It’s hard not to impulse buy when we’re shopping for make-up, what with being girls and all. But one time we must really have our wits about us is when shopping for foundation. The amount of people I know wearing the wrong shade and texture is jaw dropping when it’s so simple to pick your right shade, all you have to do is know what to look for.
Ok, first thing’s first. What every girl should know is that the people working behind the make-up counters are not there to help you; their primary goal is to sell the product. Now I’m not saying that all employees of make-up brands are evil and unhelpful, but logically they don’t want to lose a sale by telling you to shop at the next counter because they will have a better suited foundation. Of course not and to think so is delusional. They want to sell their product. So if you go in and try on three foundations that all look awful on you, they without fail will tell you one looks amazing. So trust your instincts ladies, if it doesn’t look right to you, don’t buy it.
They will also inevitably tell you how the foundation won’t have the desired effect without the matching concealer and powder. FALSE. Once again, they want to sell a product, no more. They more products they link, the more commission they receive. This also applies to the lower end products that have matching labels. One good product does not mean you must buy them all!
Also, when choosing a colour, don’t let them choose it for you. Research your own skin tone before you go in there. My advice is to begin with a shade you think will be far to light and work your way darker. You want the foundation to blend completely into your skin, not to be a shade darker. Remember, if just your face looks like it was in Spain for two weeks it’s not really gonna be a good look.
When choosing your foundation colour, you want to test it on your jawline between your ear and chin and blend this slightly into the neck. If it disappears, it’s your shade. Trust me, as a make-up artist, get the colour that disappears into your skin tone. You can always darken it up with bronzer! That goes for foundation that’s too light also, I know a few girls who are so afraid of looking orange they dive to the opposite end of the spectrum which is just as bad. You want to look fresh and alive, not like a cheetoh or a corpse.
And finally, if you find a foundation you think you will like, apply it to your whole face. Walk around for half an hour then come back and see how it held up. Seriously, you won’t know what you’re actually buying unless you do this. This step is especially important for the higher-end products as you could be spending a lotta dosh on something that fades off or goes patchy. Ask for a sample for a couple of days if you’re bold enough, but I am yet to come across someone who is willing to provide this.
Then, and ONLY then should you buy your foundation. If you follow these steps you and your foundation will live happily ever after in the world or false flawlessness.
Be wary girls, but don’t go in giving the make-up assistants the stink eye all day, that’s just weird.
Aila Maritz xox
loved this post! i'm "one of the girls" who goes the opposite way and buys super light foundation cause the orange look is just horrific. i really don't even know why companies make orange shades. I can't think of any ethnicity that would look good with orange on their face! I've tried to buy foundation from clinique and it seems like everytime i get a dud with the formula and the color. and of course my skin color changes each season! so foundation is not my forte! lately I've found it easier to buy concealer and just use it as foundation. For some reason, I picked better matching concealer colors! or maybe they're just made less orangey. anyway, thanks for posting!
ReplyDeleteHey, sorry I only saw this comment just now! You know, you are probably better off with the concealer, foundation shades are Satan's work and trying to find the right one on a budget is no less than a living nightmare! If you are using concealer, I would recommend putting it on with your fingers or brush or whatever you use, and blending it out with a damp sponge, those really cheap ones you can buy anywhere a dime a dozen. It really works, I do this myself sometimes too! Thanks so much for your comment =)
ReplyDeletexox