The Importance of Choosing a Proper Foundation: Makeup 101

Choosing a foundation can be tricky. Most women have a hard time even picking the correct color for their skin tone, much less the proper brand and coverage their looking for. But a proper foundation is key to the even tone and texture of your makeup. Your foundation is the base that the rest of your makeup will rest on, hence the name.

The most common misconception of foundation is that the color should match that of your face, when in fact the best matched foundation will blend with the color of your neck. This allows the foundation to not only provide adequate coverage on your face but to bring the color down slightly past your jaw line and blend into your neck. Eliminating those unsightly lines of demarcation. In addition, when choosing the correct color steer clear of those pinky tones. Most women have a more yellow to olive skin tone and the chances that a pink based foundation will match is highly unlikely.

Next, picking the type of foundation that's best for you. This is based very much on personal preference, however, there are a few things to keep in mind before you try the whole store. First of all, always remember, you get what you pay for! Second, consider how long you wear your makeup a day. Are you a nine to five worker? Do you cleanse your face and re-apply before you go out or will you makeup be on all day and night? These questions are important because some brands make foundations that will last 12- 14 hours while others begin to disappear 6 hours after application.

And last but not least, consider you skin type, tone and texture before you buy a foundation. Brands such as "L'oreal" and "Almay" have specific foundation products for skin that is prone to breakouts and blemishes as well as foundations for aging, dry, or oily skin. These special foundations can prove useful to obtain that healthy glow you are looking for. In addition, foundations made for blemish prone skin typically include a small amount of acne medication; so your skin has a chance to heal while your makeup is on.

After spending so much time picking the proper foundation, it's key to apply that foundation correctly. Use a makeup sponge when applying foundation onto the skin. Some women like to use their index and middle finger for application, however, this leaves too much foundation in one place. Using a makeup sponge whether it be square, triangle, or round (based on your preferences) allows for the foundation to be applied to the skin evenly and not be smeared.

Just one last reminder, remember to blend, blend, blend! Your face and neck should not have a line where the foundation ends.