to apply: Swirl it on with a powder brush, starting in the center of your face and blending outward. "For a more opaque finish, use a powder puff," says CoverGirl makeup artist Sam Fine, who works with Queen Latifah.

Our faves: MAC Cosmetics Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation, $27; L'Oréal Paris True Match Super Blendable Powder, $10.95.

Related: 10 Facial Oils for Every Skin Type and Concern

Cream foundation
What it is:
Think of it as a denser version of liquid foundation. It comes in compacts and jars and is usually nice and moisturizing.

Why you'll like it: Creams are a quick and easy alternative to liquids, and go on sheer but can be layered where extra coverage is needed. They're particularly great for dry skin, since they won't settle into flakes or dry patches.

How to apply: You can smooth these formulas on with the sponge that comes in the compact or use a foundation brush, but Bass suggests just using your fingers to melt the formula into the skin around your nose and jawline.

Our faves: CoverGirl Clean Whipped Creme Foundation, $8.79; Clinique Even Better Compact Makeup Broad Spectrum SPF 15, $31.

Mineral foundation
What it is:
Mineral foundations are--literally--minerals finely ground up to be used as makeup. They mostly come in powder form, but you can find them in liquids and creams too. If you're jonesing after a truly natural, earth-conscious option, check the packaging: The best ones have very few ingredients at all.

Why you'll like it
: Mineral formulas provide flawless coverage, but your face still feels like it's bare. The finish can be matte or radiant (just look for those words on the box). They are go-to products for sensitive, oily, and breakout-prone skin types, because they're free of ingredients that can irritate or clog pores.

How to apply:
Buff on pressed or loose mineral foundation with a flat-head powder brush. For creams and liquids, your fingertips or a sponge are fine.

Our faves: BareMinerals Matte Foundation SPF 15, $27; Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Talc-Free Mineral Loose Powder, $12.95.

BB cream
What it is:
These major multitaskers have exploded onto the scene (and yes, the name is kinda baffling). In addition to providing light to medium coverage, these creams usually contain moisturizers and sun protection, along with antioxidants or anti-aging or brightening ingredients… or all of the above.

Why you'll like it: Because these products treat wrinkles, even out tone, and mask imperfections all at once, they're a natural choice for a gal who's short on time. Any skin type can use them, but they're not for those who want full, flaw-obliterating coverage.

How to apply: Smooth it on with your hands like you would your face cream-just make sure you really blend along your jawline.

Our faves: Revlon PhotoReady BB Cream Skin Perfector, $10.99; Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 35, $39.

Related: The Spring Skin Regimen Everyone Needs Right Now

Tinted moisturizer
What it is:
Exactly what it says--a moisturizer with a bit of color to the formula, which will subtly tone down minor redness or unevenness.

Why you'll like it: Tinted moisturizer is like a baby step into full-face makeup. It's sheerer than even a BB cream, it really moisturizes, and it doesn't feel like you have anything on. If you want to start small, here's your product.

How to apply: Smooth it on with your hands, just like you would any face cream.

Our faves: Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer, $42; Aveeno Positively Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30, $17.

And for the minimalist: concealer
If you just aren't a full-face-of-makeup person, the pros say a few dabs of concealer can still fake a flawless complexion. "It's about using the right formula in the right spots," says makeup artist Sonia Kashuk, founder of Sonia Kashuk Cosmetics. Here's the three-step process to perfect, barely covered skin.

Step 1: "Choose a shade that's the exact same color as your skin so it completely disappears," says Kashuk. A creamy formula--i.e., one that comes in a tube--is best: We love Lancôme Effacernes Waterproof Protective Undereye Concealer, $30.50. If dark circles are your nemesis, consider getting one that's a shade lighter than your skin as well, just for under your eyes.

Step 2: Prep your skin with moisturizer--concealer will act like a spotlight on dry patches or flakes.

Step 3: Use a small brush to dot concealer on three key places: underneath the eyes (to mask circles), around your nostrils (to cover broken capillaries), and in the crease of your chin. Then blend to connect the dots, using your ring finger, which is weak and won't pull on skin. Start light, blend well, and then step back from the mirror to assess. You can always add more from there.


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