Picking The Right Foundation

Many of us in Sri Lanka suffer from having our makeup melt off or get super oily real fast. And we have all been victims of having blotchy, creased and runny foundation. But there are ways to stop that from happening even in this hot weather and I’ve got you covered!

I know most of you have trouble choosing a foundation that is the right finish or the right colour or the right consistency etc. It’s one of the most frequently asked questions I get. So here are some tips to finding the right foundation for you and also my 4 top picks for foundation that I use regularly! They are all matte finish. So it’s mostly for oily to normal skin types. Also I prefer a liquid foundation over a powder or mousse foundation. So this article is centered around liquid foundations.
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Something that will help you last your makeup longer and also keep it matte and oil free is a good primer. I’d suggest anyone to go out and get yourself a primer and this will not only help you not get all creasy and oily but it will also act as a shield or a barrier between your skin and all that makeup that you put on. Putting on a primer before your foundation will benefit you in many ways and there are primers that have different functionalities. For example there is mattifying primers, pore minimizing primers, colour correcting primers and even dewy finish primers according to what your specific need is.
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That been said let’s move on to actually finding you a foundation that fits you!!!
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Obviously when buying expensive makeup you don’t want to realize after wearing it a couple of time that it’s either too dark for you or too light. And this is a mistake we’ve all made in the past one time or another. Well couple of things;
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• Always check the colour on your jaw line usually that’s the best way to match, not on your wrist. Also if you can step outside the store for a minute and look at the colour under sunlight- this will give you the best idea.
• Try as many colours as you can, seriously don’t just settle. I know sometimes at the store like the attendants keep starring at you and kind of making you feel uncomfortable but forget them. Take your time when choosing what you want when you’re paying good money for it. Unlike a wrong shadow colour or even blush colour you may never be able to use it again if it’s wrong when it comes to foundation

I know this seems like “duh” but you really need to think about this one. Do you have oily, normal or dry skin! Seriously think! Cause I have oily skin but since I use so many products like face washes and creams meant for oily skin and to get rid of oily skin now my skin seems like normal or even dry. But I still go for still matte finish foundation. If you really are confused someone working at the store may be able to help you.
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Tip: good thing with matte finish foundations are that if u ever want a dewy finish u can always add some illuminator like NARS, MAYBELLINE Lumi, NYX or even MAC Strobe cream to your foundation when applying  and voilà you have instant glow!

Coverage depends completely on you. Your preference! Mainly depends on two things;

1. How much marks/fine lines/pimples/pigmentation do you wanna cover?
2. How comfortable are you with make up on your face. Some people are completely fine with thick consistency and some like lightweight. So again depends what you are comfortable with.

So before you go to the store figure out the above last two points. Then you know what you need before you go. And then you can stroll around for different brands and colours etc.

One major tip: when you are going to buy your foundation, go with a lot of time on your hands. Seriously don’t rush and I know most of you get your makeup when you’re on holiday and want to get to your next attraction or monument quickly, but give yourself enough time to browse around and keep going back and forth when making a decision. Tell your friends/boyfriend/husband/parent to give you like an hour- don’t take them! They will rush you or at least you’ll feel pressure to hurry it up. Have your day of shopping! I like to do it on my own!
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• MAC studio fix fluid : This is a heavy foundation which is full coverage. Recommended for night wear cause in Sri Lanka during the day this could feel a little much and could feel uncomfortable. But it does cover any pigmentation, fine lines and pimples. I love this for a wedding or night out a parting. Will stay on for up to 10 hours in my experience. So if you’re looking for a full coverage formation I’d say go for this! If you need a colour reference I use NW 35Tip: when choosing a colour, know that NC are warmer tones and NW are cooler tones. I know opposite! Confusing yeah, if u have redish skin go for cooler tones! And usually Sri Lankans have yellow under tones and as to why more neutral/yellow tones are better.

 

• Bobbi Brown long wear even finish foundation : Now I love the shades in Bobbi brown because you can really match it for Sri Lankan skin tones. You will be able to find a shade that really is close to our skin colour although they don’t have as many colours as MAC. If it’s the first time going for a high end foundation I’d recommend to go for this- cause it’s easier to match and it’s medium to full coverage. This you can wear even in the afternoon if u like. But I still prefer to wear it at night when it’s slightly cooler. I use the colour warm natural 4.5 it is the PERFECT colour for me! This was the foundation that I wore on my wedding day! So you know I’d recommend it without any reservation! BTW I did my own makeup for my wedding 😉 #braggingrights

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• MAKE UP FOR EVER ultra HD foundation : Now this I use during the day! Go ahead it’s so lightweight and yet covers way more than a bb cream or cc cream. Feels like you’re not wearing any makeup. So this is the one high end foundation that I recommend for those looking for a day look. It’s medium coverage and I love the consistency of it. This is the most recent foundation that I got. I use it in 128 (think it’s a tad bit too dark for me- but I make it work with with a light concealer). This is the new formulation, MAKE UP FOR EVER used to have the HD foundation for a while now but they’ve come up with this new one which is “ULTRA HD’” – supposed to be good for photography and video. So those girls looking to be selfie ready you can go for this.

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MAJOR tip: Whenever you get a foundation that you want for photographs or video get one with NO SPF.

So hope this was helpful. . Comment below if you have any questions or to request for any more articles like this.