Flawless Foundation

Beauty: Devine Complexions

By Christine Lewy Licensed Esthetician

With an array of products, finishes and coverage, it can be hard to know which foundation formula is best for your skin. Wearing foundation should look like your skin but to a better effect, giving you a second-skin finish that’s good for skin health and looks oh-so natural — even at the fullest coverage.
Want to achieve flawless foundation? Follow these four steps.

1. Prime Your Skin. Create your own perfect complexion canvas with a primer. Often skipped, it’s the most important step as it delivers a smooth, uniform surface, filling in fine lines and imperfections, while extending the wearability of your foundation.If your foundation shows a lot of smudging, creasing or disappears altogether, adding a primer to your makeup routine will make a noticeable difference!
   A little primer can go a long way. Most formulas, like my favorite, GLO Face Primer, or the new GLO Oil-Free Tinted Primer SPF 30 can be applied with a liquid foundation brush or with the fingers in small sections. But note, if you get breakouts, opt for a synthetic brush for application.
   Pro Tip! Use primers with dimethicone — a silicone-based polymer that has a silky texture, plus antioxidants and hydrators. This conditions and protects the skin against water loss or free-radical damage, and minimizes the appearance of fine lines.
2. Choose and Apply Your Foundation. Whether powder, liquid or cream, full to sheer coverage, your formula with a true color match can be found at Divine Complexions. Applying foundation flawlessly is greatly influenced by your brush. Make sure you have a great foundation brush in your kit, like the Angled Complexion Brush or Dual Foundation Brush. Whether you’re using a powder or liquid, the brush’s bristles and shape are designed to apply that texture seamlessly. A good rule of thumb: The looser the bristles feel, the looser the texture/coverage will be. To apply a liquid or cream foundation, you’ll be looking for tightly packed brush or even a blending sponge.
   Pro Tip! Excellent lighting wherever you’re applying your foundation will help you blend and buff out the product evenly, without leaving patches or the dreaded jawline streak.
3. Add Concealer. After applying foundation, you’ll likely find the coverage is already hiding any unwanted blemishes, redness or hyperpigmentation, but you may need a boost to correct and camouflage, especially for sheer textures or under the eye.
   Pro Tip! Remember, less is more, and if you add the concealer after the foundation, you’ll need a lot less product for a more natural look! Concealers aren’t just about covering up; concealer can also be used to highlight certain areas.
4. Set the Complexion. Another skipped step in our time-pressed lives is setting your look with a mineral setting powder or a hydrating mist. It makes a difference! Using a setting product means your foundation will stay in place all day and the coverage won’t fade so fast. Designed for weightless coverage and shine reduction, these products take makeup from finished to flawless! My favorite for dry to combo skin is Glo Skin Beauty Luminous Setting Powder; for oily skin, Glo Skin Beauty Perfecting Powder.
   

Need help finding your perfect foundation or have further questions about products? Find me and my team of makeup professionals at Divine Complexions.