You probably need less foundation than you think you do. (In fact, you may not even need foundation at all just some well-blended concealer, set with powder, as you'll see.) Too much foundation is ageing. And old-fashioned. End of story...
The ultimate secret with foundation is to find your perfect shade, so that it works to conceal flaws and lightly even out skin tone, while letting your own skin show through. But application techniques help, too. So here are the best secrets we've ever learned.
Never apply base/concealer to unmoisturised skin -and try to leave 10 minutes, or more, between applying moisturiser/primer/eye cream and making up. If you can't do that, the trade-off is that your make-up may not stay put for as long. (Also, we find that make-up just looks so much better if you can find that vital time between moisturising and pulling on base: everything seems to settle down.)
Up close particularly in magnifying mirrors everything from open pores or broken veins to blackheads and wrinkles looks like a flaw, and is therefore a prime candidate for "erasing" with, concealer or foundation. But caution! Andrea Horwood, spokeswoman for the Australian brand Becca, which boasts - hurrah! an amazing 20 shades of concealer, advises: 'Never use a magnifying mirror to apply base or concealer, or you'll be tempted to slap it all over. Instead, stun11 about two feet away from an ordinary mirror and observe from there, dabbing base or concealer where it seem needed from that distance. Then go close to the mirror to blend. Remember: very few people see you up that close.' (And if they do. you're probably already in a clinch and they won't give a damn.)
Some professionals swear by make-up sponges to apply foundation but we're with make-up artist Mary Greenwell on this one: fingers warm the foundation as you work, and are less fiddly. (They can also be cleaned more easily.) One rule: always wash, your hands well before applying make-up, for hygiene's sake.
If you're going to apply foundation with fingers rather than a sponge, Barbara Daly advises putting a small amount on the bark of your hand. then picking up what you need as you go along. "That way you won't overload your skin.".
For really quick application, though, try a synthetic foundation brush Prescriptives and Make Up For Ever both make them. You dab foundation on with the brush where you need it, then pat it into skin with fingers, delivering amazing results.
"You'll almost certainly need two shades of foundation and concealer in your 'wardrobe' - one for summer, one for winter. At changeover of seasons, you can custom-blend the two in the palm or on the back of your hand. veins. We know countless women who swear by Yves Saint Laurent Touehe Eclat Railiant Touch for under-eye circles, which works by 'bouncing" light off the face but when applied to spots, it simply draws attention to them.
To disguise spots, Trish McEvoy recommends using a stiff concealer brush to apply a dab of concealer 'on the tip of the pimple not the sides,' she says. "Blend in using your finger, palling the edges till they blur with skin." (You can use a Q-tip for this, if you prefer, but the warmth of fingers enhances blend ability.)
