Foundation is the essential ingredient to any great makeup look. Finding the best foundation can be a difficult process, but luckily at Cosmetic Capital we have a wide range of sheer to full coverage foundation, liquid foundation and powder, all available online in Australia to help make your choice easy. Not sure where to start? We recommend trying L’Oreal foundation which are a customer favourite, or Revlon foundation which consistently receive the best reviews, or Maybelline foundation on sale today! At Cosmetic Capital’s online store, you’ll find a complete range of makeup products, from cult brand favourites like elf cosmetics and wet n wild, to sun protection favourites Bondi Sands, as well as lashes from Ardell.
How to apply foundation
Applying foundation perfectly is as much of a skill as any highlight or contour look. When applied well, your foundation will give you a totally new canvas to work your makeup magic on. But if it goes wrong, your look can go really wrong. Here is how to best apply foundation:
#1 Moisturise first
Don’t rush when you need to apply foundation. Cleanse and then moisturise your skin so your foundation won’t settle into lines or crevices in your skin. Give your face around 15 minutes to settle before applying your foundation.
#2 Pick your poison
Coverage and formula come down to personal preference, but make sure you know what you’re trying to achieve.
For coverage, you can choose between Sheer, Medium or Full. If you’re looking for something lightweight without heavy coverage, a Sheer foundation is your answer. A Medium foundation will help even out your skin tone, but won’t cover redness, blemishes or hyper-pigmentation. For those concerns, a Full foundation will provide the most cover.
When it comes to formula, liquid foundations are the more common selection as they suit all skin types, especially dry, while covering the full spectrum of coverage options. If you have normal to dry skin, or mature skin, a cream foundation may be beneficial to you as they can provide more coverage than liquid foundations and don’t settle into fine lines or wrinkles. Powder foundation, meanwhile, is beneficial for combination to oily skin types.
#3 Apply and blend to perfection
Once you have your formula and coverage selected, it’s time to apply your foundation. You can use a beauty sponge, silicone sponge, makeup brush or your fingers to apply your foundation to your face. Each have their own strengths and weaknesses, but a good beauty sponge is generally considered the best way to blend your foundation.
Dampen your sponge with water and dab a few drops of foundation over your forehead, cheeks and chin with your finger. Now, tap your beauty sponge over the dots, blending the foundation out toward your jaw and hairline. Make sure you keep tapping under your chin and jaw to blend all the edges.
#4 Set and forget
Use a finishing powder to set your look in place. You can also use a setting spray (either by itself or after using a finishing powder) to complete your look and ensure it lasts.
Foundations for dry skin
Dry skin can leave you uncomfortable and self-conscious about your skin. So, it’s natural to look to conceal these patches with a foundation. But finding the right foundation for dry skin it very important, as not all foundations are beneficial for dry skin. If you get the coverage or formula wrong, your foundation can actually accentuate the dry skin patches rather than covering them.
When picking your foundation, a Sheer or Medium liquid or cream foundation is the best for those with dry skin. These foundations will give your skin the hydration it needs, while preventing flaking or a cakey look that a full coverage foundation may cause on your skin.
Maybelline and Revlon offer great foundation options that hydrate dry skin while covering imperfections.
Foundations for acne-prone skin
Finding the right foundation for acne-prone skin, or when you’re suffering from a breakout, can be an arduous task. It becomes a fine balancing act between selecting a foundation that offers the coverage you need, but one that doesn’t clog your pores which can cause accentuate the acne concerns.
Foundations that are non-comedogenic are your best friend as they won’t clog your pores. Low concentrations of Salicylic Acid are also helpful in foundations for those with acne-prone skin, as this ingredient removes excess oil and exfoliates dead skin cells.
With this in mind, powder foundations are the best for acne-prone skin, although you can also find liquid foundations that offer similar results.
Physicians Formula, Maybelline and Revlon offer a range of different powder foundations that suit acne-prone skin.
Foundation for sensitive skin
Sensitive skin needs extra care when applying any form of makeup and foundation is no exception. Finding the right foundation can be difficult, as certain ingredients are more likely to cause issues for your skin. Look for foundations that are free of fragrances or potentially skin-irritating ingredients. Instead, find foundations that include aloe vera or hyaluronic acid, which will soothe your skin when applied.
Physicians Formula, wet n wild and LA Girl are well known for providing glam foundations that suit all skin types, including those with sensitive skin.
How to use a foundation brush
If you prefer to use a foundation brush over a beauty sponge, find a brush with synthetic bristles if you are using liquid foundation. If you are using powder foundation, natural bristles are more effective.
Here is how to use a foundation brush when using liquid foundation.
- Put a small amount of foundation on the back of your hand and dip your brush into it.
- Buff the foundation onto you face in circular motions. Make sure to start at the centre of your face and slowly work outwards towards your jaw and hairline.
- Continue the circular motion around key areas that need extra coverage.
- Once you reach your jaw and hairline, your brush should have very little product left on it. Be sure to blend these areas to complete the look.
How to clean foundation brushes
Cleaning your foundation brush requires a small bowl of lukewarm water and a gentle clarifying or baby shampoo. You can also use a Makeup Brush Cleaner instead.
To clean your brush:
- Rinse off any excess makeup with lukewarm water from the brush. Try to focus the water on the bristles rather than near the brush handle as you don’t want to loosen the glue that keeps your brush intact.
- Apply a small amount of shampoo to the brush head and swirl it around the palm of your hand and rinse thoroughly. Keep doing this until the shampoo is white and the water runs clear. You can also use a silicone brush cleaner, as the grooves will provide a more thorough clean.
- Squeeze any excess moisture out of your brush and reshape the bristles with your fingers or a cloth to ensure that your brushes dry in the right shape and don’t become damaged.
- Lay your cleaned brush down flat on a cloth or hard surface and let them air dry for a few hours. Never let your brush dry right side up as water can seep into the brush handle and melt away the glue that keeps your brushes together.
Do you put concealer or foundation on first?
Foundation is almost always applied first before concealer. Foundation works as a concealer, so this helps avoid using unnecessary large amounts of product. Applying concealer first can also cause a cakey look, which no one wants.
The only instances you would apply concealer first is when you are colour correcting for blemishes or scarring. In that situation, apply a thin layer of the colour corrector you are using, before applying foundation.
Do you set your foundation with a powder?
You can use a finishing or setting powder to set your makeup after applying your foundation. Setting powders are primarily used to absorb oil, so are best used by those with oily or combination skin, or if you have previously had issues with makeup bleeding throughout the day.
Setting sprays are more effective in setting makeup for a softer appearance. A setting spray sets all your makeup in place, not just foundation.
Start your foundation shopping online at Cosmetic Capital. Choose from liquid, powder, cream or stick foundations, with sheer, medium or full coverage. Order today and pay later with Afterpay and zipPay.
