SEVEN FOUNDATION MISTAKES TO AVOID

Where I live, we have this ridiculous misapprehension where some say makeup makes you look utterly unattractive by concealing your natural beauty. I know, right? This sounds absolutely gibberish to us makeup literates. What they fail to comprehend is that "right kind of makeup" will magnify the beauty God has blessed them with. 

Incorrect foundation application is a major makeup faux pas. Foundation makes a massive difference in overall makeup. To understand the right technique of achieving a flawless face, you should stay clear of the seven blunders that I am going to discuss below. 

Nothing to be embarrassed about, most people make this mistake, even I did. I tell you nobody stays happy in this world. While most white beauties struggle to look more tanned, us medium skinned ladies wish they could be whiter and more western-looking. If you’re someone with that set of mind, chances are you’ll pick a much lighter shade of foundation in an attempt to look fair. DON’T DO THAT! You don’t want to end up looking as if you’re wearing a mask, do you? A wrong shade can make your makeup detectable and unnatural. 

Go for a shade that matches your skin tone exactly. While choosing a shade, apply some on your jaw line and blend. If your foundation is visible and you can see a lighter or a darker patch then it’s just not the right shade for you. Pick a shade that blends seamlessly with your skin and nobody can tell if you’re wearing foundation at all. 

We have another problem at hand. Unfortunately, we are not blessed with expert sales assistants standing at makeup counters in Pakistan. They will misguide you mostly. Don’t listen to them. Bring a friend/sister along to help in deciding the right color for you. Also, don’t be fooled by the lights around you. Go outside and check yourself in the mirror in natural light. That’s the only way you can be 100% sure of your match.

I don’t really understand the desire for picking a full coverage foundation. I get plenty of emails by girls wanting to suggest a full coverage foundation. If you’re not a model or working for TV, you don’t need heavy coverage on your face. Brides require full coverage since like models and celebrities; they have to spend time under lights and look absolutely flawless for that one night of their lives. For a daily use, light to medium coverage is just about enough. 

There are other things to consider too. 

Dry/Normal skin type
You need something to hydrate your face. Steer clear of anything that enhances dryness on your face. In your case, a liquid foundation especially made for your skin is the one you should be looking for. For a light and easy coverage, tinted moisturizers or BB creams will do.

Combination/Oily skin type
You too can wear a liquid foundation but be careful to pick one formulated for your skin that would help prevent excessive oil at bay. Go for a powder foundation – preferably mineral based – if liquid feels heavy. 

There are many other types out there too (cream, mousse, mineral). Remember to select a texture that works for your skin.

We Pakistani’s generally have a warm skin tone i.e. either we have peach or golden undertones. A general rule of thumb is to pick a yellow-based foundation. There’s a myth going around among Pakistani girls that wearing a pink based foundation will make you look bright and pink. That’s not true! Applying a pink based foundation on warm skin may end up looking ashy. Even if you have picked the right shade of foundation but with wrong undertone, it will just look off on you.

You want a pinky glow? Pink based foundation is not your answer. You just need a pink blusher and a highlighter. In case you want an instant radiance, pick a pink-hued corrector/primer to vanish dull, sallow skin.

In an effort to look impeccable, you can easily over do foundation and end up looking like a “cake face”. This can also clog pores and create skin problems. Use a concealer to hide any imperfections on your face.

Whether it’s a cosmetic sponge, your fingers or a kabuki brush, it doesn’t matter what you choose to apply your foundation with. The key is to blend your foundation properly. Not blending properly ends in making a visible demarcation line across the jaw that looks horrible. Start by applying on one side of the face to the other and blending all the way to the neck and hair line. Skipping the neck is a bad idea; you don’t want your face looking different than your neck. 

Always moisturize before wearing foundation. This will help foundation go on smoothly without clinging to the dry parts of your face. There’s a myth that if you have an oily skin, you don’t need to moisturize. That’s incorrect! Even oily skin needs its share of hydration. If you keep on stripping off oil from your skin using those oil-busting products all the time, you may over activate your sebaceous glands (oil producing glands) resulting in even more oil floating on your face. 

Primers too help in smooth application. Not just that, it also prevents your foundation from getting oxidized i.e. changing color or turning dull. There are two types of primers in the market; hydrating and mattifying. Get one according to your skin’s need.

Setting is as important as priming and moisturizing. To lock in your foundation, set it with a translucent powder. It will not just keep your makeup from sliding off your face but also make it look less shiny and natural. 


Avoiding the seven foundation errors that I just mentioned will make a world of difference in your makeup application believe me.