Adjusting Your Foundation to Perfection

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Some things I’ve learned about myself are that I just don’t like tomatoes, no matter how many times I try them. It drives me mad when people don’t close the toilet lid. And I’m probably never going to be a minimalist. The concept is nice, but mainstream minimalism just isn’t for me in this moment. However, I do actively try to keep what I own under control by constant de-clutters.

It’s no shock that I’m a total makeup junkie. While I don’t have nearly as much makeup as some, I definitely have mounds more than most. I’ve been trying to familiarize myself with … well … me — my makeup preferences, what I like and what I don’t — instead of hopping on every trend and new release that comes about. In recent de-clutters, I’ve noticed I’m cutting out a lot of my foundations. Reason A is because I’ve shied far away from full coverage foundations, and those are getting passed along. Reason B, is I don’t actually need them. I have ways of making one foundation work for me in a variety of ways.

That’s what I want to hit today: adjusting your foundation. Because there are ways to gets a more dewy or matte finish, a lighter of fuller coverage, and even multiple colors with just one foundation product. You just have to get a little creative (or savvy with the tools you already have in your arsenal).

Start with a neutral foundation, like the Teint Idole Ultra Wear Foundation from Lancome. It’s not really matte, but it’s not dewy either. It gives you a very natural finish on the skin. The coverage is also a medium, yet buildable, coverage.

So, you want lighter coverage.

On an everyday basis, I tend to prefer a foundation to be very light on my skin, allowing my freckles and minor blemishes to show through (those I usually cover with a dab of concealer later). And while I have a few different foundation to fit various needs/wants, you don’t have to have an entire bottle dedicated to light coverage.

• Dilute the foundation with moisturizer: Mixing the product with a moisturizer will take down the opacity and help makeup blend onto your skin more seamlessly. It turns it into an almost tinted moisturizer consistency (i.e.: more sheer).
• Use a beauty sponge: One of my favorite ways to get a lighter coverage is simply by using a beauty sponge. Sponges, like the beautyblender, absorb a bit of the product as you bounce it into your skin. The sponge’s absorption mixed with the water that’s in the sponge will sheer it out, giving your lighter coverage.
• Apply from the inside out: This doesn’t necessarily change the opacity of the makeup, but it does create a lighter looking face of makeup. Most people’s redness and enlarged pores are in the center of their face (around the nose and chin). By starting there and blending outward, most of the coverage stays in the problematic area.

So, you want more coverage.

Generally, applying foundation with your fingers gives you the most natural level of coverage. And as we said, applying with a sponge can create a lighter coverage base. But how do you add coverage to a foundation?

• Break out the buffing brush: I find applying makeup with a brush tends to provide a fuller coverage finish. As opposed to sponges that absorb oil and your fingers that use heat the melt the makeup into your skin, a brush is pretty disconnected. So most of the makeup ends up on your skin.
• Invest in pigment drops: Pigment drops, like Cover FX’s Custom Enhancer Drops can be used for a multitude of alterations. You can alter the color of a foundation, create your own tinted moisturizer, or increase coverage. Find a shade that works for you, and add 1-4 drops, depending on the amount of coverage you’re after.

So, you want a glowy finish.

Hydrated, glowy, and natural skin is always on trend.

• Beauty Blender for the win: On days I want a dewy complexion, I immediately reach for a sponge. The extra moisture mixes with the foundation to create a naturally dewy effect on the skin.
• Mix in an illuminator: Liquid illuminating products like Becca’s Backlight Priming Filter or FAB’s Coconut Smoothie Primer and a luminosity to the skin that I love when worn alone. But mixed in with foundation, the glow peeks through the color in the most beautiful way.
• Use a beauty oil: Beauty oils are one of my hidden loves in the beauty world. Don’t be afraid of them. Applied before makeup application, or even mixed in with the foundation, the oil will hydrate and moisturize the skin, creating a natural and dewy finish.

So, you want a matte finish.

We all know using a powder will mattify your makeup. But why put on more makeup if you don’t have to?

• Use a brush: A dry brush doesn’t contain any moisture to interfere with the makeup. So when you want a matte finish, a brush is the way to go.
• Find a mattifying primer: Mattifying primers are designed for oil control, so using one beneath makeup will make sure the oils stay beneath the primer, instead of in your foundation. Most mattifying primers also help diminish the appearance of pores and smooth the skin’s texture as well. Double win.
• Blot before makeup application: Everyone knows about blotting the skin throughout the day to keep oils at bay. But blotting the excess oils from your face before applying makeup will allow your skin to have a more matte finish prior to makeup application.

So, you bought the wrong shade.

I mean, of course you could always return the product and exchange it for your correct shade. But sometimes stores won’t take back used makeup, and sometimes you just don’t want to go through the hassle (been there). Luckily, there are quite a few ways to alter the shade of makeup you’re working with.

• Grab your moisturizer: As mentioned before, mixing a foundation with moisturizer will lessen opacity, which makes the foundation blend seamlessly onto the skin. The downside to this is that the moisturizer will also sheer out the product a bit, removing some of the coverage.
• Use a corrector: There are so many pro products now that allow makeup artists to change the undertones and colors of makeup. Whether you need to lighten, darken, or even add more of a pink or olive undertone to your foundation, try a corrector made exclusively for customizing foundation. Be warned that a little of these products goes a long way.
• Mix it with another foundation: Grab a foundation that will suit your needs–either something lighter than the product you’re working with or something that is a shade match. Experiment with different amounts until you’re able to reach the desired color. On the bright side, if the second foundation has something to offer (like better coverage or a different finish), you can create your perfect foundation.

 

I hope these tips were helpful! I now it’s frustrating when your foundation doesn’t quite match the “look” you’re going for. But a little creativity goes a long way.

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