Amber has written about fashion and design, beauty, and skin care for several years.

Are Beauty Blenders Worth It?

The debate between whether you should use a beauty blender compared to a brush remains a constant controversy. Some beauty experts swear that a brush is essential, while others claim that a beauty blender is in your best interest for certain products.

Whichever product you choose to use to apply makeup is ultimately up to you. There are a few great things, and some not-so-great things, about both products. Learning about the pros and cons of a beauty blender, how to use a beauty blender, and what products you should be using a blender for can help you decide whether they are right for you.

Pros and Cons of Using a Beauty Blender

There are some great things about using a beauty blender. They’re more convenient for a variety of reasons. However, there are a few downsides that you’ll need to keep in mind before stocking up on your favorite beauty blender.

Pros

Beauty Blenders Don’t Leave Streaks

When applying a liquid foundation with a brush, you’re going to have to deal with streaks. Then, you’ll have to blend in the streaks for a natural look. That isn’t the case when using a beauty blender for application. Instead, you’ll find that it instantly gives you a streak-free finish.

Beauty Sponges Give a Natural Appearance to Makeup

Beauty blenders tend to absorb more product than brushes do. Because of that, they give you a more natural finish as they evenly deposit products all over your skin.

It’s Easier to Fill Your Pores

When you apply makeup, especially face makeup like foundation, you’re jamming the product into your pores. To do this with a brush, you have to essentially stab yourself with the makeup brush to get it down into the pores. Not only is this time-consuming, but it can also get uncomfortable. Beauty blenders naturally push products into the skin as you apply pressure to the sponge to blend, and they aren’t uncomfortable.

They Feel Better on Sensitive Skin

Beauty sponges are nice and soft. While some brushes are designed to be soft, they still don’t compare to the smooth texture of a sponge. If you have sensitive skin, especially around your eyes, using a brush can be uncomfortable.

You Only Need One

When it comes to brushes, you’ll need quite a few of them to complete your makeup routine. If you’re using a beauty blender, you only need one. You can use it for contouring, foundation, concealer, and everything else in your routine if you would like to.

Cons

Sponges Result in You Using More Product

Because makeup sponges absorb more product to distribute it on your skin properly, you’ll find that you use more products when you use them. At the same time, a lot of that product stays on the blender and never makes it onto your skin. When you’re spending close to $50 per bottle of foundation, that isn’t ideal.

They are Harder to Get Clean

Your favorite makeup brush will look new again after you disinfect it. That does not happen when you use a beauty blender. In fact, these are much harder to get clean. If you use them for darker makeup, such as eye makeup, they can be permanently stained. Typically, they’ll never look new again.

Wet Sponges Breed Bacteria

To properly use a beauty blender, you’re supposed to use a damp one to blend products onto the face. This results in a flawless look, but that damp sponge can be a breeding ground for nasty bacteria that can cause acne. It’s gross when you put a lot of thought into it.

You Have to Replace Them More

A good set of makeup brushes that are taken care of can last for years. A beauty sponge is doing great if it lasts for a few months. Even if it lasts until then, you’ll still need to replace them due to bacteria. You wind up spending more money for the little bit of convenience that a beauty blender offers in the long run.

Sponges are Not Very Durable

Sponges will slowly begin to flake and chip over time. After a cleaning session, it’s always iffy as to whether you’ll have a chip in your beauty blender. This means that you need a backup or three just in case it chips in an inconvenient spot.

Which Is Better?

Beauty blenders are more affordable than brushes, but that convenience comes at a cost. You do wind up paying more by replacing them, disinfecting them, and by having to spend more money on makeup products.

They can also grow mold and bacteria if not properly taken care of.

However, they provide an amazing finish for your foundation and feel so much better than a makeup brush when blending.

5 Common Questions About Beauty Blenders

1. Are beauty blenders bad for your skin?

If they are not cleaned after every use, a dirty beauty sponge can slowly collect dead skin cells and harmful bacteria. This bacteria can also get into your makeup, resulting in it finding its way into your pores. Then, it will cause blemishes and breakouts.

2. Can a dirty beauty blender cause acne?

Yes, it can. A beauty blender should be properly cleaned and disinfected after every use. This is because they are the perfect breeding ground for bacteria, which can then make their way onto your face. That’s how a beauty blender can cause acne.

3. How long do beauty blenders last?

Beauty blenders need to be replaced every three months due to bacteria and dead skin cells. They typically last 4-5 months before chipping or cracking. Cheaper beauty sponges are known to last 1-2 months before starting to break.

4. Do beauty blenders get moldy?

Yes, they do. However, this won’t happen if they are cleaned and disinfected after every use. After cleaning a beauty blender, you need to make sure that it is in an open-air space to dry properly. Avoid putting sponges in a dark place, such as your makeup bag. That will encourage mold growth.

5. Do you wash beauty blenders after every use?

Yes! Every time you use a beauty blender, it collects dead skin cells and bacteria. This can grow and cause acne if your beauty blender isn’t cleaned properly. Not only do they need to be cleaned, but they also need to be properly disinfected after every use.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2021 Amber Lynn

Cat is a beauty enthusiast, honoring the essence of natural beauty and supporting informed choices to enhance what mother nature gave us.

Search for the Perfect Foundation

As a teenager, I could slather any old foundation on my face and call it good. Not that it looked good, I just didn't know any better, and the privilege of youth affords us that kind of ignorance. Back then I was just looking for a mask to hide behind. When my mom commented that I looked like a porcelain doll (and this was not a compliment coming from her with her natural, bare skin ways), I was thrilled to look like anything but myself, and I wasn't too particular about how that was accomplished.

I've grown much more particular over the years, and the quality of my skin and makeup matters because my beauty vision is more natural in my 40's, and I want my make up to reflect that. But, it wasn't easy finding the perfect foundation for my maturing skin! I can cut corners on some things but not my skin. And although I was willing to invest in a really great foundation, I found myself spending more than I care to admit on some high-end brands that just looked and felt disgusting.

I once loved matte formulas for their staying power and was quite loyal to one fancy brand in particular, but once I entered my 40's, I couldn't stand how ghostly it made me look! I tried other formulas from the same brand, but every single one failed me. Seriously, every single one. I accidentally found this foundation after finally agreeing to a color match at a salon. I only agreed because it was not an actual person doing the color match (I've never been correctly color matched by a human), but a little handheld device with scientific magic. After my color match, I went home with a sample of three different brands of a similar formula, and every single one of the colors looked amazing. However, it was Urban Decay's Naked that felt and looked more natural. I looked like my skin and didn't settle into tiny lines, like dried paint.

Why I Love Urban Decay's Naked Skin Foundation

I started wearing this foundation when I turned 44, and with the exception of when I had to find a disappointing replacement while traveling, it's the only foundation I've used since then.

I currently live in the Caribbean and use Urban Decay's Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid formula in shade 7.0, which compliments my medium complexion. I used 6.0 when I lived in the mountains and 8.0 when I lived in the desert—when my complexion was slightly darker. Sometimes I mixed the lighter and darker shades together depending on how my skin color changed with the seasons. I love how it doesn't need to be an exact science to achieve a great color when mixing within my three primary shades. I don't have the patience required for exact science, which is why I also don't measure spices. In that respect, this foundation is very kind to me.

I also love this foundation's magical ability to blend into my skin and blur imperfections. It just makes everything look softer and slightly illuminated without the shine factor. Sometimes I desire a slightly more matte finish and will add a light dusting of powder to my t-zone, avoiding under eyes at all costs. It doesn't matter how amazing your foundation or powder is, once you're in your 40's most powder looks frightening.

For me, one of the most lovable things about this foundation is that it's very climate adaptable. It looks the same in dry and humid climates and doesn't make a giant ugly mess when I sweat—which is often because I live in the tropics. Somehow it all just seems to blend together without color streaks or lines. It's like magic.

Pros and Cons

As much as I personally love this foundation and think everyone else should love it too, I understand that it might not be for everyone. Following is a list of pros and cons to consider before purchasing.

Pros:

• The silky formula is easy to apply with fingertips, foundation brush, or sponge.
• The finish is natural and soft with modest illumination.
• It lasts all day without an obvious need to retouch.
• It has simple color selection featuring a mere 18 beautiful colors to choose from (might also be a con).
• The coverage is buildable without looking like icing.
• It has light-diffusing properties.
• It's easy to blend into skin and with another shade.
• It lasts for months because you don't need to pile it on for beautiful results.

Cons:

• At about $40, this foundation does not come drug store cheap.
• It has the potential to get messy if you're packing it around with you.
• It only has 18 shade choices, which some people might find limiting.

Maybe I'm biased, but for my skin and beauty vision, the cons are minor.

This is the only foundation I have found acceptable in the past five years and as of this review. I just learned that it might be discontinued! So, that is disappointing. I'm hoping that isn't true but if so, I will be stocking up.

Evie Sparkes is a published novelist, content writer and company director from the UK.

How to Have Natural-Looking Face

My skin has changed as I've aged. I didn't notice it aging. It just sort of did it overnight. Well, that's how it seemed anyway. I hit 42, and I started to notice every little line and imperfection. They bothered me. They shouldn't have of course. Deep lines are part of us. We earn them with years of laughter if we're lucky. The sun does the rest of the damage, and most of us don't cotton on to the damaging effects of it until much later in life. What we should do is try to maintain our skin much earlier. We wait and then make a huge effort to reverse it!

When we start to show signs of aging, I believe that we should tone down a heavy base and go for something a little more flattering that allows our skin to breath and look like skin.

I have some deep lines around my eyes when I laugh and smile. So with that in mind, a full coverage foundation was just not cutting it for me anymore. My lines were looking way worse than they did before I applied the foundation because it was settling into the creases and drawing attention to them in a big way.

What Is the Best BB Cream for More Mature Skin?

BB creams quickly made an impact on the beauty world thanks to a successful combination of skincare and other beauty benefits. Some companies simply refer to them as balms, but the general idea behind these creams is that they provide hydration, SPF protection, and sheer coverage, thus preventing the need for separate products. That's the official line anyway

I have tried so many products. I was starting to think bb creams just weren't for the likes of older women. They were just for the youthful who didn't have to worry about lines and wrinkles, so looked good in anything.

What looks good on other women may not suit you. Skin is complex. Some of us have dry skin, some of us greasy and some a bit of both. So finding the best bb cream for your particular skin type takes some time and research. I am not blessed with patience when it comes to sourcing new products. I used to jump at the first recommendation I read and hope it would be the one. It rarely ever was.

The Best Beauty Products for a Dewy Glow

STQANON BB Cream Cushion Foundation Makeup Long Lasting Cover

This fantastically light BB cream comes like a compressed powder. It's not dry like I had thought it was going to be. It comes with a sponge that you press into the damp pad.

This is definitely the best light coverage cream I have used. It's really light, yet it does cover well. Sheer it may be, but dewy glow? Oh yes, and some.

I really can't adequately describe how much this light coverage bb cream makes me feel about my skin. It does just enough to smooth out the imperfections, and the glow it produces stays with me all day. Let's face it; when we look good, we feel good. Or is it the other way around?

The Best Dewy Concealer

Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream No.21

This is not a concealer although I do use it under my eyes as it's just so illuminating and works to give that under-eye area a glow too whist still covering any darkness. I love this amazing product, and as you can see, I have been using it for quite some time.

I only use a tiny amount, and I blend it in with a make-up sponge. It's very easy to blend with your fingers if you don't use a blending sponge.

It's very pale; otherwise, I'd probably wear it all over my face from time to time if I fancied changing it up a bit. It's extremely creamy but at the same time very light. If your skin is very fair and you prefer a slightly fuller coverage, then this might work for your face as a whole, and you wouldn't even need a separate concealer.

Amazing Setting Powder

This amazingly powerful HD photo finishing powder, creates an illuminating finish to your makeup look, without the use of a photo filter. That's what they say, and that's exactly what it does. You can buy it from Wunder2.co.uk

I don't always use it, but on the occasions when I'm off for a well deserved night out, I will use it to set my base. It's very light, but it should not be considered if you like that very set look. It gives a set, but it's more of a light covering, and that's what I love about this awesome product. A powder that's not a powder!

I love my skincare and beauty routines, but as I've aged, I've tried to find a more natural look that suits my love of make-up.

It is possible to get the 'no makeup, makeup look' even on older skin.

As always, keep your skin hydrated. Drink plenty of water and use hydrating creams and oils for a more even complexion.

Jamie has an interest in makeup, especially if she can do it on a budget.

What Is a Blender Sponge?

If you go to the makeup or beauty department in just about any store that sells these types of products, you might stumble upon cone-shaped sponges with different angled tips. They also can be found in just about every color. The use of these products is to blend your makeup products to give your face a flawless look. These are used to blend primers, foundations, and concealers.

I have only ever seen the sponges used wet, but I have read in the past that you can use them dry. If you choose to use them wet, just make sure to squeeze the excess water out so you can get. When you are ready to begin using it, make sure to use a quick, bouncing type motion up and down.

My Experience

Last winter, I went to get my trial makeup done for my wedding by a professional. I saw her pick up one of these sponges that I had seen before in the stores, but I had no experience with. I wanted to see if there was really a difference in how my makeup would come out if I were to use this instead of my tried and true finger to apply it.

It just so happened that the woman doing my makeup began using the sponge from the very beginning. She took micellar water, which is also having its big moment right now, and used it to clean and wet the sponge. Micellar water is a cleanser used to remove all types of face products and get rid of the dirt and makeup that sometimes face wipes don't get to. It's basically a deeper cleaning product which doesn't require any rinsing after you apply it. I must also recommend that you consider buying micellar water, as I have also discovered along my journey that it is a great product to own.

With the wet sponge, she squeezed it to make sure that it didn't have any water soaked in it, and then used the sponge to blend first the primer on my face and the foundation and concealer after. My eyes were closed, but I remember feeling her bouncing up and down with it as quickly as she could. I took notice that her sponge had the cone-shaped bottom with a top that looked like a spackle brush you paint with. I realized that she used this particular sponge because when she got to the area where she blended the foundation with the concealer, this shape was able to get right under my bottom eyelashes to get as close as possible to my eye.

By the end of the session when my makeup was done, I was looking at my face in the mirror and could see such a flawless look compared to my typical finger blending. I had been taught to use my fingers to blend my makeup my whole life, so compared to that, this made the colors on my face very even.

Sometimes, I used to wind up with a mismatched neck and face, as the foundation that I bought may have been a little too dark for my skin. I was always so self-conscious of this. After seeing the sponge in use and not just sitting on a shelf, I left my appointment with the need to buy one as quickly as possible.

There are so many on the market that it can be difficult to choose one. I was kind of shell shocked when I first looked on Amazon at the thousands of results that popped up. Where would I even start?

I know that there is a very popular sponge, called the Beauty Blender, which is supposed to be the best of the best. It was one of the first ones to come out, and people claim to love it.

On the other hand, there are sponges that cost $3, $4 and $5, and those are the ones that I have experience with.

Which Blending Sponge I Chose

The best sponge that I have purchased so far was from Amazon. I spent a long time looking for one that had the same shape as the one that my makeup artist had. My process was to search for a blender sponge, narrow it down by Prime, and lastly select that it had to be four stars or above.

My end result was the Ecotools Cruelty-Free and Eco-Friendly Total Perfecting Blender Sponge, Made with Recycled and Sustainable Materials. It even is marked as an "Amazon's Choice." It is currently selling for $3.74 as an add-on item.

As I mentioned, I have tried other sponges, but I like this one the best. The other one did not have this shape, and it was a lot more difficult to blend with it and get to the small undereye area. The other sponges were also difficult to bounce when trying to blend. I had added the water, but it had no bounce regardless.

I've had this one for a few months now, and it's holding up great. I clean it with micellar water every day before applying my makeup. I would have never known how much this can make a difference in how finished your makeup looks at the end. I'm really glad that I was shown in person how to use this product. I'm sure you can find lots of videos on YouTube if you are unsure about how to use it.

One other positive thing about this sponge is that I don't normally try to seek out eco-friendly products or those that are cruelty-free, but this one just happened to be exactly that, and I felt better about myself buying it. Usually, eco products mean a lot more money will be needed, but this product gives you quality and is good for the environment.

How Do You Apply Your Makeup?

Dani is a college student as well as a makeup and skincare enthusiast, as well as an Avon Representative.

This product review was not sponsored, nor am I affiliated with Too Faced in any way. Of course, if anyone from Too Faced's marketing team happens to be reading this, I would be more than happy to change that. Otherwise, I hope you enjoy my review and it helps guide your buying decision.

Quick Look

Too Faced's Primed and Poreless Face Primer is a liquid primer designed to be worn alone or under makeup.

• Retail price: $30
• 28g
• Cruelty-free
• Vegan

Product Claims

According to TooFaced.com, this product claims to "create(s) the perfect canvas to allow powders, bronzers, and foundations to airbrush onto the skin seamlessly and perfectly blended. Skin appears brighter, fresher and younger. Color stays true and in place all day." To cut out the ad copy, Too Faced makes these three claims:

1. Primes the skin for blending
2. Enhances the appearance of skin before makeup
3. Keeps makeup color-fast

Packaging

Too Faced Primed and Poreless Face Pricer comes in a baby pink tube with gorgeous gold lettering on the front. There isn't an applicator and the bottle is designed to allow you to squeeze a small amount onto your fingers and smooth across the skin.

As with all Too Faced products, the packaging is sturdy and well-made. While it isn't as cute as many of their other products, it's still much more pleasant to look at than the average primer. The original box the product came in was also very pretty. As always, I'm tempted to hoard the box like a dragon.

It took quite a bit of time for the gold lettering to fade off the front in my makeup bag.

Application

This product has two main purposes:

1. To be used as a primer under foundation, powder, bronzer, etc or
2. To be used on a clean, bare face to blur imperfections.

As a Foundation Primer

This is a wonderful makeup primer. It practically cemented the foundation to my face, but it's incredibly lightweight. Due to the silky texture, I expected my liquid foundation (another Too Faced favorite, Dew You Tutti Frutti foundation) to slide across my face, but it didn't budge all day. While it is lightweight and silky, it has a slick, silicone feel that can be unpleasant in high heat or humidity.

As a Face Perfector

I had my doubts about its use without makeup, but Too Faced impressed me. My biggest problem is the enlarged pores on my cheeks and this primer did a wonderful job of well, darn near perfecting them. It's one of my favorite face perfectors but it doesn't seem to cover my largest pores as well as I'd like. I'm still on the lookout for my holy grail.

First Impressions

Compared to Too Faced's very high standards, the packaging was a little lackluster, but as soon as I opened the bottle I changed my tune. The scent is pleasant but not overwhelming, and I noticed an immediate change in the appearance of my pores. They were smaller and there was an improvement in texture. My skin also felt smoother and softer.

Texture and Scent

A lot of Too Faced products are famous for their scent, whether it be their Chocolate Bar Eye Shadow Palettes or their Peaches & Cream collection. However, the Primed and Poreless Primer didn't have anything to write home about. This product had a very light and pleasant fragrance. It's vaguely floral and powdery, but not overwhelming. It would blend well with almost any scent and isn't noticeable at all after application.

While I enjoyed the silicone smooth feeling of this primer, I know that some people don't like it. It isn't necessarily a pro or con to me, but it's something to keep in mind. Once it's applied, you can't feel it on your skin, but I could tell an improved difference in the texture of my own skin.

Longevity

Overall, this product lasted all day without any worries. I did notice a difference in the wearability depending on the use, however.

As a Foundation Primer

Primed and Poreless definitely lasted longer when used as a foundation primer. My pores remained small and my makeup stayed in place. It was one of the most effective primers I have ever used.

As a Face Perfector

At first, this product gives my skin an almost matte finish. After a full day's use, I noticed that I began to see some oil creeping up on my nose, but my pores were still just as small.

Extended Use

While Too Faced makes no such claim, this primer acts almost like a skincare product. The change I felt in my skin seemed to improve the longer I used this product, which is rare in a cosmetic brand. There's definitely some skin-improving ingredients in the Primed and Poreless Primer.

What Would I Change?

My biggest problem with this product is that it doesn't have an SPF rating. It's fairly common for makeup primers to include sun protection so that this high-end product didn't was disappointing. Of course, this is easily remedied by wearing a moisturizer under it or a foundation over it that has skincare benefits. Since it is also touted as a stand-alone product, however, I felt that SPF would have been a nice addition.

Another small gripe that says nothing about the product itself is the packaging isn't as adorable as most Too Faced products are. Of course, this doesn't mean that it isn't sturdy or that it doesn't adequately perform its job, because it does.

Value

I found $30 to be a steep price for this product, but thankfully it's easy to find it for less.

Too Faced regularly has sales and specials where you can find this for a lower price. Even if their website doesn't advertise it, RetailMeNot and Wikibuy always have something to get the price a little lower.

Tips for Best Use

• Like with any foundation, your application will be smoother if you cleanse thoroughly beforehand. Primed and Poreless does a good job of blurring imperfections, but a clean face will enhance its effectiveness.
• When focusing on fine lines and pores, this product works best with a light patting application in a similar way to putting on eye cream.
• Remember to wear a moisturizer or foundation with SPF when using this primer.

Alternative Products

These products are similar quality and have the same effects of Too Faced Primed and Poreless.

• Etude House Face Blur This is my current go-to primer. It's a Korean brand and is an adorable bottle with a more lightweight, silky feel than Too Faced and has the bonus of 30 SPF.
• Smashbox Photo Finish Primer I have less experience with this product, but I've seen it produce similar results.

Summary

If you haven't already found your go-to primer, I would give this a try. This product does it's job well as both a face perfector and a foundation primer, although it works best as a foundation primer.

If you don't like the silicone finish, then you won't like this primer.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2018 Dani Merrier

Crystal is a content writer who helps emerging entrepreneurs obtain the resources and guidance needed to launch successful blog businesses.

Finding oil-free foundation is like finding a needle on the ocean floor. It’s nearly impossible to find one in the world of makeup since oil (the right kind of oil, that is) is not necessarily a bad thing. There are many health benefits for the skin in using natural oils, however, for those with acne prone skin, oil can make things worse.

If you have combination skin, oily skin, acne prone skin, or all of these problems bunched up together, then you may understand the struggle in finding a foundation that doesn’t contain oils that might make your problem worse. Luckily, after spending a lot of time browsing the Internet, I found Zuzu Luxe Oil-Free Liquid Foundation. Not only is this foundation oil-free, but it’s free many things that people are trying to avoid. Perhaps they’ll pave the way for more to come.

About the Brand

Zuzu Luxe is a sister brand of the makeup and skincare brand, Gabriel Cosmetics. Gabriel Cosmetics was established in 1995, with Zuzu Luxe being established in 2001 as a brand providing a different range of color selections. In addition to Zuzu Luxe, Clean Kids is another sister brand associated with Gabriel Cosmetics.

The passion behind this brand is creating skincare and cosmetics that are earth conscious and ethical. Every one of their products is 100% natural, gluten-free, vegan, and cruelty-free. Additionally, no synthetic chemicals are used, and their makeup is non-allergenic and fragrance free, which makes them ideal for all skin types.

In creating products that are eco-friendly, there’s no compromise on quality. Nothing such as aesthetics, functionality, and accessibility is lacking.

Review of Zuzu Luxe Oil Free Foundation

This oil-free foundation is designed to create a flawless natural looking complexion. It’s perfect for that no-makeup look.

What you get is a 30ml/1 fl. oz. plastic tube of liquid foundation. This is packaged in an eco-friendly paper box. The tube is relatively small, it fits in the palm of your hand. It has a hard silver plastic cap with silver lining at the top seal. The rest of the container is transparent so you can see the color of your selected shade.

This oil-free foundation comes in 11 shades:
• Light Skin/Neutral
• Light to Ivory Skin/Neutral Undertones
• Light to Ivory Skin/Neutral
• Light to Medium Skin/Warm Undertones
• Light to Medium Skin/Pink Undertones
• Light to Medium Skin/Neutral
• Medium Skin/Neutral
• Medium to Dark Skin/Pink Undertones
• Medium to Dark Skin/Cocoa Brown
• Dark Skin/Pink Undertones, and
• Dark Skin/Neutral

Ingredients

What makes this oil-free foundation excellent is that it’s all natural. For those who suffer from allergies and even those who want to reduce or eliminate as many chemicals and toxins as possible that they consume, this foundation solves the problem.

The ingredients used to make this product are aqua (infused with aloe barbadensis leaf juice), glycerin, cetearyl alcohol, calendula officinalis flower extract, ascorbyl palmitate, tocopheryl acetate, limonene, cellulose gum, lecithin, silica, mica, xanthan gum, cetyl alcohol, kaolin, iron oxides, titanium dioxide, and potassium sorbate.

Effectiveness

This brand prides itself on creating makeup that’s results driven, so every product they release has been tried to prove that it can do what it’s intended to do. This foundation is medium to full coverage and can be applied on sheer or built up to a completely opaque look. In building it up, it doesn’t get cakey or flake away. It still maintains its natural weightless feel and appearance.

Made to enhance your skin’s natural undertones, it works at covering imperfections and balancing uneven tone. With just your favorite makeup sponge or brush, a little goes a long way. It applies effortlessly on the skin and blends seamlessly.

The coverage lasts all day, which is 8 hours or more. Skin doesn’t feel dry or patchy, nor does it feel oily or messy. It hydrates naturally without clogging pores. So if you struggle with acne, this is one oil-free foundation that won’t make it worse. As you work to heal your skin, you can rest easy knowing your foundation is not impeding with that.

Another bonus is that it doesn’t have a scent. Unless you put the container right up to your nose, the only smell you get is the faintest clay scent. There’s nothing that’s powerful or strong. Importantly, this foundation isn’t sticky or doesn't get all over the place. It stays on the skin.

Verdict

At $31.30, one tube can last you up to a year (mine lasted that long, using it 5 days a week on average). Just a little is needed to cover the entire face.

On their website, this oil-free foundation is rated 4 out of 5 stars. The only obvious complaint is that not enough shades were made. Hopefully, that will be remedied in the future.

My personal verdict is 5 out of 5 stars. Having tried a lot of foundations in the past and failing to find one that not only matches my shade but doesn’t make my skin worse, is natural, and ethical, this one is a dream. It does the job, providing full coverage that stays on until you take it off.

After using it for a year, I’ve seen no negative effects on my skin. It didn’t cause more acne and was easy to apply in a matter of seconds. Plus, I like how it didn’t take up too much space in my caddy. It’s the perfect travel foundation.

Conclusion

Finally, a foundation for acne prone skin that’s oil free has been found. After testing this product, I conclude that Gabriel Cosmetics’ Zuzu Luxe Oil Free Liquid Foundation is a winner.

Not only is this foundation effective in what it’s designed for, but it’s ethical, natural, and all around better for you. It’s also backed by a company that truly cares about the environment and people’s health, and wants people to maximize their lives while enjoying much needed and desired beauty and skincare products.

If you’re one who’s concerned about how the products you use are produced and how they affect the environment and living beings, more so, if you struggle with allergies or have dietary concerns, not only do I recommend this oil-free foundation, but the products in their three lines.

Comments

Crystal (author) from United States on October 09, 2018:

It really is darron--thanks for your comment :)

darron thomas on October 09, 2018:

this is a great product

Crystal (author) from United States on October 05, 2018:

Thank you azim2562 :)

Alex is an esthetician from St. Catharines, Ontario with a passion for makeup and beauty.

Why Do We Tell Women That Beauty Has an Age?

Lately, I've seen a lot of different articles and videos about why older women shouldn't wear makeup, or that they have specific guidelines that they need to follow. I say, forget that. I work in a cosmetics store, and the other day a woman came in with full glam eyelashes on and a poppin' red lip. I found out she was 87 years old!

Of course, some women prefer a more natural look going into their retirement years, which is awesome. However, this woman taught me that you do not have to be a certain age to be in your beauty prime. I know what you're thinking, "Alex, you're 20. You're in your beauty prime." To which I say you might be correct. However, if you have a passion for cosmetics and beauty, an age limit does not exist.

Skincare Is the Key to Beautiful Skin

Of course, the best way to create flawless makeup is to have a good base. A skincare routine is the best place to start. It's never too early to start using anti-aging skincare products, and it's also never too late.

If you're looking for intense firming and lifting without the hassle of going to a plastic surgeon, a great option is the Kate Somerville Tight'N™ Cryogenic Skin Tightening Gel. This innovative formula goes on like a mousse and has an amazing crackling sensation. Press it onto the areas you would like to firm. Don't forget your décolletage! Use this product once a day to get intense, firming results over time.

Firming and lifting products such as this mixed with a good cleanser, exfoliator, serum and moisturizer will significantly improve the appearance of makeup. Go into your local Sephora location for a free consultation, and mini facial, to find your perfect skincare routine.

Full-Coverage Foundation Is Okay

If you want to use a full-coverage foundation, don't let anyone tell you that you can't. If you want full coverage and don't use the right products, you won't get the desired smooth look you want. However, using the right products will help you achieve a flawless, full-coverage look without looking heavy or cakey.

Foundation

I recommend using a hydrating foundation that has medium-to-full coverage, such as Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion, or the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk. Both of these foundations have a lightweight feel to them as well as a smoothing effect on the skin.

Concealer

Use a concealer with antioxidant ingredients and moisturizing properties. Too Faced Born This Way concealer is amazing for hydration. It has coconut water in it to help smooth the skin as well as moisturize. It's also formulated with hyaluronic acid, which essentially attracts moisture into the skin and penetrates it deep into the epidermal layer.

Setting Powder

Setting your foundation is essential for making it stay all day. Make sure you set it lightly using a fluffy brush with a hydrating and luminizing setting powder. Hourglass has recently come out with an amazing option. It has a radiant finish and will beautifully set makeup so that it doesn't crease throughout the day.

If you're more into a pressed setting powder, try the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders. They are like a filter for the skin that will add dimension, luminosity and extends the wear of the foundation underneath without looking like you're wearing too much powder.

Let's Talk About Mature Eyes

As for eyes, you are allowed to use any colour and finish your heart desires. You can use shimmers, mattes, glitters and more. Just make sure that you use certain placement methods according to your eye shape to enhance your eyes as much as possible to make those peepers poppin'!

Make sure you find tutorials that focus on lifting and elongating the eye. It's easy to mistakenly use an eye-makeup technique that will drag down the eye if you're not careful.

Enhance Your Lips Without Feathering

Lips are the most amazing part of a look. You can use subtle but effective techniques to help make the lips appear more plump and full. I would recommend using a hydrating lipstick such as the Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipsticks. Jam-packed with essential omega oils, they're moisturizing and they come in many different shades. If you have a Bite Beauty Lab near you, you can even go in and create your perfect shade by hand alongside one of the Bite Beauty Lab technicians!

A great tip for keeping your lipstick from feathering into the fine lines around your lips is to use a lip liner all over your lips. You can slightly overdraw if you'd like to make the lips appear bigger. Make sure your lipstick is the same shade as the lip liner to ensure beautifully blended lips that won't enhance any wrinkles around your mouth.

Every Age Is Beautiful

Well, there you have it. No matter what your age, you can still be in your beauty prime. Whatever you do, don't conform to the typical beauty standards for mature women. Use whatever products you want, and wear what you want. At the end of the day, all that matters is that you're happy and comfortable in your own skin.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Hannah is a writer, artist, and an inspiring makeup artist. She lives in Florida with her husband, son, and two cats named Obi and Molly.

It is really hard to find a good foundation that actually suits your cosmetic needs. There's a lot to consider when choosing a foundation, like how much coverage you want, skin condition concerns, cost, and skin tone matching. I know that my main cosmetic concerns are cost, dark eye circles, and redness. If I don't want to put out tons of money for high-end brands, I typically use drugstore products.

I ran out of makeup and concealer recently and was looking for something that worked well but was also affordable. I came across Milani's Conceal + Perfect 2-in-1 Foundation + Concealer. They had just recently added Milani to our Walmart, and I was always curious to try it. Here is my honest review about using this product.

Product Information:

• Milani Conceal + Perfect 2-in-1 Foundation + Concealer
• Can be bought from Walgreens, Wal-Mart, Amazon.com, Milanicosmetics.com, Target, CVS, and Ulta
• Comes in 14 shades
• Conceals imperfections
• Reduces redness in the face
• A highly pigmented foundation
• No mess, no drip pump

What I Love About This Product:

1. I easily found a shade that matched my skin tone really well. This is a huge concern of mine. I always tend to find foundation shades that are too orange for me because I have ivory skin with redder tones.
2. I have natural redness in my cheeks. I try to conceal it all the time. I just needed to put a little dab on my cheeks and still got the coverage that I needed to hide my skin's redness. This is a definite plus!
3. It conceals dark under eye circles really well! This is an issue I always tend to have because I am a full time mommy. My dark circles have gotten worse and my eyes always look tired. This product brightened those troublesome areas for me.
4. This product is really affordable! I didn't want to spend a ton of money on high end products. I believe I paid $8.97 plus tax for it. The cost is great for a concealer/foundation.

What I Don't Love About This Product:

1. It seemed as if the skin tone ranges are a bit limited. There is a lot of options for fairer skin tones, but the darker skin tones didn't have that many options. It just didn't seem fair, and it would be better—in my opinion—if there was more diversity for darker skin tones.
2. This foundation oxidizes easily! This means when it gets exposed to air, it dries out, gets clumpy, or changes colors. I wore it for a few hours with primer and it looked fine. I did however noticed that it would dry quickly when I went to apply it to my skin. Drying too quickly doesn't allow much room to blend on your skin.
3. This product is not for those whom have larger pores. I have about medium sized pores, and the foundation sunk into them pretty easily. This is could also be due to the foundation oxidizing. I found that wearing a pore minimizing primer before this applying this product diminished the foundation soaking in.

My Overall Honest Review:

My overall opinion on this product is that it is okay to use—on occasion. Keep in mind that what works for me, may work differently for another individual. For instance, I have medium pores, and have dry skin. If you have that combination, it may be a little harder for you to use this product. It's not entirely discouraged though because it does give great coverage! It hid my under eye circles and redness really well. It is super pigmented, and blends into my skin tone pretty easily.

I would suggest this product to my readers, but I also suggest the use of a primer and a moisturizer underneath. I also suggest reading up on the science behind oxidizing foundation, and how it can dry your skin out.

I will continue using this product, but I will probably just use it to conceal. It is best to use a foundation without too many oxides (Which can be found inside Milani's foundation). Oxides are usually added to foundations in order to thicken the formula. It is good for preventing sunburns, but it can dry the face out terribly.

Comments

Lorraine on November 01, 2018:

After seeing some reviews I tried Milani foundation. I usually wear Lacombe tiny idol but the color I have now is a bit too orange. So I purchased Milani and I really like it si far. Found a great color that matches my skin tone and it covers well and does not feel heavy. Using Mary Kay matte prmer which is amazing.

Hannah (author) on November 24, 2017:

I know exactly how you feel! I have found this to work good as a concealer for me. I also use dermacol as a concealer (which i will write a review about later on) I suggest both! Dermacol costs 18 dollars online, but i found mine on wish for 2 dollars. I used the NYX one too, which I liked as well. Hope this gives you some ideas!

Kierstin Gunsberg from Traverse City, Michigan on November 24, 2017:

Hannah, I seriously love your makeup reviews! I've been having a hard time finding concealer to hide my under eye circles which have gotten so much worse the past year. Between allergies and having two little kids I feel like a hopeless cause. I think I'll try this brand out next time. Right now I'm using one by NYX and it's okay for the price but I don't feel like it's really helping as much as I'd like. I'm still pretty raccoon-y.

Hannah is a writer, artist, and an inspiring makeup artist. She lives in Florida with her husband, son, and two cats named Obi and Molly.

Handled foundation brushes are the current trend. I have seen them everywhere, but mainly when I watch makeup tutorials on Youtube. Personally, I have never used them because my go-to applicators are typically regular brushes or sponges.

I made the trip to my local Walmart to purchase some brand new brushes. I spotted these brushes right next to the beauty blenders I get. I have never used MODA's brand before, but I was a bit curious to see what all the rage was about. I got them and took them home to try them out! Here is my honest review of the brushes, including the pros and cons.

Product Features:

MODA Prismatic Face Perfecting Makeup Blending Brushes with Handles Kit (4 count)

Price: $16.98 at Wal-Mart. (Price could vary)

• Applies a flawless complexion.
• Cruelty Free.
• No animal products used.
• 100% vegan.
• Dense soft fibers.
• Waterproof handle.
• Is used for blending foundation, concealer, moisturizer, and primer.
• Blends and can be used to contour.
• Brushes are ultra soft and easily blends creams and liquid foundations.
• Minimal absorption.
• Made in the USA.

Inside the kit:

• 801 Brush: Used for all over cream and foundation application.
• 802 Brush: Ideal for blush or bronzer.
• 803 Brush: Blends contour under the cheekbones, around the jawline, and the hairline.
• 804 Brush: Applies concealer and contours the nose and other small facial features.

Pros:

1. The brushes are extremely charming and captivated my attention immediately. I love the vibrant colors and the design of the product. It sort of reminds me of a mermaid's tail. (I am obsessed with mermaids.)
2. The bristles on the end of the brush are feather soft and the quality is outstanding.
3. When going to apply makeup, I used very little foundation to cover my entire face. I assume this was due to the brushes not absorbing most of the product. This could save money on products in the long run (Makeup sponges tend to absorb product, which makes them go quicker!)
4. When using the brushes, it took me exactly five minutes to complete my entire face. If I was using sponges or a regular foundation brush—it would have taken me 30 mins. Great time saver! (My husband was happy about this little fact.)
5. The bristles don't hurt my face. Most of the makeup tools i have used irritated my face, but these brushes did not.
6. The bristles blend extremely well, even the cream blush I always have issues blending. The outcome was flawless and didn't leave any streaks or lines in my face!
7. It is extremely easy to put face powder on with the biggest brush. It makes setting my foundation a whole lot easier.
8. The instructions on the packaging were understandable and helpful in educating about the function of each brush size.
9. The price for these brushes are cheaper than the ones I have seen online in the past.
10. The brushes have a nice grip on them, it makes application easier and doesn't slide around in hand.
11. I support businesses based in the USA because it's where I am from. These brushes were made in the USA, which I love.
12. I like to recycle, so these brushes being 100% vegan means that harmful materials weren't used in making these brushes.
13. These brushes are animal cruelty free, which I advocate for.
14. Cleaning is easy just use a mild dish soap, and condition them. They still hold their shape and are not hard after air drying!

Cons:

1. Fibers and lint get trapped easily on the surface of the brushes and are visible.
2. The flexible handle sometimes feels as if it is going to break during use. (I know it's flexible, but I felt as if I had to be extremely delicate with them.)
3. I wish more brushes came with the kit for the price I paid for it. Four brushes just seems a bit lacking for paying $16 dollars.
4. The brushes didn't really come with a case. I noticed that MODA had cases for travel with their other brush kits. It would have been nice to have one come with this one as well.

Overall Opinion:

There were some cons to these brushes, but not too many that would hinder me from purchasing MODA's products in the future. The pros definitely outweigh the cons, and I recommend these brushes.

If you are interested in buying these, you can find them on Walmart.com.

Comments

Hannah (author) on November 18, 2017:

Well, these brushes are supposedly water proof so maybe it won't wear the pretty colors down from usage. I'm gonna use them everyday to see, and re-edit an update on how they are upholding. They are really easy to handle and flexible--which kind of scared me at first-- but i assume it's for easier application and blending. Im so use to the other makeup brushes. It takes some time getting use to them, but they are wonderful.

Kierstin Gunsberg from Traverse City, Michigan on November 18, 2017:

Dang, these are really pretty! I have a prismatic hairbrush (it's Hot Tools though, not MODA) though and after a while the finish kind of peeled off and faded so if you're buying for the look, it doesn't last forever :(

Is it awkward handling these as opposed to typical makeup brushes?

Hannah (author) on November 18, 2017:

Honestly, these are the best brushes I have used in the longest time, compared to regular foundation brushes (which leave streaks all of my face) I haven't used any other handled brush brand, but I am on the lookout for more for comparison.

Dani Merrier from United States on November 17, 2017:

I've always wanted to use these kinds of brushes. Do you feel like this brand is superior to any others you have tried in this same design (if you have tried any)?

Very helpful article. I think I would have liked to see a more comparative review of this kind of brush to typical brushes. Thanks so much!

My friends tell me that I’m a makeup geek. There’s nothing I love more than putting on makeup and creating a flawless look.

One of the trickiest makeup products to buy is the under-eye concealer. Finding the perfect one is an overwhelming task because you have to look for the perfect shade and texture that also provides decent coverage but does not crease or look cakey.

Out of my collection of over 22 concealers, the following seven come pretty close to that ideal concealer we all want.

1. Skin Food "Salmon Dark Circle Concealer Cream"

Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, "Salmon Dark Circle Concealer Cream" magically conceals dark circles and brightens up the under-eye area, making you look radiant and wide awake as if you had 8 hours of sleep. The gentle formula is soothing to the skin and blends like a dream. Even if you have drier under-eye areas, it will blend easily.

Tips:

• To prevent it from settling into fine lines and creases, use a primer before application and set it with powder afterward.
• This product has salmon-peachy tones meant specifically for eyes, so don’t use it as a regular concealer.

Pros:

• A little goes a long way
• Natural-looking medium coverage
• Salmon undertones do a great job of neutralizing the blue and purple under your eyes.
• A thick, moisturizing concealer that’s good to wear in fall/winter
• Long-lasting
• Very inexpensive for the amount of product that you get
• Suitable for both warm and cool undertones
  

Cons:

• Smells like fish oil
• Available only in two shades
• Not suitable for very oily skin
• Settles into fine lines if not applied properly

2. Collection 2000 "Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Concealer"

Housed in a small tube with a doe-foot applicator, Collection 2000 "Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Concealer" will cover even super dark, horrendous eye circles. This is a heavy-coverage concealer that will hide almost everything and keep it hidden for hours. If you want serious coverage, then this is the product for you. It leaves a beautiful matte finish, so you can even get away with not applying powder. It does not crease on me, but if it does on you, then use a silicone-based primer underneath.

Tips:

• Once applied, it dries fast, so dot it and blend quickly. Apply to one eye at a time.
• Because the finish is matte, it’s best suited for normal to oily skin. If your skin is dry, use a good moisturizer underneath.

Pros:

• Full-coverage concealer that effectively hides very dark eye circles
• Very reasonable price
• The product does not run out quickly.
• Good for oily skin
• Creamy texture
• Very long-lasting and blends well with foundation
• Can also be used to effectively cover acne and acne scars
• It does not crease.
• Transfer-proof
• Water-resistant

Cons:

• There are not enough shade options to choose from. Selecting the right color can be difficult. Make sure to swatch it first.
• Contains talc
• Packaging is cheap. The print comes off the tube pretty quickly. Do not keep the tube lying flat because it will leak around the lid.
• Not very suitable for dry skin

3. Maybelline "Dream Lumi Touch"

This is a concealer that covers as well as highlights, so it helps you look very fresh and wide awake. The creamy texture sinks into the skin and is very buildable. Unlike many other concealers with thick, creamy consistencies, this one will not settle into creases and fine lines. The coverage is decent, flawless, and looks very natural.

Maybelline "Dream Lumi Touch" comes in the form of a slick pen with a brush applicator. When you twist the bottom of the pen, the product appears on the brush, giving you a very precise application.

Although it is very good for covering and highlighting the under-eye area and cheekbones, it will not hide super dark eye circles. If your eye circles or troubled areas are difficult to hide, do not use it as a stand-alone concealer. Instead, use it to brighten a beautifully applied base.

Pros:

• Good range of colors to choose from. You really can’t go wrong with choosing a color.
• Blends easily and dries quickly
• Lightweight and fragrance-free
• It sets beautifully and does not budge.
• Brightens the under-eye area and does not cake or emphasize fine lines
• It’s moisturizing and does not dry out your skin.
• Long-lasting
• Good for a natural "no makeup" look

Cons:

• Not good for heavy under-eye concealing or blemishes
• The product runs out quickly. Only half of the pen is filled with product.

4. Garnier "Anti-Dark Circle Eye Roller Concealer"

Rich in vitamin C, caffeine, and tinted mineral pigments, Garnier's "Anti-Dark Circle Concealer" instantly covers darkness and brightens the eye area.

Its two-in-one formula (concealer+eye care) not only corrects dark circles but also soothes the tender skin around eyes, helping to reduce puffiness.

It’s a lightweight, brightening concealer that provides sheer-to-medium, natural-looking coverage. The thin formula spreads and blends easily, so there’s no risk of looking cakey. The light texture is the reason it does not settle into lines and creases.

This product is suitable for those who can’t be bothered with wearing a full face of makeup but also don't want to be asked, "Are you tired’’? It blends easily into the skin with or without foundation. It can be used as a standalone makeup product if you want to achieve flawless skin.

Pros:

• Very lightweight and comfortable to wear
• Helps reduce puffiness around eyes
• Available at most places that sell Garnier skincare products
• Decent sheer-to-medium coverage that looks very natural
• Looks and feels like nothing
• It has an orange tint that neutralizes blue and purple tones. It camouflages and illuminates the under-eye area.

Cons:

• Pricey for a drugstore product, but a little goes a long way.
• The packaging is not easy to handle. The roller sometimes imparts too much product.
• Contains alcohol. If you are allergic to alcohol-based products, do not buy this.
• Limited shade selection
• Does not treat dark circles as it claims
• Not for those who have very deep, dark eye circles

5. L.A. Girl "PRO Conceal HD"

L.A Girl "Pro Conceal HD" is a cheap but good-quality concealer that’s totally worth the price. Its creamy, crease-resistant formula is easy to blend and provides medium-to-full coverage that looks flawless and natural. It comes in 21 concealer shades, six color correctors, and one highlighter. You can use the corrector shade to neutralize the under-eye area, and then cover it with the concealer shade. This product is so cheap that you can buy a few shades and then mix them up to get your true match.

The product comes in a generously sized tube with a little brush at the end. Just a little amount will give you decent opaque coverage that wears well throughout the day.

Tip:

• If you are unhappy with the undertone of your foundation, you can use the corrector shades to correct it.

Pros:

• Very inexpensive with 28 shades to select from. There’s a shade for everyone.
• Highly-pigmented, medium-to-full coverage concealer that camouflages dark circles very well
• Beautiful wear throughout the day without any creasing under the eye
• Satin-matte finish
• A little goes a long way
• Does not show through makeup
• Sets well and does not transfer
• Excellent for color-correcting and contouring

Cons:

• The packaging is not good. The product is hidden by the brush tip, so it’s hard to squeeze out the right amount. If you are not careful, you can end up with too much product. Also, don't even think about applying the product directly from the tube.
• It can get drying after several hours of wear, so don’t forget to apply moisturizer first.

6. Maybelline "Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Treatment"

Housed in a plastic tube with a sponge applicator at the top to dispense the product, Maybelline "Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle" is lightweight and super blendable. It has the coverage and feel of a high-end product. When applied around the eyes, it instantly conceals dark circles and sets well with a bit of translucent powder on top.

The consistency is on the thinner side, which makes it easy to blend and provides gorgeous, natural-looking coverage that lasts more than 8 hours. In the later part of the day, it fades into the skin instead of scraping off into cakey patches.

The concealer is available in six beautiful shades (fair, light, medium, honey, neutralizer, and brightener). For those whose eye circles are very dark, Maybelline recommends "applying the neutralizer shade under the concealer shade."

This product is ideal for those who want something that’s lightweight, thin, wears well throughout the day, and provides natural-looking, decent coverage.

Pros:

• Coverage is medium to high
• Layers well under and over foundation
• Lasts well throughout the day. Stays on for 7+ hours.
• Sets to a gorgeous matte finish
• Contains antioxidants and anti-aging ingredients
• Super blendable and lightweight
• Has a thin texture that’s very easy to blend
• Leaves the under-eye area bright, flawless, and younger-looking.

Cons:

• Finding the correct shade is difficult
• Packaging is unhygienic. The sponge applicator gets dirty after a few applications.
• Does not fade dark circles as it claims
• The under-eye area can get dry, so use a good moisturizer or eye cream before you apply this.
• Not for heavy-duty coverage

7. E.L.F. "HD Lifting" Concealer

Infused with green tea, mulberry, and vitamin C, E.L.F "HD Lifting" concealer is very good at brightening up weary eyes. It is creamy, yet lightweight, and blends like a dream. It also sets into a gorgeous, natural skin-like finish.

For the perfect look, apply a good primer before you apply this product. Top it off with E.L.F.'s "HD Under Eye Powder," and it will not budge or crease throughout the day.

It lasts well during the day; however, it does start to fade later in the evening. But, when it starts to wear off, it does not leave you with a creasy, cakey mess. Instead, it fades nicely, and you will just be left with less coverage.

The concealer comes in three shades (fair, light, medium) and three color-corrector options: green(diffuses redness), lilac (whitens and brightens), and yellow (diffuses darkness). The brightening shade can also be used as a primer because it lightens up the area and creates a beautiful canvas that helps eyeshadows stick.

If you find the right color that matches your skin, you will not regret it. This product is for women who are on a tight budget and want medium coverage with a natural skin-like finish.

Pros:

• Super affordable
• Does not dry out the skin
• Blends quickly and effortlessly
• Beautiful, natural skin-like finish
• Covers under-eye circles well
• Paraben-free
• Cruelty-free
• A little goes a long way

Cons:

• Shade range is not good. Even the shade ‘’light’’ is pretty dark. There is a big difference between shades as well. The "light" shade is a lot darker than the "fair" shade.
• Contains talc and mineral oil, which may irritate some skin types
• If you want serious heavy coverage, then this concealer will not provide that.
• It smears if worn in hot or humid weather.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

My friends tell me that I’m a makeup geek. There’s nothing I love more than putting on makeup and creating a flawless look.

Best Full Coverage Drugstore Foundations

As a person who is addicted to makeup and tries different products, I know expensive does not mean better. There are plenty of products that are brilliant and inexpensive, and there are plenty of products that are expensive but useless.

This article lists some of the best full coverage drugstore foundations, tried and tested, so that you know what to expect and how it performs. If you want full coverage, you should consider these foundations before going for the expensive stuff.

Save money and money will save you.

1. Revlon Color Stay Whipped Crème Makeup

Average Price: $11

Best for normal to oily skin

Tired of foundation slipping off your face or frequent touch ups to make it last? Revlon Colorstay whipped crème makeup sinks in your skin and does not budge. Now you can get busy in your work without worrying that the foundation is slipping off your face or you need to touch up your makeup. As the hours pass,you will look even better.

Revlon Colorstay Whipped crème comes in a thick glass jar—the texture is mousse-like and velvety. It’s a full coverage foundation that blends like a dream and covers everything, leaving a beautiful velvety airbrushed finish. But you need to select the right shade to enjoy the full benefits of this amazing foundation. It’s a great foundation for oily skin and those who have dry skin, they should use it only in summer or moisturize the skin well before applying.

If you have oily skin and you think you have a lot to hide, this might the best foundation for your face.

Pros:

• Full coverage foundation that will hide hyperpigmentation, age spots, active acne, acne scars with just a small amount.
• Lasting power more than 10 hours.
• Beautiful satin matte finish.
• A little goes a long way.
• Water proof and Sweat proof.
• Fragrance free.
• Will not transfer to clothes.
• Best for oily skin and for those who do not want a luminous/dewy look.

Cons:

• Women with yellow or neutral undertones will have trouble finding a right match.
• If you are very dark you will not find your shade.
• The jar packaging is not ideal for travelling.
• A bit difficult to take off.
• Expensive for a drugstore foundation but you can find it on sales often.

2. Nyx Total Control Drop Foundation

Average Price: $14

Best for normal to combination skin

As the name implies, this foundation gives you full control to achieve the coverage you want. If you want light coverage, one drop is enough. Two drops will give you medium coverage. Keep adding the drops until you achieve the coverage you want. It’s a fragrance free, highly pigmented foundation that gives you full coverage with just a few drops. Even if you use several drops, you will not end up looking cakey.

The packaging is very user friendly. The product comes in a glass bottle with a dropper dispenser. So you can easily get out the liquid drop by drop according to the coverage you desire. There’s very less chance of the product coming out too much and getting wasted.

The watery formula melts into skin and settles into satin matte finish that looks very pretty and natural. Nyx total control foundation is very suitable, for normal to combination skin types and also for those with sensitive skin.

Pros:

• Two dozen shade options for fair to dark skin tones.
• Wears well throughout the day.
• Sheer to full coverage without looking cakey.
• User friendly packaging.
• Fragrance free.
• Feels very light on skin.
• Works well on its own or mixed with other foundations or moisturizers.
• Does not transfer.
• Beautiful satin matte finish that looks natural.

Cons:

• Not suitable for dry skin.
• Pricy for a drugstore foundation;you get less than half an ounce(.43) of product for $14.

3. Wet 'n' Wild Coverall Cream Foundation

Average Price: $4

Best for normal to dry skin

This foundation is available in seven beautiful shades. If you have acne scars, hyperpigmentation, or very dark eye circles, Wet ‘n’ Wild Coverall Cream will cover all your flaws. It’s liquid to cream formula glides smoothly on skin and settles into a beautiful semi-matte finish that will neither look harsh matte nor will make you look shiny and dewy. With one layer of the product, you get medium coverage. Adding more layers will give you high coverage. An easy way to add lots of coverage is to combine it with coverall pressed powder.

Wet 'n' Wild Coverall Cream Foundation is very suitable for mature skin as it does not settle into lines and creases. The visibright technology reduces the appearance of wrinkles and blurs pores. Lasting power is six hours, but with powder, it can be increased to many more hours, and with a primer underneath, to forever.

Try it, you would love it. If it suits you, it's affordable enough to stock it.

Pros:

• Super affordable.
• Medium to full coverage.
• Does not cling to dry patches.
• Beautiful natural satin matte finish.
• Does not settle into lines and creases.
• A little goes a long way.
• Shades offered in neutral tones.
• Cruelty free.
• Suitable to be worn year round.

Cons:

• Limited color range available;No options for very dark skin.
• Contains preservative methylisothiazolinone that’s known to be sensitizing.
• Slight makeupy smell that does not linger.
• Squeeze tube packaging is not ideal. you have to use the tube carefully or else too much product comes out.

4. Max Factor Lasting Performance Foundation

Average Price: $12

Best for normal to oily/combination skin

If you want a foundation that looks natural and does not budge no matter how close you get to your man or spend the entire night clubbing, then Max Factor Lasting Performance Foundation is for you. It’s touch proof formula will make the foundation last for hours without making your skin look dull or tired.The coverage can be easily built into full thus effectively hiding all the flaws and making your skin appear flawless and healthy throughout the day. The foundation comes in a user friendly plastic squeeze tube and its finish is satin matte. It’s a fragrance free, non-comedogenic product that’s gentle enough to be worn by those with sensitive skin.

Pros:

• Packaging is hygienic, travel friendly, and easy to use.
• Beautiful natural looking full coverage with satin matte finish.
• Touch resistant.
• Good for every skin type if you have hydrated your skin.
• Thick texture, a little amount will give you decent coverage.
• Blends nicely and stays put for eight hours.
• Fragrance free.
• Oil free.

Cons:

• Limited shade range; very few darker shades available.

5. Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation

Average Price: $6

Best for normal to dry

A full coverage foundation that settles into a beautiful natural looking dewy finish while making the skin feel hydrated and energized. The foundation is excellent for use in winter as it will keep your skin moisturized and protect it from drying effects of the weather. In summer if you find it too dewy you can apply powder.

One layer of Rimmel Lasting Finish Foundation will give you medium coverage. Adding one or two layers, will give you full coverage, without looking cakey. The foundation does take a little time like 10-15 minutes to dry into a beautiful demi-matte finish. Be patient and do not apply powder to quicken the process.

It's suitable for oily skin, but if you are very oily, you should use Rimmel stay matte mousse foundation as it's more matte and will control oil better.

Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation feels lightweight on the skin and is very comfortable to wear because of comfort serum in it.

It’s a perfect every day foundation that is long wearing and also has SPF to protect you from the harmful rays of the sun.

Pros:

• Nice packaging; glass bottle with a pump.
• Very affordable.
• Very longlasting;it stays on face for more than 10 hours easily.
• Medium to full coverage.
• Sweat proof.
• Transfer proof.
• Enriched with Moisturizing Aqua Primer and revitalizing Mineral Complex.
• Humidity proof.

Cons:

• Limited shade range; offered in just seven shades ranging from fair to light tanned. There are not enough warm tones and dark shades.
• Fragranced but nothing overwhelming.
• Feels tacky when you apply and takes time to dry.

6. Cover Girl Queen Collection All Day Flawless

Average Price: $9.50

Best for oily skin

This foundation is a dark lady’s dream. You have 14 shades to choose from and you can certainly find your true match.

The formula is runny and combines powder, foundation and concealer all into one product that leaves a beautiful matte finish on dark skin. The foundation gives medium to full coverage without making you look overdone. One pump will give you medium coverage, more will give you high. When you apply this foundation, make sure to blend really well. As you blend more, you will achieve a natural even toned look, without sacrificing the coverage. It will be harder for anyone to tell that you are wearing makeup.

Cover girl Queen Collection All Day Flawless Foundation dries quickly, so be real swift while blending. You can choose to wear powder after the foundation, but even if you skip powder, you do not have to worry about touch ups at least for six hours.

Cover Girl Queen Collection Foundation is very suitable for dark oily skin. If you are dark and oily you must try this.

Cover Girl Outlast 3-in-1 Foundation has the same formula, so if you are fair, you should look there.

Pros:

• Beautiful matte finish that holds up throughout the day.
• Transfer resistant: it stays where you put it.
• Super blendable.
• Has SPF 20.
• It sets into a beautiful finish that does not need powder.
• Perfect range of shades for dark ladies.
• Effectively hides acne scars.
• Coverage is medium to full.

Cons:

• You might have to use concealer if you have super dark eye circles.
• If you sweat, it might slide off your face, so don’t forget to wear a good primer.
• Finding the right match can be a bit hard because there’s an inconsistent numbering for dark skin tones.

7. Revlon Color Stay Foundation For Combination/oily skin

Average Price: $10

Best for combination/oily skin

Revlon Color Stay Foundation is for those who have oily skin, want full coverage, and live in hot and humid environment. It will stick to your face for more than eight hours. Comfortable, lightweight formula absorbs oil well and controls shine throughout the day. Available in 35 flattering shades, the flawless finish keeps skin looking fresh and beautiful, reducing your need for touch ups to minimal.

If you have yellow undertones, be careful while selecting the right shade. Most of Revlon color stay shades are in pink undertones. If you have yellow undertones and buy a shade in pink undertones, it will give a fake, overdone look. Make sure to get a shade that suits not only your skin color but also your undertones. A good match will give you natural, flawless look. So take your time.

Revlon Color Stay Foundation gives full coverage, you won’t be needing any concealer to hide imperfections.

Pros:

• It gives medium to full coverage, but doesn’t feel heavy.
• Oil free and sweat proof; those women who suffer from foundation disappearing or melting into an oil slick in humidity and heat will really like it.
• It stays well for 9-10 hours.
• Keeps skin looking matte and fresh all day.
• Price is very affordable.
• Good for oily/combination skin, the other variant of the foundation is good for dry skin.
• Good for photo sessions.
• It doesn’t transfer to clothes and does not oxidize.

Cons:

• It smells like paint, but the smell goes away after you put it on.
• Takes considerable effort to remove.
• Some women may find it very heavy, but it can be mixed with a good moisturizer to make it less heavy.
• Finding a shade for yellow undertones can be a bit of a chore.
• Need to be quick while blending, because it dries fast.

Comments

Dana on October 15, 2018:

Are they sold at Walgreen's?

Jen on October 08, 2018:

Maybelline 24 hour coverage is great but limited shades

jane on October 05, 2017:

maxfactor lasting performance doesn't cover so well, and what about loreal foundations?

Aneesa (author) on August 13, 2017:

You are welcome Meg.I'm glad the article has been of help.

Meg on August 10, 2017:

Thank you so much for this list. It has answered all of my questions

I'm always interested in getting the best possible foundation for my face at a low price.

This is the first L'Oréal foundation I've ever tried. Normally I stick to my trusted Revlon Colourstay in Sand Beige (which is still the best colour match I’ve ever found for my skin). But when I was mulling around Boots on my break a few weeks ago, I was seduced by a smiling sales girl with promises of a 2 for £12 offer on anything L'Oréal and a free lipstick or nail varnish to sweeten the deal. I was two weeks from payday with about £20 left to last, but who could resist that kind of offering?

The land of YouTube had already taught me about L'Oréal foundations. Normally those who use the brand will go straight for the True Match foundation, but medium coverage, dewy foundations have never been for me. I mean, come on, I have spots to cover people!

So I went instead to the lovely selection of Infallible Foundations, which come in two different finishes: 24 hour-matte and "stay fresh," which I'm assuming is the dewy equivalent. As I'm a fountain of oil to begin with, I grabbed the 24hr-matte in the shade Vanilla, along with a True Match Touche Magique concealer and a free Colour Riche lipstick in Scarlet Creme, and went happily on my way.

Work wasn't the best place to try it out properly, and I doubt they would have been very happy about me taking an hour out to remove my face and put it all back on again. Besides, my knock-off beauty blender was at home so I decided to wait. However, I did notice in the daylight (well, the light of January in Northern England) that the swatch of the foundation on the back of my hand had dried down a little… pink. Not fuchsia pink but the pinky undertone that comes with pale foundations, it seemed strong in this one.

My heart sank, although I'm far from having the golden undertones of my dreams, I'm not 'that' pink. I prefer the ever so slightly yellowish tone of my beloved colourstay, even a slightly cool tone would do, but this? This was salmon coloured (supermarket salmon that is, not the red Alaskan type).

Nonetheless I decided to give it a real go, perhaps my setting powder would tone out some of the pink, maybe my arm, which is more tanned than my face (if you can call my skin tanned in any sense of the word), was just making it show up pinker than it really was. Maybe it was just a trick of the light! I hoped…

Back home, it was time to try it out properly. I prepped my skin with the usual stuff, cleanser, moisturiser, primer (silicone-based as Infallible contains dimethicone) and got my damp beauty sponge. Just a side note, I don't use a genuine beauty blender; it's the same colour, shape and size as the real techniques beauty sponge, but I bought it cheap from eBay, almost definitely fake, but it works the same and saves a bit of money.

I squirted some of the foundation on the back of my hand and got my sponge stuck in. Starting with my cheeks I started to blend up towards my nose and forehead and chin… you get the picture. Surprisingly, it actually blended in quite well, maybe a little dark but that's likely my fault for not buying the very lightest shade; Porcelain. The pink tinge certainly showed up, it wasn't as bad as I feared but I would have much preferred something more neutral.

It dried fairly quickly but allowed enough time to avoid clumpy foundation patches. If you don't use powder to set your face, then this would be a great option as it doesn't stay wet or tacky at all. Those of you with very dry skin or skin conditions that cause dry or flaky patches on the face may want to stay clear as I definitely noticed it clinging to dry skin around a healing spot on my cheek. Nothing too terrible though, and certainly nothing that wouldn't happen with powder anyway. I was able to blend my concealer in over the top with ease, and since then I've tried it with both liquid and cream concealers (the kind in the little jars), both blend in perfectly.

The finish was fantastic, perfectly matte with a smooth texture. Over the uneven texture where I tend to break out the foundation helped to skim it out, probably because of the silicones in the formula. I was really impressed by the end result especially as I tend to find other foundations get a little cakey around the sides of my nose and up in the corner of my eyes. There was none of that with Infallible.

The coverage was a little disappointing. It's definitely on the side of full coverage so credit for that, but I could still see spots through the foundation. Even with green colour corrector and concealer I could still see where my skin was uneven. From a one-metre distance, it looked fine so unless you get up close and personal with everyone you meet then the coverage is okay, but close up it's definitely not 100%. Saying that, not many foundations do cover the skin to the degree I want them too.

The bottle boasts 24-hour wear, something I always tend to doubt. While I can imagine the foundation lasting that long, the real test is whether it still looks good after that length of time. Unfortunately, that's not something I'm about to trial out since I don't fancy sleeping in my makeup. It might be useful for overnight flights or impromptu nights out that stretch into the morning but for me, that kind of situation is few and far between. I can say that it lasts a full day at work and into the evening, it also lasts a day out on the weekend, even if kids are involved.

It wears pretty well; some foundations can leave patches on me after a few hours as I have a horrible habit of touching my face. Constantly. But Infallible can hold its own here, admittedly behind a layer of setting powder, but it's still impressive. On the bottle, it claims to be waterproof. It's not. They can claim that it's waterproof because it contains dimethicone, a silicone with waterproofing properties. However, I found that the foundation easily left patches around my eyes and nose as they ran in the cold weather. One day I spent my whole morning at work with a huge bare skin patch under my eye. This foundation is definitely not waterproof.

The impact on the skin wasn't as bad as it might have been. While some full coverage foundations can cause breakouts, this one proved pretty reliable. In the interests of full disclosure, I did get a couple of smaller spots while using this, most were on the surface and not too much of a problem. One was deeper, and I still haven't been able to pop it. Yet there's no guarantee that these were caused by the foundation as I break out pretty much constantly anyway; could have been hormones, primer, bacteria on my sponges or brushes… anything. If you are prone to spots, pimples, acne or general breakouts then you might want to test this out carefully. If not, then there's little danger of this foundation harming your skin.

If you have mature skin, you may want to be careful and apply in a thin layer. I have a few fine lines on my forehead and under my eyes where the foundation did settle even with the primer, on the other hand, I've never found a foundation or even a BB cream that didn't do that. It's worth trying out if you have redness or other imperfections to cover, but if lines and wrinkles are your main concern, then you might be better off with a thinner and more flexible formula.

Drier skin would also be better off with a less drying formula; I imagine anyone with dry skin already knows how matte foundations can work on their skin so I won't spend too much time here. Maybe try the Infallible Stay Fresh formula if your skin tends to fall on the dry side.

The packaging isn't the greatest; it's in a plastic bottle which you squeeze to get the foundation out, a little like a moisturiser bottle. It's clear, so you get an idea of the colour but keep in mind it does dry darker! The back has a handy little guide indicating the finish, coverage and texture (something I wish would spread to all foundations), and the front boasts the name of the foundation and the colour. All in all, it's a little disappointing especially as the stay fresh formula comes in a lovely glass bottle with a pump to avoid all the foundation drying up and clumping around the lid (or spout maybe?). If you want a pretty display bottle, you'd be better buying something else, but foundations aren't usually great display pieces anyway.

It's great value for money, at £7.99 for 35ml it's a little bigger than most foundations and the price is about right for a 'drugstore' offering. It's not going to break the bank and the bottle will last quite a while, if you only use a small amount it will last even longer. I use quite a considerable quantity and in the two weeks, I've been using this I've barely noticed it going down.

All in all, it's a pretty good foundation. The coverage is decent although not perfect, the texture and finish are lovely, the price point is ideal, it doesn't clog up badly around the eyes and nose and it's perfectly matte. It's probably not great for dry or mature skin or anyone with sensitive skin prone to breakouts. Likewise, it's not going to be any use at all for those with darker skin (except maybe as a contour highlighter) as the colour range is very limited and geared towards lighter skin tones. It's also pink, even some of the other shades I've swatched come out pink so be careful if you have a warmer skin tone as it may clash with your natural skin and be difficult to blend out the edges. But for the price, and if you're cool-toned, normal to oily and light but not too pale then this might just be the one for you.

Have you ever tried L'Oréal Infallible Matte? Maybe you've had a different experience or noticed something that I've missed here. Let us know what you think in the comments below!

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2017 Kirsten

Comments

Dee on July 18, 2018:

A friend recommended this. I am 75 and it is a definite NO. my winkles looked magnified and the shade, I tried to match , was way too pale, I picked #302, wrong make up and shade for me. I researched the brand and it has great reviews but this product is not for me.

I usually use cover girl bb cram foundation and was looking for something with just a bit more coverage.

I also had some eye irritation. sadly not new for me.

FemaleAdda on February 17, 2017:

Nice reviews. Love this foundation. Thanks for sharing information.

Ah, the BeautyBlender. It may look like a normal makeup sponge, but it's so much more. How do you use one? Don't just go slapping on the makeup and rubbing it on your face because there is an art to getting the most out your BeautyBlender. After all, they're $30 a pop, so you want to make it worth it!

1. You're Not Using It Wet

"Why would you slap a wet sponge on your face if you're trying to get a nice even coverage, Elizabeth?" I hear you ask. Because it's the BEST way to get said even coverage. The BeautyBlender's spongey texture means that it works best when wet. It ensures you use less product because the sponge absorbs less, and it seals the holes in the sponge to give a natural, dewy look. Run the sponge under water, squeezing until it doubles in size, and then squeeze it out so it's a little damp. Then you're ready to go!

2. You're Not "Bouncing" It

"Elizabeth, what the heck do you mean by that?" Well, I'll tell you! The best way to ensure you get an even coverage with your foundation of choice is to bounce your Blender. If you swipe or rub your BeautyBlender over your face, you'll just smear the fluid over your skin and end up with streaky coverage.

You want to make sure you "bounce" it over your skin with a slight twist at the end. Bounce, twist, bounce, twist . . . Best foundation coverage you've ever had.

3. You're Applying Foundation Straight Onto the Sponge

Sponges are porous, and no matter how much you get it damp, it's going to take on some of your product. Squeezing the formula right onto the sponge will mean that the first time you bounce it on to your skin, you will press most of the product into your BeautyBlender.

Put a few drops of the foundation on the back of your hand and use it as a paint palette, grabbing more as you need it.

4. You're Not Washing It Straight After Using It

These little sponges may apply foundation flawlessly, but they also stain. There's nothing more disappointing than having your perfect BeautyBlender's pristine exterior all dirty and blemished. And washing is super easy. BeautyBlender themselves sell two types of cleaner: a solid soap-style one, and a liquid soap. Both are super easy to use.

For the liquid soap (or dish-washing liquid if you don't want to buy the branded one) simply squeeze the cleanser directly onto the stained parts of the Blender. If using the solid soap, add a bit more water and rub the stained parts of the sponge into the soap. Then, under gently running water, squeeze and massage the sponge.

You don't want to be too rough or you could flake the sponge. Just use a gentle massage, and whatever you do, DON'T wring it out. Gentle squeezing only.

5. You're Not Letting the Beauty Blender Dry Before Putting It Away

Just like you can't use the BeautyBlender dry, you also can't put it away wet because mould can form. And let's face it, mould is really gross. Your skin is so delicate and susceptible to nasty stuff, so you want to make absolutely sure that the sponge is cleaned, sterilized, and mould-free.

Luckily, the little plastic container this makeup wonder comes in is also the ideal drying stand.

Prop the blender sideways on the top of the open stand so that most of the sponge is exposed to the elements. And then just leave it there. You'll know when it's dry when it's back to its original size and can fit neatly back into the container.

BeautyBlender also has a nifty little mesh case you can put your damp sponges into to let them dry out while at the same time also protecting it in your makeup bag.

If you follow these five steps, you will be well on your way to cosmetic perfection.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

I love trying new makeup and sharing my opinion on them. I love products that can make me look fabulous.

What Is It?

Bye Bye Under Eye is a concealer used for under your eyes (as the product name suggests) for those who get dark circles. I have been using this product for close to six months and I can definitely see a difference.

How Is It Different?

This product does so much with using so little. First of all, for many of us, we look for something that is waterproof. We don't want our makeup running or moving during the day, no matter what we are doing. This why this product is so fantastic. It is completely waterproof, and I have tested this fact.

It also hydrates skin as well. I know, speaking for myself, my face in general can get dry, especially during the winter. The area under my eyes gets worse just by rubbing the skin. So having a concealer that hydrates is such a great thing.

Also, while wearing it, it doesn't feel heavy. I have tried other concealers, and I feel like I am almost wearing paint. It is so heavy and my face can't breathe. Then my face starts breaking out and I have to use more concealer and it seems like a never ending cycle.

As you can see above, there is definitely a difference between using it and not.

Review

I love this product! I don't get near as much sleep as I should. Therefore, I have dark circles under my eyes. This product really helps conceal them! I'll definitely keep this product in my daily routine for a long time.

I use this product daily. I don't get much sleep as I'm a college student and work two jobs. This concealer makes me look like if I got a full eight hours of sleep! I'm totally going to re-purchase once I run out.

How Does This Product Differ In Price?

As you can see from the table above, Bye Bye Under Eye is in the middle, price wise, between other well known brands.

I've had this product for six months, and I still have the same tube. This product lasts a long time. I do makeup almost everyday, and my first tube is still going strong.

So if you are thinking that $10 is a lot of money, just think of it for the long term. You could pay $10 up front and have it last for a long time, or you can continuously buy refills.

Alex is an esthetician from St. Catharines, Ontario with a passion for makeup and beauty.

Baking... What's All This Hype About?

It started with contouring, then highlighting, and has now turned into baking. New techniques to apply makeup and achieve a flawless finish are ever changing with the evolving beauty world.

The term "baking," which originated from the drag community, means to let your concealer or translucent powder sit on your face for 5-10 minutes before blending so your body heat "melts" the makeup into your skin—changing it's colour and texture— making it more bendable and smooth. This technique is used for highlighting, and is extremely effective in having flawless crease free concealer even for your longest of days. This method is amazing for deep-set under-eye circles. Baking gives the perfect, flawless under-eye look.

To achieve a flawless baked look, make sure you use your favourite makeup that you use on an every day basis- you also need a DAMP beauty blender, ceaseless under-eye concealer, and loose setting powder. (Kat Von D or Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder are not required but are suggested for this look). This process will take a total of 15-20 minutes.

• Step 1: Apply pore minimizer (NYX's pore filler or Benefit's POREfessional pore eraser are excellent options), primer and foundation as usual.
  
  Tip: Add a mist of Urban Decay's All-Nighter setting spray after primer as well as after foundation and contour for some extra protection.
• Step 2: Apply your favourite creamy concealer in a upside-down triangle formation underneath your eye (similar to the clown contouring method). Make sure to make the coat of concealer quite thick. Pat in lightly with a damp Beauty Blender.
• Step 3: Apply a heavy layer of translucent powder overtop of your concealer and let sit for about 10 minutes... (this is the perfect time to fill in brows, do your liquid eyeliner, or apply eyeshadow
• Step 4: After 10 minutes, use a blush brush to dust away the excess translucent powder, using short, flicking motions.
  
  Tip: use the blush brush lightly to prevent taking all of the translucent powder off... Leaving some of the powder on adds an extra highlighted finish and makes your under-eyes pop and look awake,
• Step 5: Continue your contour as usual.
• Step 6: Apply another light sweep of translucent loose powder and secure with setting spray. (Urban Decay's All-Nighter Setting Spray, or your favourite usual setting spray is a must have for this look).

Congratulations! You now know how to create a flawless baked and highlighted look for your under-eye concealer! If you happen to run into difficulties with this tutorial, view the video below created by Heidi Hamoud on Youtube!

If Extra Help Is Needed for This Technique, Watch the Video Below.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2016 Alexandra Dianne

Punkmarkgirl is a freelance writer with a passion for DIY projects, natural health, and makeup featuring the best products for oily skin.

There’s a fine line between dewy, glowing skin and greasy, oily skin! Apply the wrong foundation or the wrong highlighter...and you will end up looking like you've dunked your face in a vat of vegetable oil.

When applying your base foundation it's essential to select the right type of products for oily skin. Advertisements bombard us with ads for BB Creams and Tinted Moisturizers that will give you a “natural glow”. However, these are simply not suited toward oily skin. Many contain oils and/or moisturizers that will clog pores and cause oily skin to feel sticky all day long. Pasty and oily is not what they had in mind when advertising products for “glowing” skin!

As a general rule, you always want to achieve a matte complexion first, then add your highlighting products afterwards, to create a dewy look. Matte makeup will create the perfect base, allowing highlighter to last all day, and helping you stay oil-free.

Right: Notice in the top "right" picture, how the model's face is matte and shine-free - yet still looks fresh and vibrant? That's because she applied matte foundation and powder before applying highlighter.

Wrong: In the lefthand "wrong" picture, the model's face looks like she needs some serious oil removal! Shine is present on her nose, forehead, cheekbones, and under her eyes. That black eyeliner is beginning to smudge. This is not your optimal fresh-faced look!

Step 1: Apply Matte Makeup

As I’ve mentioned in a few of my other posts regarding makeup for oily skin, selecting a water-based foundation is a must. Any makeup with an oil base will not be long-lasting and will cause skin to look greasy. It can also plug pores and lead to acne breakouts. This also applies to moisturizer—make sure to select one that is lightweight and oil-free.

Dinair Glamour Foundation is water-based and provides amazing coverage. The website advertises its use with the airbrush spray gun, but you do not need a bunch of fancy equipment to apply this makeup. It can be applied like any other foundation, using fingertips or a makeup sponge. As an added bonus, this foundation is water-resistant!

If you're looking for a drugstore brand, try L’Oreal Infallible Pro Matte Foundation. This is one of the only drugstore brands that stays matte for a few hours, blends well, and also provides decent coverage.

Step 2: Apply Highlighter

Next, apply highlighter to the key areas below. Makeup artist describe these areas as “locations where light naturally hits your face.” Place highlighter according to the circles on these diagrams, following either Method # 1 or Method # 2.

Whether you have light skin or dark skin, these sections normally house dark shadows, which can make you appear tired & older. Highlighting enhances any skin tone. By adding a hint of brightness with highlighter, you’ll automatically achieve a dewy, youthful glow—without looking oily.

Best Highlighters

Here are my best recommendations for highlighter products:

Benefit Cosmetics High Beam: This one is a liquid highlighter, housed in a small bottle with a tiny brush. It allows for very precise application and provides a beautiful glow. Since it's in liquid form, it's best for those with combination to oily skin.

ELF All Over Color Stick Highlighter: This product in "Persimmon #3102" makes a great dupe for Benefit if you're looking to save a few bucks. The main difference is that the Benefit is in liquid form, and the ELF is in stick form. Since it isn't as liquid as the Benefit formula, it's good for those with oily skin. When applied to the skin, the two look almost identical.

Mattify Cosmetics Highlighter: This is a mineral powder highlighter (perfect for people who don't like the way liquid or stick highlighters can smudge foundation). It feels feather light—yet still provides a dewy, glowy look. The product also contains a built-in primer for added oil control and is best for those with oily to very oily skin.

Step 3: Apply Matte Powder

In order to lock your look in place, it’s important to use a matte setting powder. Without this, you will find that oil begins to ruin your look within a couple of hours. Setting powder will help absorb oil as it begins to surface, and prevents foundation from dissolving—giving you longer-lasting makeup.

Try Mattify Cosmetics ULTRA Powder for Oily Skin. Use a fluffy brush to apply the powder, or pat it on with a powder puff until it becomes invisible. This powder is completely transparent and can even be applied before your foundation as an oil absorbent primer. If you’re acne-prone or oily, this is a must-have product for staying shine-free.

Mission Accomplished! A Non-Greasy, Dewy Complexion

Your complexion now looks youthful and dewy, without a greasy layer of shine. Matte foundation takes care of oiliness, while highlighting adorns your face in a beautiful glow that will bring new vibrancy to your makeup look.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

Mariana Fuzaro from São Paulo, Brazil on September 04, 2015:

Thank you! I have extremely oily skin and always use pancake instead of foundation. I've tried oil-free foundation but my skin ends up sticky even so.

Maria has been researching and writing about health and beauty for over 10 years. She shares her findings on her skincare website and here.

How to Pick the Right Foundation

I find it difficult to choose the right foundation shade. Sometimes I end up buying a colour that doesn’t exactly match the tone of my skin. If you are in the same boat as me and find difficult to select that elusive perfect shade, I have compiled a few tips that will make your choice a bit easier.

1. First, it is important to know that there are four skin shades: pink, olive, brown, and yellow. When buying your makeup foundation, have this in mind. If you are not sure which skin tone you have, ask for help at the beauty counter.
2. These days, foundations are marketed for different skin types: normal, dry, oily, sensitive, or combination skin. Find your type of skin and buy the foundation accordingly.
3. Another thing to bear in mind is texture. You can choose between three: cream, powder, or liquid. It's important to pick a foundation in relation to the weather. In winter, the skin will normally be drier; during that time of year, choose a cream or liquid foundation. In the summer, when the skin sweats more, pick a lighter texture.
4. Consider coverage when shopping for foundations. Choose light coverage if you want your skin to look more natural. Medium coverage is perfect for those who want to hide skin blemishes and small imperfections. Full coverage works if you suffer from some type of skin condition or scars.
5. If you are one of those who test skin foundations on the back of their hand/wrist, stop! This technique doesn't work because the back of the hands are lighter than the face. You need to test on the jawline with no other foundation on.

Top Five Foundations for Illumination

1. Becca Cosmetics Shimmering Skin Perfector

This is not a traditional foundation, but since I bought this highlighter I'm in love with it. The Becca Skin Perfector will hydrate and illuminate your skin, particularly when you wear it with your own moisturizer or foundation. It is made of light reflecting pearls and makes the face shimmer and reflect light in the right places.

It comes in two different types; liquid highlighter and the powder highlighter.
Both the liquid and the powder gives a dewy glow-like sunrise that doesn't make the face look dry. You can easily make your best features shine the most; It is perfect for both the high points of your body and face. It is easy to apply and a great complimentary product for all skin colors.

For the liquid highlighter, you just need a good-working brush. Apply a good amount of the product into your hands and pat it evenly with the brush. It is better to test the highlighter first on your hand to measure the right amount of glow that you want. After that, you're good to go! Applying the powder highlighter is easier and almost the same as the liquid one. You just have to sweep across the face or across your target areas using a brush.

Make sure to pick the shade that matches your skin tone, and use it on its own, or dab a bit on the parts of the face that reflect light:

• Cheekbones
• Along the brow bone
• The nose bridge
• The middle of the chin and lips
• The top of the lips bow
• The inner part of the eyes

Shades

The product comes in 7 different shades:

1. Pearl—white pearl
2. Moonstone—pale gold
3. Prosecco Pop—warm gold
4. Champagne Pop—peach undertones
5. Opal—golden opal pearl
6. Rose Gold—golden rosy pink
7. Topaz—golden bronze pearl

How to Apply Becca Skin Perfector

2. NARS Sheer Glow Foundation

If you want a foundation that covers skin imperfections well and doesn't dry the skin, then Nars Sheer Glow is the foundation for you. It looks natural and leaves a subtle, glossy finish. It hydrates and improves the skin's texture and is aimed at normal and dry skin. This foundation is non-comedogenic (won't cause blackheads or block pores) and is fragrance free. It's a bit pricey, but a little bit goes a long way.

It also gives a sophisticated glow to the whole facial area. It is easy to use as and it acts as a great use for under-eye concealer, too. Just apply a small amount under your eyes or in any part of your face and use the tip of your finger or a concealer brush to blend it. You can put in more or less, just be sure that it is the right amount that you need.

This product minimizes facial discoloration and it hydrates for softer and smoother skin. It gives the face a brighter and a more radiant glow. It is also safe to use because it contains powerful anti-oxidants to protect the face from any damaging free radicals.

Shades

This product offers 20 shades because finding the right shade is the most crucial thing for a foundation. Nars sheer glow foundation is beneficial for all people since it can be used by all complexions.

3. Christian Dior Skin Nude Natural Glow Fresh Powder Makeup

I have to include this mineral powder make up from Christian Dior, because it leaves the skin really smooth and fresh. It's 20% water and since water undoubtedly acts as a moisturizer, it can give the skin a more radiant glow.

It has an oil absorbent mechanism for oily skins and it serves as a great finish to all makeup. The SPF 10 mineral powder has a nice glow and it is really simple to apply so it can be easily incorporated into your daily routine. It is also easy to carry around as it only weighs 0.28 oz.

This product gives a natural-looking vibe to all people, a flawless doll-like appearance, a reliable sheer coverage, and a silk-like texture.

If you skin has large pores, this foundation will make the pores look smaller. It doesn’t come cheap, but if you want to invest in a good powder makeup, this is definitely one to consider.

4. Bobbi Brown Luminous Moisturizing Foundation

Due to its anti-aging benefits, Bobby Brown luminous moisturizing foundation is perfect for aging skin. It contains collagen and hexapeptides to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and moisturize the skin.

This foundation work best on those with yellow undertones. If you have oily or combination skin use setting powder or your skin could end up looking too shiny.

It works fantastic on other skin types like normal or dry, covering imperfections well without masking the skin and leaving a fresh, glowing finish. This foundation is light and provides a natural glowing finish. It lasts from day into night quite well. Definitely one of the best foundations I have found.

5. Mary Kay TimeWise Luminous Wear Liquid Foundation

Another amazing skin foundation with anti-aging benefits, this product covers the skin well and gives a luminous, flawless finish. It contains a peptide complex and jojoba oil, which is rich in vitamin E.

It is designed to make the skin look firmer, younger, fresher, and healthier.
It offers good coverage for pimples, scars, wrinkles, pores, or any other type of blemishes in your face.

The ingredients work together to moisturize and diminish facial lines.

• Jojoba oil helps to shrink pores and dissolve the production of oil that creates pimples.
• Glycerin that helps to maintain the moisture levels of the skin.
• Dimethicone provides skin protection and it improves the appearance of the face by its soothing nature.
• Palmitoyl Oligopeptide and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 help to restore and maintain the skin's youthfulness and freshness.

It is a lightweight formula that can be applied evenly and smoothly. The skin feels moisturized for the whole day. It is also suitable for sensitive skin since it is clinically tested for any allergies.

Shades

There are 23 shades to choose from. If you want a smooth, even finish with 23 shades to choose from, this is a foundation to try.

Mary Kay TimeWise Foundation Review

Natural Ways to Achieve Clear, Glowing Skin

To get your skin to glow, follow a healthy daily routine that incorporates plenty of water, raw food, exercise, and efficient skin care ingredients.

• Wash your face with very cold water in the mornings. This promotes blood circulation and will help to close facial pores.
• Choose skin care products that contain Vitamin C, retinol, and hyaluronic acid, along with vegetable oils such as rosehip, almond, and argan.
• Drink natural orange juice with pineapple first thing in the morning and throughout the day will help the body get rid of toxins and hence clear the skin.
• Try to eat berries and vegetables high in antioxidants.
• Drinking green and red tea have cleansing properties.

Recipes for Glowing Skin

Exfoliation is essential. Here's a recipe that will remove dead cells from your face:

• One teaspoon honey, one teaspoon lemon juice, and one teaspoon brown sugar. Mix well and gently rub on your face for one minute. This can be use on the hands and gently on the neck as well.

Face Masks

The following are great homemade mask recipes:

• Mix one grate carrot with an egg yolk and few drops of lemon. Leave on the skin for twenty minutes and rinse using tepid water.
• Blend a few pieces of banana with one or two teaspoons of milk and one teaspoon of honey. Apply evenly over the face and neck and leave in place for about 20 minutes. Wash off with warm water and apply your usual moisturizer.

Enjoy a Healthy Glow!

A healthy diet, water and physical activity will help you achieve healthier and glowing skin naturally. On the other hand if you want to try different approaches go for facials, beauty treatments, skin care products and make up. Using foundations for glowing skin is a great way to fake it until you make it. It is just a matter of finding the best foundation for your skin type!

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2014 lovethisstuff

What's Your Favorite Foundation?

Elizabeth P on April 21, 2018:

I use Becca perfector to sculpt my face. I just love it!

Tressie Dawson on March 08, 2018:

Nice post! I just love reading your articles as the content provided by you is very informative and useful. Thanks for sharing.

lovethisstuff (author) from London on January 13, 2015:

Glad to be of help! Thanks for your comment.

Cynthia B Turner from Georgia on January 12, 2015:

I've considered wearing a tinted moisturizer or foundation with some glowing properties because I like the way it looks on a lot of my friends. Thanks so much for the review of the products you listed here. It was very thorough. I can now make an informed choice of product. I really like the ingredients you say are listed in the Mary Kay foundation. Thanks for such a thorough analysis.

lovethisstuff (author) from London on March 18, 2014:

I understand that some people don't like to wear foundations but there are some very light formulas out there and it feels and looks like you are wearing nothing. Thanks for your opinion!

Tracy Lynn Conway from Virginia, USA on March 09, 2014:

I don't wear foundation, only moisturizer, I don't like the feeling of foundation or the idea of it. I follow a lot of what you have listed to achieve naturally glowing skin and I am glad that you included it. I prefer the inside out type of beauty. Voted up!

Alison is a freelance writer on health, nutrition, skincare, and pets, especially cats and dogs.

The answer to the question what is CC Cream depends on where you look. I have seen it variously described as a color corrector, complexion corrector, color control, complete correction, and complexion correction.

Confused? No need to be. Read on to learn more about this hybrid product that provides a combination of makeup and skincare in one neat product.

It will be perfect for you if you have hyperpigmentation, uneven skin tone, and/or blemishes, such as acne scars, freckles, and so on.

Why Is It Sometimes Called Korean CC Cream?

The cream originated in Korea and was developed from the original BB cream which is so popular in Asia, having originally been developed in Germany. Asian consumers love the CC creams that give a translucent effect. Many use it as a color corrective primer before applying BB cream to get a polished, flawless finish.

The best CC creams vary widely in composition, so what suits one person perfectly will not necessarily be right for another. Some are designed to provide a similar level of coverage to BB creams, others are more of a tint rather than a foundation cream, and others are probably better used as a corrective skin primer underneath foundation cream.

Who Should Use Color-Correction Creams?

Product reviews promise that you will notice an immediate improvement in the appearance of your complexion and that you should use a product of this type:-

• If you have fine lines, wrinkles and/or age spots, you will notice a reduction in their appearance and age spots, and freckles will appear faded out.
• If you have uneven skin tone, these creams will even out your complexion giving you a soft, smooth, all-over look.
• If you want your skin to look younger, with a luminous finish that older skin can lack.
• If you want skincare benefits including the provision of nourishing moisture, where your skin needs it most and help your skin to retain that moisture better.
• If you want the gentle, exfoliating effect it provides, improving skin cell turnover, revealing newer, younger skin cells beneath.

So, your skin not only looks better cosmetically, immediately after application, but continued use will go on benefiting your skin with a cumulative effect.

The Difference Between BB Creams and CC Creams

The difference between BB creams and CC creams is most apparent in the application as color corrector creams are a lighter-textured product and glide on smoothly, providing skincare benefits for your skin including protection from the damaging effects of sunlight.

In addition, these complexion corrector creams provide more skincare benefits with ingredients designed to protect and nourish your skin. They are suitable even for oilier skin types.

This video featured above talks about the difference between BB cream and CC cream and recommends several different BBs as well as the Olay total effects CC cream - the product that is my personal favorite (please see illustration on the right and my review below). On the video, the product used is the medium to dark shade but as you will read below, two lighter shades are also available.

My Personal Favorite Tone of Correcting Cream

I love Olay's CC Cream - they call it Total Effects Tone Correcting Moisturizer with Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 15—to be honest, that is a bit of a mouthful—but then, it is a heck of a product!

Firstly, it is available in three shades (fair to light, light to medium, and medium to deep), so just about anyone can wear it.

Secondly, it contains ingredients that are proven effective for improving the appearance of skin discoloration and hyperpigmentation. Olay calls this their "essential glucosamine complex."

What Is the Best CC Cream?

Reviewers have been raving about Clinique's Moisture Surge CC Cream. My daughter uses this product as she has sensitive skin and likes the 'nude' look it gives her skin (as a Primary Teacher, she does not like to go to work looking 'made-up'). As a gray-eyed blonde, she tends to choose the light-medium shade.

Clinique says that their moisture surge cream will restore skin's healthy glow. My daughter says she likes this product as she can wear it in three ways.

1. As a spot treatment to dab on minor blemishes or redness.
2. She can achieve a light, all-over coverage by mixing it with her moisturizer before applying.
3. She can achieve a medium coverage by applying it all-over with a dampened make-up sponge.

Clinique says that a fuller coverage can be achieved by wearing it under a foundation cream but my daughter has not personally tried this.

Over time, everyone's skin tone changes and, depending on your age, skin type or ethnicity, it can look dull and tired, sallow and faded or red and inflamed.

This product contains ingredients to reflect light away from those imperfections, making them appear less visible. It hydrates the skin as well as containing an SPF of 30 to provide protection.

Each shade helps to color correct any skin imperfections you have, immediately improving skin tone and helping your skin to look naturally radiant. It comes in several shades—very light, light, fresh peach, light-medium, medium, medium-deep and deep.

This Video Review Also Has a Demo of How to Apply the Product

Making Your Choice: The Best CC Cream For Your Skin

There are so many different products on the market that you will need to do a little research to find the perfect product for you. Knowing the specific improvement you want to make to your skin will help you choose—as will knowing the amount of coverage you are looking for, or whether you want your CC Cream to act as a color corrective primer under a BB Cream.

I would love to hear your personal favorite product and what you have found it especially good for—as you will see with my Olay product choice, it doesn't have to be expensive to be brilliant!

What Could A Complexion Correction Cream Do For You?

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Questions & Answers

Question: Do I still need to use an oil-free moisturizer with a CC cream if I have very oily skin?

Answer: Yes. You may also want to use a 'primer' for oily skin after moisturizing and before applying your CC cream. This will help the CC cream to stay in place throughout the day.

© 2013 Alison Graham

Comments

Alison Graham (author) from UK on May 25, 2015:

Hi Joanna14 - great to hear that CC cream is a product that has helped you. I have found it especially helpful for evening out my own skin-tone and I am pleased to learn that it is as effective on Rosacea.

Christine Hulme from SE Kent, England on May 22, 2015:

CC cream has been the solution for covering up my rosacia, which has been a real nuisance, especially as I work with the public.

Alison Graham (author) from UK on December 08, 2014:

Hi Audrey, thanks for your comment - yes I love my CC cream but I do not think you would ever need to put foundation over a CC cream, I think it would be either / or. I prefer to use the CC cream as it does not settle into any lines on the face the way a foundation can and it leaves skin looking natural but even-toned and seems to blur any imperfections (of which I have my share plus a few!) Thanks for the pin!

Audrey Selig from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on December 02, 2014:

Hi Alison - I have heard a lot about these skin creams in the last year, and it sounds like you are really sold on them. I wondered if you could still use your foundation over them. I amazes me that companies come up with better products all the time. They must spend a lot of time on development. This really interests me, and thank you for sharing your information. Pinning, Blessings, Audrey

I've been an online writer for over seven years. My articles often focus on beauty, health tips, and cooking.

Foundation—Brush, Sponge, or Finger Application?

There are three basic ways to apply foundation—with fingers, a makeup sponge, and a foundation brush. Each one has its strengths: using fingers is convenient, and using a sponge means the lightness or heaviness of the makeup is highly controllable because it can be wiped or smudged on or off easily, but my own favourite is a good, soft foundation brush. It gives a flawless finish with minimal blending and fuss, and leaves absolutely no streaks or demarcation lines at all.

I didn’t have a foundation brush for a long time. And, honestly, I never gave it much thought. That is, until I went for a makeover where the assistant showed me how to use one, and I loved the result. I have very pale skin that is far from even, so before I put my makeup on in a morning I am rockin’ that blotchy look! But using my foundation brush and a good liquid foundation, even I get a nice and even skin tone.

Fingers

Using fingers can easily drag and pull the skin, and a bit more moisturiser or primer might be needed as a base so that the liquid flows smoothly and stays smooth while blending. Using fingers can be a bit of a hit-and-miss hodgepodge because fingers tend to apply foundation as though it were a moisturiser to be rubbed into the skin, and blending to give a smooth, even finish can be a bit of a trial.

Makeup sponge

These are very good if you have a soft natural sponge and lightly dampen it before use, but they can leave streaks, and blending can be difficult if the sponge is too small or too damp or dry.

Foundation Brush

A brush is a joy to use and create a perfect look with almost no practice or expertise. For the best results you'll have to pay a bit extra and get a professional-standard brush that is large and has very soft natural bristles. I have a Clinique one that I love, but most of the high-end make-up manufacturers have a selection of brushes that are equally suitable.

But all that said, natural-looking foundation can be applied using any of the three methods – it’s just that some take a bit more work than others. I’ll start with my favourite method of using a foundation brush, and then add the extra steps of the other two ways.

Foundation Brush

1. Apply your regular moisturiser.
2. Pour a small amount of foundation onto your hand, to act as your 'artist’s pallet'.
3. Collect a little foundation onto the foundation brush.
4. Start from the centre of your face – the sides of your nose and the centre of your forehead and chin - and brush lightly outwards to the sides. Then blend with light, sweeping strokes at all the tricky areas or demarcation lines at the edges, ‘recharging’ the brush with just a little more foundation as in step 3 when necessary.
5. Leave the ridge of your nose, eyes and around your mouth until last, and use only the smallest amount of foundation for these areas, once again blending with sweeping strokes.

Foundation Brush Application Tips

Don’t use foundation as a concealer. Foundation is for evening-out the tone of your skin, but for under-eye shadows (for instance), pat on a dab of specialist concealer first and then apply and blend foundation.

By starting from the centre of your face and sweeping outwards, the foundation will blend with your natural tone more easily and create a subtle illusion of ‘natural’ as there will be just a little more coverage in the centre third of the face, where any sun damage, broken capillaries and minor complexion flaws are most likely to be. Because the coverage will be even without being completely uniform you'll escape the dreaded mask-like look.

Don’t Dot! Concealer is for dotting and ‘patting’, but foundation is for creating light coverage. Professional makeup artists use concealer on blemishes first and then apply a sweep of foundation with a brush. Foundation liquid doesn't necessarily go on 'all over', but rather than dot and then blend, sweep the brush over the area that needs extra attention, and then blend by sweeping again (without 'recharging' the brush with more foundation) to distribute it evenly.

Makeup Sponge

1. Apply your usual moisturiser.
2. Dampen the sponge first with a little water and then squeeze it a few times so the sponge is evenly (and very lightly) dampened.
3. Pour a small amount of foundation onto your hand to act as a palette (the same as for the foundation brush method), and then collect a little of this onto the sponge by dabbing it on your 'palette'.
4. Again, apply from the centre third of the face – the sides of the nose and middle of the forehead and chin – sweep the sponge outwards to the sides of the face in small strokes, blending gently as you go.

Tips for Foundation Sponge Application

To avoid streaking, make sure your sponge is (1) either new or thoroughly washed in warm water beforehand, (2) slightly and evenly damp so that it’s soft to the touch, and (3) loaded with just a small amount of foundation. Rather than collect a large amount of makeup on the sponge, ‘recharge’ it as you go so that you’re only applying a little at a time on your face.

Using Fingers for Foundation Application

I used to use my fingers to apply foundation, and it can work quite well. With this method, a little ‘dotting’ is almost inevitable, so you’ll need to blend a bit more thoroughly and make sure that you’re properly moisturised before applying the makeup so that it glides on and you don’t have to tug or drag the skin when blending.

1. Apply moisturiser - using a light, thin 'serum' type will work best for this to help the foundation glide on more easily.
2. Wash your hands in warm water - if your hands are warm the foundation liquid will stay just that little bit more workable for longer so that you'll be able to blend more easily.
3. Put a little foundation onto your fingertips and then, using short, regular strokes, start applying from the centre of the face and work outwards.
4. Blend as you go, using the flat pads of your fingers, and as much as possible sweep in one direction – outwards to the sides of the face.

The temptation with fingers is to ‘recharge’ a little too often because they don’t distribute the foundation quite as easily as brush or sponge, but if you are properly moisturised first, and apply and blend quickly and evenly (so that the liquid doesn’t dry out before you have a chance to blend), using fingers can give a nice even complexion and tone.

A Few Tips for a Natural Appearance with Foundation

Liquid foundation sets quickly because it is applied in such a thin layer. The thin layer is great for a natural appearance, and brushes and sponges make the most of it and distribute it rapidly and evenly in a few sweeps.

If you use your fingers to apply, cream foundations might be a bit easier to use because they don’t set quite as quickly, so they give a little more blending time.

Use a foundation shade and tone that is an exact or very close match to your natural shade to avoid demarcation lines or patchiness. If you absolutely cannot find the right shade for you, a BB Cream or tinted moisturiser might be better than using the wrong foundation shade – they’re a little more forgiving and each shade has been developed to complement a much wider range of skin tones. The BB Creams I’ve tried are applied in the same way as foundation, but they are much more like moisturisers, and go on almost as easily and evenly as a moisturising cream.

Setting Powder/Face Powder – if you use this, apply it with a large soft brush and dust very lightly over the face to avoid clumping or patches of powder (and apply it before mascara or your lashes will end up looking festively snow-tipped!)

Problem Skin

If you have very oily, very dry or any other kind of ‘problem’ skin, or a skin condition like acne or rosacea, don't apply makeup to cover the problem - get advice from a dermatologist. Common mild skin problems can often be addressed with simple diet and exercise changes, or low-dose antibiotics or other medication, but applying makeup to cover up problems can end up making them much worse.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

BuyMeBeauty on July 24, 2015:

I've always steered away from liquid foundation because I could never get it to look as natural as just using a BB Cream or powder. I think I'll try applying it with a sponge and using a setting powder on top. Thanks for the tips!

Rebecca Mealey from Northeastern Georgia, USA on March 10, 2013:

Interesting facts about how to apply make-up. I need all the hints I can get on applying foundation. I have a hard time getting it to look natural!

Redberry Sky (author) on February 03, 2013:

Hi Learning in Life, glad to find another brush fan :) I must admit I'm a little envious of your MAC make up, it's a fabulous brand. Oh dear, I feel another shopping trip coming on ...

Megan Garcia from Florida on February 03, 2013:

I started using a brush for my liquid foundation recently and it looks so much better. I never knew you could apply it like that until a MAC girl showed me to cover tattoos for work.

I am a wife, mother, and early educator who enjoys writing. I live in the beautiful Bay Area and enjoy exploring new places.

Revlon ColorStay Foundation Works

I have never publicly endorsed a product before, but I feel compelled to spread the word about this foundation. You can purchase this amazing product for about $9–$12 a bottle, depending on where you shop.

• Pros: Controls oil, cheap, easy to apply, many shades, won't cause breakouts, no odor, and does not rub off on my clothes or my pets or my daughter.
• Cons: It is always sold out in most stores or people have opened the bottle to try the product.

My Skin Type

I have extremely oily skin. By midday, I can use half my oil-blotting sheets and still look oily. I am also a mother, wife, preschool teacher, and active naturalist. As you can see, my days are filled with different activities, and I need a foundation that will last throughout the day. That is why I have searched for years for the best makeup for oily/acne-prone skin that will stay on my face and still look natural even at the end of the day.

How I Discovered Revlon's ColorStay Foundation

I have tried a wide range of products. Some were high-end while others could be found at Walmart. Each purchase brought a faint glimmer of hope, and I couldn't wait to begin my morning makeup ritual. Most of the foundations I tried would look great at first, but, by the end of the day, my skin would look slick with oil—or even worse, my foundation appeared to be sliding around my face.

Then, I heard about Revlon's ColorStay foundation for combination/oily skin. I researched the product and read numerous positive reviews. Still, I had my doubts after so many disappointments in the past. But during one of my many visits to Walmart with my daughter, I happened to come across the makeup in a shade close to my skin color. I took it as a sign because most of the other shades were completely sold out, so I added the foundation to my cart.

Like so many times before, I woke up the next morning a little giddy with excitement. I know, it's just makeup, but I was determined to complete my quest for the best oil-absorbing foundation.

Testing Out the Product

It looked great in the morning. It went on smooth, covered all of my acne scars, and evened out my complexion. Even better, there was no obnoxious odor or unusual texture. I felt slightly optimistic as I began my day. I took my daughter to the zoo, went grocery shopping, and worked in the garden. The day happened to be extremely hot. It was the perfect climate to test the foundation's claims.

Mid-Day Results

Throughout the day, I administered my own test—a test I have perfected throughout the years:

• Using one fingertip, I gently pressed against the area of my face affected by my oil glands the most: my forehead.
• Instantly, the results surprised me. No oil lingered on my fingertip, and my forehead felt dry to the touch. Still, I remained cautiously optimistic.

Evening Results

• I waited until my daughter went to sleep, and then I crept into the bathroom, turned on the light, and looked at my reflection.
• My face looked even and natural, with only a slight shine around my T-zone. By this time, the foundation had remained on my face for over 13 hours without any touch up. Not bad, not bad at all. I couldn't help but smile.

Three Months Later

That was three months ago. I have been using this product religiously without any breakouts, nor do I see any change in the makeup's effectiveness. People have commented that my skin looks "clearer and healthier."

Finally, I have found a product that fits my budget, suits my active lifestyle, and feels good on my skin.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

Sadia on July 26, 2020:

Price plz

Krisha2222 on October 09, 2019:

Terrible product! Caused cystic acne all over face cheeks and neck. Do not use!

Dane Yu from United States on March 25, 2013:

I've used this product for years past as well and while I do agree that it is great with it's claims, sometimes I do have the problem of being able to feel it on my skin. It's a little sticky and easy to cake up sometime. But Revlon also came out with the Colorstay whipped creme foundation which is amazing! If you really like this version of Colorstay, you will probably like the new formulation as well. It's very interesting, because it's like a mousse creme in a jar. It can feel thick, but I recommend only applying a thin layer. It looks amazing and lasts even longer on me than the Liquid Colorstay version. You should definitely check it out when you get the chance and let me know how you like it! The color selection is harder to match though, so do some research before you go shopping.

Claire Tilly on October 20, 2012:

I have been "blessed" with fair, oily, acne prone skin, unfortunately. You name it, I've tried it - just about every product out there, which, in itself, is not so good for my skin. I just discovered Hyaluronic acid completely by accident. I am impressed!!! I use the Lady Soma Renewal Serum, where hyaluronic acid is the main ingredient.

I've had this really bad breakout on the side of my neck since July, that would just not go away. Since I began using the Lady Soma Serum, they're healing and going away. YAY!!!

I use it morning and night. My skin is soft, no longer oily and I have not have any new breakouts (even when my time of the month came).

I am becoming a lifelong customer. I love this stuff.

TeachableMoments (author) from California on August 30, 2012:

Thank you for taking the time to read my review. If you have oily skin like me then you will be amazed by this product's ability to control shine and breakouts. Let me know how it works out.

Janelle from Houston on August 30, 2012:

Very nice, I love a good recommendation piece. Finding the right foundation is very tricky at times.

TeachableMoments (author) from California on August 29, 2012:

I strongly recommend this product. Just make sure you purchase the Revlon Colorstay foundation for oily/combination skin. Many people end up purchasing the foundation for dry/normal skin and it will not work the same. Let me know if it works for you. I don't know if this helps but I use the early tan shade (340).

Dianna Mendez on August 29, 2012:

With my combination skin it is hard to find makeup that works at a reasonable price. I have not tried Revlon and will have to take a look at it next time I need replenishing. The current foundation I am using is not doing a really good job of evenly coating my skin. Thanks for the advice.

Linda has written content for national fashion and beauty websites. She enjoys sharing style trends and tips with her readers.

I’ve always had overactive sebaceous glands. Fortunately, I never suffered much in the way of breakouts in my teens, other than the once a month eruptions that always appeared at the most inopportune time. However, in my case, I noticed my complexion getting worse in my 40s and even into my early 50s. It seemed my oil production had surpassed that of the Middle East!

This excessive oil resulted in clogged pores that have become enlarged throughout my T-zone--you know, that T-shaped area of your face that runs across your forehead and down the middle to your nose.

To make matters worse, my makeup mirror only amplified the situation. Each morning I stared at my 10x magnified pores, praying for a quick fix. That’s when I set out on a mission to find the best products to conceal enlarged pores.

I decided to concentrate on budget-friendly, non-chemical, cosmetic products. Here are my personal favorites for reducing the look of enlarged pores. Hope you like them too! Now I can happily face my pores in the mirror each morning!

(I would like to make it clear I am not affiliated with any the cosmetic companies mentioned. This article is simply a product review based on my personal experiences, and the products are listed in no particular order.)

1. Kiehl’s Double Strength Deep Wrinkle Filler

Kiehl’s website says this product has “double the filling power to instantly fill lines and wrinkles, smoothing them over time”. While I do have a few wrinkles and deepening lines, I was more interested on the impact it might have on enlarged pores.

It contains what they call sodium hyaluronate filling spheres and hyaluronic acid that bind with moisture to “fill” wrinkles. My thought was, if it works for facial crevices, why not for enlarged pores?

Although it has received some pretty negative reviews, I decided to give it a go because I like Kiehl’s product line. For my purposes, it does the trick. Maybe my results are better because I only use it in concentrated areas.

I apply a small amount to each problem pore (and let dry completely) before applying my moisturizer. I finish with a translucent mineral powder. While my enlarged pores are not completely invisible, their appearance is greatly diminished. I really like the fact that it contains no silicone, which, I feel, tends to clog my pores. And who knows, the hyaluronic acid might actually help lessen the appearance of my pores over time.

2. Clinique Pore Refining Solutions Instant Perfector

This Clinique product is a matte primer that is supposed to conceal pores, fine lines and scars. The company says it lasts up to eight hours and is resistant to sweat and humidity. All you do is it dot and gently blend over pores. I use it alone with a dusting of finishing powder and rarely have the need to reapply during the day.

I have tried this product off and on for a few months, while testing others. Previously, I used Clinique’s Pore Minimizer and was mildly impressed, but I have to say the reformulated version is definitely an improvement over the original. It does contain silicone polymers, so I take extra care in cleansing my pores when using this product.

I apply the Invisible Bright shade after moisturizing and before my finishing powder. It also helps keep t-zone oil at bay. The formula is a bit thinner than the original product, but it seems to work better concealing my large pores. When I save up, I’m going to try it with the companion Correcting Serum and see how the two products work together.

3. Dr. Brandt Pores No More Refiner

I’m new to Dr. Brandt products, but am thoroughly impressed with this temporary solution for enlarged pores. Like Clinique’s pore refiner, Pores No More gives skin a matte finish and keeps my problem areas from shining through.

This product contains a nice balance of natural ingredients like tea tree oil (natural antibacterial) and flaxseed extract along with a salicylic acid derivative to regulate and absorb excess oil. It comes in tinted and clear formulas.

I received a sample of this product, so I can’t vouch for long term results. However, I did notice an improvement in appearance of the pores around my nose. As with the other products, this isn’t a miracle cure for enlarged pores, but I thought the results were quite impressive. Be sure not to apply too much of this product or it tends to flake. Apply with a light hand and you’ll be just fine…and so will your pores.

4. Benefit The POREfessional

The POREfessional is called a balm, but don’t let that scare you away. It is a lightweight formulation that comes in tube form. The POREfessional’s oil-free formula is translucent, so it is great to wear with or without makeup. It contains some sort of vitamin E derivative that the company claims helps protect your skin from free radicals. That’s one of the benefits of this Benefit pore minimizer.

I keep this product in my purse for quick touch-ups when my face starts to get oily and my pores become more visible. I don’t use it as a primer. Instead, I prefer to apply it to pores later in the day and over my mineral finishing powder. For some reason, it’s more effective for me when applied after the fact. It has a nice matte finish, so it won’t be obvious when applied over your other makeup. I would give this product a better than average rating for its ability to conceal enlarged pores.

5. Smashbox Photo Finish Targeted Pore & Line Primer

I bought this Smashbox primer because of its descriptive name. I love names that tell you exactly what a product is supposed to do. The website claims this product was designed to target oversized pores and fine lines. Without even reading any reviews, I was sold and immediately purchased a tube.

It is fragrance and paraben-free, but it does contain silicone elastomers to reduce oily shine. So give your pores a good cleansing at the end of the day. Smashbox goes on all day about the unique application tip—I’m not sure what all the fuss is about. I just put a dab of primer on my finger and gently press it into my pores.

I am very pleased with the results of this thick primer. I apply it just like the POREfessional—after I apply my mineral veil. The primer mixes with the powder and does a heck of a job of concealing my enlarged pores. I understand it is also good for hiding acne scars as well. This is another product I would recommend keeping on hand for late day touch-ups.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2012 Linda Chechar

What Do You Think About These Pore Concealing Products?

Linda Chechar (author) from Arizona on January 22, 2014:

Lindy, I definitely will. Thanks for reading and thanks for the tip!

Lindy on January 22, 2014:

try miracle blur from loreal. Covers pores and wrinkles.

Linda Chechar (author) from Arizona on June 17, 2013:

Give it a try vibesites and let me know what you think! Thanks for your comment! :)

vibesites from United States on June 17, 2013:

"It seemed my oil production had surpassed that of the Middle East!" - mine too! Lol.

Based on your descriptions, I'd go for Smashbox and try one for myself. Thanks for recommending! :)

Linda Chechar (author) from Arizona on June 12, 2013:

jenabroad, thanks for explaining your application technique! That is very important in order to get the best coverage. Thanks for reading and sharing your experience! :)

jenabroad on June 12, 2013:

I do a combo of things that seem to work really well. After applying a witch hazel toner, I use a make up sponge to apply the kiehl's to the area of the large pores (if you use your fingertips, the heat from your hands only enlarges the pores further). After that dries completely, I use the sponge to add the benefit pore-fessional and use a tissue to remove any that is not covering the pore. Cover with a loose powder and use the Pore-fessional in the same way described above if you need additional coverage/ touch ups. I have found it to work extremely well! Good luck!

Linda Chechar (author) from Arizona on May 05, 2013:

You are welcome suthernlam! Thanks for reading and your comment. Take care! :)

suthernglam on May 05, 2013:

Great hub! I definitely have pore problems, so I may try the Dr. Brandt's:) Thanks.

Linda Chechar (author) from Arizona on November 14, 2012:

I know, lana! I wish I had the money I've spent on pore minimizing/concealing products over the years. Clinique definitely make a great product. I hope it works for you! Thanks for reading and commenting. :)

lanablackmoor from New England on November 14, 2012:

I seriously wish this hub had been around ages ago. I've tried more products than I care to mention in an attempt to conceal the pores on my nose and under my lip. I think I'll give the Clinique product a try since they've never steered me wrong in the past. Thank you for sharing!!

Linda Chechar (author) from Arizona on October 28, 2012:

Oooh! Londonlady, thanks for the tip with the Vaseline! I never would have thought about that. Glad you like the Hub and hope it was useful. Thanks for the read, comment and vote! :)

Deya Writes on October 28, 2012:

I tend to wear a light foundation when my skin feels less-than-perfect but even just a slight layer of foundation leaves my skin's pores showing through. I found that using a bit of Vaseline (petroleum jelly) under foundation, or even after applying these pore perfecting creams, helps a lot! Good hub, voted up! :)

Linda Chechar (author) from Arizona on September 22, 2012:

Thanks so much Lillian! I hope the Kiehl's works for you. It is so difficult to find any advice online that isn't biased. I just wanted to share my real life experiences. I appreciate your comment and look forward to hearing what you think about the product. :)

Lillian on September 21, 2012:

Love this post, it's exactly what I was looking for -- a girlfriend's advice from someone who's been there. I will order the Kiehl's immediately, based on your recommendation. I second tillsontitan - your post should be picked up by a magazine. Thanks for doing your homework and sharing your results.

Linda Chechar (author) from Arizona on April 24, 2012:

Thank you for such a flattering comment and the votes, tillsontitan! I took copious notes as I tested each of the products, so I could provide readers with the best information possible. Glad you liked the Hub!

Mary Craig from New York on April 24, 2012:

What a comprehensive review! You did a great job of describing each product and how to use it. This hub could be in Cosmopolitan. You did your research and stated so. Voted up, useful and interesting.

Linda Chechar (author) from Arizona on April 13, 2012:

SmartAndFun, yes, from what I understand you can only hope to temporarily tighten pores by steaming, cleansing and splashing with cold water--it won't actually shrink them. My only salvation is "spackling" (I love your comparison!) The only other option is laser resurfacing or other expensive treatments from a dermatologist--I would love to do that, but it isn't in the budget! You will have to let me know which product you end up purchasing and your impressions!

Linda Chechar (author) from Arizona on April 13, 2012:

Arielqiao, no offense taken. :) Have a great weekend!

SmartAndFun from Texas on April 13, 2012:

Thank you, Lindacee, I found this hub helpful. I have huge ugly pores on my nose. I have given up trying to shrink them; I don't know if that is even actually possible. So, your information is helpful to me. LOL, I need face spackle, like the stuff you put on a wall to fill in the nail holes. Maybe I will get the Khiel's when I get my first HP payout, hopefully this month! :)

Linda Chechar (author) from Arizona on April 13, 2012:

Arielqiao, I have no affiliation with any of these cosmetic companies; just wanted to offer my experiences with and personal opinions about these products to help others dealing with the embarrassment of enlarged pores. :) Thanks for reading my Hub!

Linda Chechar (author) from Arizona on April 13, 2012:

SmartAndFun, The Kiehl's works best for me, however each of the others I mentioned in the Hub are great choices too. Unfortunately it takes some experimentation to see which one works best. Thank you for the comment! Good luck!

SmartAndFun from Texas on April 13, 2012:

Ugh I need a product like this, especially for my nose. Which one of these would you say works best?

Linda Chechar (author) from Arizona on April 12, 2012:

Yes, paxwill, I have and it is a refreshing toner after cleansing! However, it does not help to reduce the size of my extra large pores. Unfortunately, I need products designed to conceal them. A combo of middle-age hormones and genetics. :( Thanks for stopping by my Hub!

Punkmarkgirl is a freelance writer with a passion for DIY projects, natural health, and makeup featuring the best products for oily skin.

Finding the best products and makeup for oily skin can be a challenge. This article will provide a list of primers, foundations, and powders for oily skin and will detail a brief review of each. The solution to stopping oily skin can be found if you select the right products. This article also includes a list of products that you should avoid if you have oily skin.

When you have oily skin, you know how difficult it can be to find long-lasting makeup that won't fade or rub off. Many products are suited toward dry or combination skin and do not last for more than a few hours. Finding the right products becomes even more difficult in the summer when high temperatures and humidity put any makeup to the test. Below, you'll find an A-list of products that allow you to stay shine-free and fresh-faced during any season.

Face Primer For Oily Skin

Did you know that makeup actually lasts longer on oily skin when primers are used?

After exfoliating and using an oil-free face wash, you should apply a primer before using foundation, in order to smooth the skin and help makeup bond to the skin. The right primer will protect your pores from the foundation, while giving you a perfect airbrushed finish. Those with oily skin should avoid primers with a high silicone gel content, as most of them do not effectively absorb oil and can plug pores.

The best primers for oily skin are:

• Clarins Instant Smooth Primer: A pale pink thick primer that easily glides onto skin and becomes transparent. Very gentle on any skin type, and especially compatible with oily skin to reduce the appearance of pores, lines, and blemishes.
• Mattify! Cosmetics Ultra Powder: A clear powder primer that soaks up 5 times its weight in oil, blurs blemishes and refines pores. The Mattify Powder is highly effective alone, but those with extra oily skin may want to apply the Clarins Primer first, and then the Mattify Ultra Powder. This method provides the most oil control and the longest-lasting foundation

Don't bother spending money on:

• Derma Doctor Tease Zone Oil Control Gel / Primer: This may work on combination skin, but does absolutely nothing to stop very oily skin. Gives a slick coat to the skin when used under makeup, and actually doesn't allow for long-wearing foundation. Skin gets oily within an hour of application.
• Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Light: Leave this for those with dry or combination skin. It does not allow for long-wearing foundation on oily skin and actually causes the skin to feel oilier. The high concentration of silicone gel in the product can also clog pores and lead to breakouts.

Foundation for Oily Skin

Using a quality oil-free foundation will help makeup last longer on oily skin.

After primer, apply a foundation designed specifically for oily skin. Most drugstore liquid foundations do not provide long wear on oily skin, so you are better off with high-end brands. Investing in a quality foundation is well worth the extra cost, especially if you want to avoid constant touch-ups. If selecting a mineral foundation, avoid those with Mica and Bismuth (as these ingredients cause oily skin to look even greasier).

Here is a list of the best foundations for oily skin:

• Clarins Truly Matte Foundation (Liquid): Provides medium to full coverage, sweat-resistant, lasts 6-8 hours.
• Estee Lauder Max Coverage Foundation (Liquid): Full coverage, lightweight & water-resistant, lasts 8-10 hours.
• Illuminare Ultimate All Day Mattifying Mineral Foundation (Liquid): Full coverage, mineral makeup, water-resistant, lasts 8-10 hours.
• Tarte Amazonian Clay Foundation (Liquid): Full coverage, oil-absorbent, lightweight, lasts 10-12 hours.
• L'Oreal True Match Blendable Compact (Pressed Powder Foundation): Medium coverage, blendable, lasts 4-6 hours.

Don't bother spending money on:

• Revlon Colorstay Foundation: Feels thick, heavy and greasy on oily skin. It provides minimal coverage and does not stay put for more than a couple of hours, even when primer, setting powder, and fixative spray are used.

Setting Powder for Oily Skin

Applying setting powder over foundation gives you a fresh, matte finish.

To maximize the longevity of your foundation, apply an oil-absorbent setting powder. It is important to either pat the powder onto skin, using a powder puff or gently brush onto skin with a fluffy powder brush. Never rub the powder onto skin, or it will cause your foundation to streak and smudge—giving you an uneven finish.

Powder will set your foundation for long wear, and help absorb skin oil that would otherwise disrupt your makeup. The Mattify! Ultra Powder, mentioned as a primer above, also works beautifully as setting powder. It is ideal to use as a re-touch powder because it is transparent and does not look heavy - even if reapplied several times throughout the day. Avoid repeated touch-ups with dark-colored powders, as this can lead to heavy "cakey" looking makeup. Also, avoid powder formulas that contain mica because they cause oily skin to look shinier.

Here is a list of top face powders for oily skin:

• Mattify! Cosmetics Ultra Powder (Loose Transparent Powder): Super oil control face powder, blurs imperfections & pores, perfect for touch-ups, sets makeup 4+ hours.
• Coty Airspun Powder (Loose Colored Powder): Somewhat oil absorbent, blends easily, blurs pores, sets makeup 3+ hours.
• Estee Lauder Double Matte (Pressed Colored Powder): Somewhat oil absorbent, stay-true color with a perfect finish, sets makeup 3+ hours.
• Maybelline Mineral Powder (Pressed Colored Powder): Smooths skin, covers minor blemishes, sets makeup 2+ hours.

Don't bother spending money on:

• Urban Decay De-Slick Mattifying Powder: This strangely tinted white/lilac face powder does absolutely nothing to absorb oil. Worst of all, it comes in a compact that seems to absorb oil from the powder puff, leaving a greasy topcoat inside the compact. Most drugstore brands of pressed powder are better than this one.
• Diorskin Crystal Nude Matte Skin Perfector: A waxy, sticky compact that does very little to control oil and smudges makeup when applied over foundation. Also, when you blot the sponge over your face, sebum transfers from your face - to the sponge - to the container, creating a breeding ground for bacteria.

Eye Makeup for Oily Eye Lids

Long-lasting eye makeup can be a challenge for those with oily skin and eyelids. Sebum (skin oil) dissolves the composition of eye shadow, resulting in fading and creasing. Those with oily skin will have longer-lasting results with oil absorbent and/or waterproof eye makeup.

Here is a list of the best eye shadows for oily skin, plus waterproof mascara:

• Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Shadow (Eye Shadow Pencil): Waterproof eye shadow with a huge array of color choices, easy to apply, dries quickly.
• Stila Cosmetics Smudge Stick Waterproof Eyeliner (Gel-Based Automatic Eye Liner): Smudge-proof, long-lasting, a large array of high pigment colors.
• Wet & Wild H20 Proof (Liquid Eye Liner): Waterproof, smudge-proof, lasts until you remove it, perfect for a smoky eye or cat-eye looks.
• Mattify! Cosmetics Long Lasting Eye Shadow (Loose Powder Shadow): Very long-lasting, use wet as a liner or dry as a shadow, oil absorbent, doesn't crease, high pigment.
• MAC Eye Shadow (Compact Powder Shadow): Long-lasting, very high pigment, easy to blend, comes in a vast array of colors.
• Cover Girl Lash Blast (Waterproof Mascara): Creates long and lush lashes, dries within 1 minute, stays on until you take it off.
• L'Oreal Telescopic (Waterproof Mascara): Small round brush allows for targeted application, incredibly long-lasting and waterproof.

Don't bother spending money on:

• Cream Eye Shadows: They streak smudge, smear, and remain sticky all day, even when a setting spray is used. Unless the cream shadow is marked "waterproof", this type of shadow won't have any staying power on oily skin.

Makeup Setting Spray

Finally, to set your makeup in place, for hours, a setting spray should be used. Even if you've applied all of the longest-lasting, waterproof formulas available, you may still find that your oily skin causes makeup to smudge. Using a setting spray ensures at least 4 hours of budge-proof, smudge-proof, waterproof makeup. There aren't many of these on the market, but the ones that do exist all work wonderfully to prevent makeup meltdown.

Mist the spray onto your face with eyes closed, after all makeup has been applied. It usually takes 30 seconds for the spray to dry fully. If you need, minor touch-ups with liquid makeup can be done over the spray throughout the day, and face powder can be easily applied once the spray has dried, without any problems.

Here is a list of the best setting sprays for oily skin:

• Model in a Bottle: Water-resistant, feels 100% natural, dries to a perfect undetectable finish, sets makeup for 6-8 hours.
• Ben Nye Final Seal: Water-resistant, feels somewhat natural, touch-ups with liquid makeup not recommended - flakiness occurs, sets makeup 6-8 hours.
• Urban Decay All Nighter: Dries to a lightweight and undetectable finish, feels 100% natural, best applied under and over makeup, sets makeup 4-6 hours.
• Mehron Barrier Spray: Feels somewhat natural, very long-lasting, sweat-resistant, works well in high humidity, sets makeup for 6-8 hours.

Don't bother spending money on:

• MAC Fix + Spray: This is more of a "refresher" than a spray designed to set makeup. The product is packed with vitamins and feels ultra refreshing - but does not set makeup for long wear. Suited best toward dry skin, skip this one if you're oily.

I personally have tried hundreds of products for oily skin that failed the test of longevity. The items I mention in this article are tried-and-true for long wear on oily skin, and many are items I use consistently to achieve a flawless shine-free face. I've spent hundreds—maybe even thousands of dollars trying various products to control my oily skin. About 80% of all I've purchased were not worthy of repeat purchasing. To date, the products mentioned above are the top products I've found for shiny skin. This guide can help you select the best products for you, without having to spend a fortune guessing which items are suited for a shiny face! The products mentioned can be found at department stores, Sephora, Ulta, or by typing the product name into an online search engine.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2011 Ashley Bergin

Comments

Rupali on July 13, 2020:

Rupali

Oily skin power

Ashley Bergin (author) from san francisco on March 29, 2018:

@ Sharon

My article included products that I have used, and that have worked very well on my oily & acne prone skin. Bare Minerals caused horrible skin irritation and even gave me a rash - which is why it isn't on the list. After doing some research, I found that one of its ingredients (called Bismuth Oxychloride) causes problems for many women with oily skin. Please don't assume I'm being paid by these companies. That would be nice..however, it is not the case. These are all products that I have used and had success with.

Sharon on March 28, 2018:

No mention of Bare Minerals powder foundations yet Maybelline made it onto this list. Lots of pore clogging things on these lists that oily girls should be avoiding as well. Stay away from these forums girls. They are all loaded with brands in their lists because they have been paid by these companies. Urban Decay will keep the oil at bay but will cause acne if you overuse it also. Let your skin breath and avoid those silicones!

Debbie Coulter on May 20, 2016:

Thank you for your comments. They were very helpful and I appreciate your honesty in comparing the high priced ones to the drug store.

Vivian on October 05, 2015:

Special thanks to you for this great seminar,I have been suffering from oily skin and have stop using foundation powder but no improvement. Pls advice me on what to use.

Vivian on October 05, 2015:

Special thanks to you for this great seminar,I have been suffering from oily skin and have stop using foundation powder but no improvement. Pls advice me on what to use.

BuyMeBeauty on July 24, 2015:

Love this post- I don't usually have oily skin, but sometimes in the humidity of summer it can look oily. I'm going to try some of the matte powders you listed on top of my makeup- I think that will help!

Missy on January 26, 2015:

I'm still going through oily skin in my mid 40s. It's so bad that I recently decided to stop wearing foundation. Still, no dice. Anyway, I'm going to try some of these products. I would like to look nice even 1-2 hours after applying makeup. Even after a whole day!

Ashley Bergin (author) from san francisco on August 21, 2014:

Hi Esther! Well I'm not sure what you have and haven't tried. I would suggest using the Mattify Ultra Powder before and after your makeup, and keep blotting sheets handy to sop up oil after an hour or so. Also, definitely try the Model in a Bottle makeup setter spray, because it will help your makeup stay on, even if you do get oily. Those are by far the top 3 must have products if you have oily skin. I've searched for years, and they are the only ones that even come close to working for me.

Esther on August 20, 2014:

I'm always embarrassed at work the way my face shines of oil. I apply makeup in the morning before setting out to work as normal,, but after few hours my face will nearly be dripping of oil,,, I don't know what I'm not doing right,,, I need help with the best oil control products and makes,, please help any one,,

Wendy on April 06, 2013:

I've found Estee Lauder's Double Matte liquid foundation to be a life saver. While it is a little thick, it covers VERY well. I top with Lancome's Translucent powder which is also mattifying.

While my whole face is oily, my eyes are the worst. The oil on my eyelids has been known to pool down my lashes and get into my eyes. Not fun at all. Lorac's Behind the Scenes Eye Primer solved this issue single handedly. My eye makeup doesn't crease in the slightest as well. If I'm having a really oily day, I make have a little flaking at the outside corners of my eyes but I'll take that over oil & makeup sliding into my eyes.

MAGALLY on January 24, 2013:

iT CAN BE A HEADACHE TO FIND THE PERFECT WEAR. THANKS FOR ALL YOUR TIPS.

Agnes on November 29, 2012:

I have really oily skin after doing some research I came across Revlon Colorstay Foundation so I decided to try it out and I have to say it doesn't work my face feels greasy after I put it on and my face gets shiny within 1 hour so Im glad I found this page I will have to try out some of this stuff.

Lindsay on October 07, 2012:

I also use the Revlon Colorstay Foundation (for oily skin types). While I do still get oily looking skin, this is the ONLY foundation that will LAST a long time on me, most foundations just melt off my skin within a few hours! I work out wearing this makeup, not only does it stay put, but it also doesn't cause breakouts like many other foundations have done in the past. I have also gone to the beach/swimming and it stayed on after a full day of fun in the sun!! I will be trying the primers suggested here because I still do get the oily look, but it's no worse looking than without the foundation on.

TeachableMoments from California on August 19, 2012:

Voted up, useful.

I too use Revlon Colorstay Foundation and I love it. I have extremely oily skin and after trying countless products I can honestly say Revlon's Colorstay Foundation is the best. Revlon makes two different types-one for oily skin and one for dry skin. Perhaps the one you used was for dry skin. If so, try the one made especially for oily skin. I've gone swimming in this makeup, in 90 degree heat, and Revlon Colorstay Foundation still stayed on.

Margaret on July 15, 2012:

well it started off well - until the moment it said "don't even bother buying Revlon Colorstay Foundation" - because exactly that foundation suits so well for oily skin - I have oily skin, I'd even say very oily and I use it, and I love it - it covers everything I need it to cover and it doesn't feel so heavy whatsoever - the foundation lasts a really long time - so if you want to go to gym after work - you'll find that your face will still look pretty great after gym and all the sweat!! I know this because I workout after work and I have that foundation on. So I don't even know if most of the things here said are true...

Kara Louise on July 02, 2012:

Where can you buy these products in Victoria ? Or even an online websit?

Fotinoula Gypsyy from NYC BABY on May 28, 2012:

Great article, very descriptive and helpful!

DiamondsandMoore on March 18, 2012:

Very informative. Thank you so much for the good information. Have spent a fortune also and this has really helped me. EXCELLENT !!!

Zoey from South England on April 02, 2011:

This hub was brilliant. I have oily/dry skin and spend a fortune on make-up and moisturizers etc that claim to fix the problem but often don't. I will know what to buy and not to buy now. Thank you for sharing, voted up and awesome :)

A beauty consultant by profession, Jayne has been advising on correct skin and hair care, makeup, and other cosmetics for almost 20 years.

There’s a foundation for every skin type and color. Most are capable of appearing natural while evening out skin tone and concealing minor blemishes. But with so many different products available, it’s hard to know which might work best for you, and how it should be applied for a flawless finish.

Choosing the Right Color

Finding a shade that's right for your complexion is probably the most important first step if you want truly flawless results.

Foundations are available for yellow, pink, and neutral-toned skin. Most women fall into the yellow and pink categories, with yellow being the most common. Yellow tones are referred to as "warm" and include beige, olive, sand, and bronze. Pink tones are referred to as "cool" and include ivory, rose, copper, and rose-gold. Be warned, however, that cosmetic companies sometimes vary the logic. For example, you may find ivory labeled as "warm" or sand as "cool."

Foundation Colors and Tones

How to Tell If You're a Cool or Warm Type

Use any of the three methods below to determine whether you're a cool or warm type.

Method 1

Stand before a mirror in a fluorescent-lit room and hold a piece of white fabric to your neck.

• If your face looks rosy or pink, your undertone is cool.
• If your face looks sallow, yellow, olive, or golden, your undertone is warm.

Method 2

Consider the colors that flatter you most.

• If you look good in pure white, pink, and pastels with silver jewelry, your undertone is cool.
• If you look good in green and brown with gold jewelry, your undertone is warm.
• If you look good wearing cool and warm colors, your undertone is neutral.

Method 3

Take a look at the inside of your forearm in daylight. What color are your veins?

• If they look blue or purple, your undertone is cool.
• If they seem more greenish, your undertone is warm.

How to Test If a Foundation Is Right for Your Skin Tone

When buying a new foundation, test it on your jawline so that you can see how well it matches both your face and neck. It should correspond exactly with your natural skin tone and seem invisible against your complexion.

With more transparent products, like tinted moisturizers and very light liquid foundations that allow your natural complexion to shimmer through, the shade you choose doesn't need to be an absolute perfect match for natural-looking results—it may be a tad lighter or darker. But the more opaque the product, the more accurate you need to be.

Types of Foundation

1. Tinted Moisturizer and Alphabet Creams

Because tinted moisturizer and alphabet creams (BB, CC and DD) aren’t generally as opaque as regular foundation, they leave a more sheer, transparent finish. They won't cover blemishes, but they will even out skin tone. They’re great if you only want to accentuate your natural skin color, especially if you’re tanned.

Because tinted moisturizer doesn’t settle into lines and wrinkles, it’s favored for mature skin.

In case you're wondering what the letters of the three alphabet creams mean: BB stands for "blemish balm;" CC stands for "color correcting;" and DD stands for "dynamic do all."

2. Liquid Foundation

There’s a liquid foundation to fulfill almost every need, no matter what your skin type, or whether you want a translucent or more opaque finish.

One of the main advantages of liquid foundation is that it provides buildable coverage and is easy to work with.

3. Cream Foundation

Cream foundation is highly pigmented and full of moisturizing agents to provide protection and good coverage.

Choose this if your skin is prone to dryness, especially during the cold, winter months.

4. Compact Foundation

Compact foundation is the most opaque and is ideal if you need full-coverage for hard-to-hide blemishes. It’s a solid product and usually comes in stick form or in a case.

5. Compact Powder or "Wet and Dry" Foundation

Compact powder foundation, which is sometimes labeled "wet and dry," is great if you’re in a hurry. You can apply it before your moisturizer has fully absorbed, and it won't need fixing with powder. But be careful—it can leave dry skin with a crepey texture, particularly beneath the eyes.

Apply wet for maximal coverage, and apply dry if you only want to even out skin tone and take off shine.

6. Cream-to-Powder Foundation

Cream-to-powder foundation combines compact foundation and powder. It goes on like a cream and dries to a matte finish.

Like liquid foundation, it can be layered, and like compact powder foundation, it doesn't need powdering.

Cream-to-powder foundations are mostly formulated for oily and combination skins, but there are some that are suitable for dry skin. It's also the best choice for enlarged pores.

7. Powder Foundation

Available as a pressed or loose product, powder foundation is suitable for all skin types, save the very dry. It's quick and easy to apply, it doesn't need additional powdering to fix or take off shine, and one application can remain looking fresh for up to six hours.

Recommended are mineral products, which do not settle into lines and wrinkles or clog pores. They also leave a slightly luminous finish for a healthy glow and contain a sun protection factor comparable to that of other foundation types.

Powder foundation does not, however, offer much in the way of cover.

What to Consider When Buying a New Foundation

• Your foundation must match your skin tone exactly and seem invisible against your complexion.
• If you want to hide blemishes, like broken capillaries or brown spots, your foundation must provide good coverage. What you’re looking for is a product that allows you to use as little concealer as possible, since this tends to look "caked" if not used sparsely. Consider cream and compact foundations.

• If your complexion is relatively unblemished, you'll need only a light, translucent foundation that evens out skin tone and doesn't make you look "made-up." Best for you are light liquid foundations, powder foundations, tinted moisturizers, and alphabet creams.
• If your skin is dry or sensitive, it’s a good idea to use a product that hydrates and protects, like a cream or moisturizing liquid foundation.

• If your skin is very oily and acne-prone, you may need a non-comedogenic liquid or powder foundation for everyday application. Unfortunately, such products provide very little coverage, so you'll need concealer to hide blemishes. Alternatively, try a cream-to-powder or a "wet and dry" product.

• Consider how you want to apply your foundation—with your fingers, a sponge, or a brush. More on that below.

Foundation Primer

Before you apply foundation, make sure your moisturizer has fully absorbed. Wearing a primer is optional, but it helps prevent foundation from settling into lines and wrinkles and makes it last longer. Primer also minimizes the appearance of enlarged pores. For optimal results, choose one that is formulated for your skin type.

Only use silicone-based primers with silicone-based foundations. You can tell if a product is silicone-based by its list of ingredients. Silicone-based products contain compounds appearing near the top of the list with names that end with the suffixes -methicone (e.g. dimethicone or cyclomethicone) and -oxane (e.g. trisiloxane or silsesquioxane).

How to Apply Foundation

How to Apply Foundation With Your Fingers

If you want it to stay matte for longer, apply liquid, cream, and compact foundation with your fingers.

1. First, deposit a small portion of foundation on the back of your hand—if you’re using a solid compact foundation, you’ll obviously have to work directly from its tube or case.
2. Then, using your middle and ring fingers, apply to your face by patting on in light, feathery strokes.
3. You should work downwardly from forehead to chin. If you work upwardly, the tiny hairs that cover your face will stand on end, leaving a mask-like effect.
4. Depending on the desired finish, gently pat your foundation with a damp sponge to refine texture.

How to Apply Foundation With a Sponge

Always use a good-quality sponge. It should have a smooth, skin-like surface. Sponges come in various shapes and sizes, but the wedge shape is the most convenient, especially because it allows you to get into awkward areas, like the inner-eye corner.

Applying Cream, Liquid, Compact, Powder, and Cream-to-Powder Foundations

• In the same way as you would apply foundation with your fingers, deposit a small portion to the back of your hand, pick it up with the sponge and apply in light, feathery strokes working downwardly.
• With the exception of powder and cream-to-powder foundations, dampen the sponge with thermal water for a more sheer finish.

Applying Compact Powder Foundation

• Compact powder foundation can only be applied with a sponge, either wet or dry.
• For best results, use quick, swiping strokes from forehead to chin.

How to Apply With a Foundation Brush

A brush can leave a flawless, almost airbrushed finish. There are two types of brushes—rounded and tapered. For best results, use the denser, rounded type. It's important that the bristles are synthetic and very soft. Natural bristles will absorb too much product, and bristles that are too stiff will irritate and damage the skin.

1. Deposit a small portion of foundation on the back of your hand.
2. Pick it up with one side of the brush only, and apply to your face in light, crisscross strokes working downwardly and outwardly.
3. When you’ve worked the product over your whole face, go over it again in the same way with the other side of the brush, but this time without loading. This ensures a perfectly blended finish.

Applying Powder Foundation With a Kabuki Brush

Powder foundation is best applied with a kabuki brush. This resembles a powder brush, but is shorter and more tightly bound to provide fuller coverage. Due to its shape, it's sometimes called a "mushroom brush."

To apply powder foundation with a kabuki brush, work outwardly from the center of the face, from forehead to chin, using feathery, downward-inclining circular strokes.

Apply concealer beneath the powder rather than over it.

Extra Tips to Help You Get the Best Out of Your Foundation

• The sheerer your foundation, the more natural it will look. Nevertheless, too sheer will leave a speckled finish.
• You can dot and spread your moisturizer, but never apply foundation in this way; it will leave a blotchy and somewhat "chalky" finish.
• If foundation settles into lines and wrinkles, press your middle finger lightly against your skin with a slight rolling motion to disperse it. If this doesn't work, blot gently with a Q-tip.
• Foundation is the best primer for eye makeup and lipstick.
• Always deposit liquid and cream foundations on the back of your hand before applying. Do not deposit on your inner wrist or palm where perspiration may cause discoloration.
• Deposit loose powder foundation on a cosmetic tissue from which to pick up rather than applying straight from the container. This prevents the product from becoming lumpy.
• When your complexion gradually tans during the summer, mix appropriate portions of your winter and summer foundations to get a perfect match—this is obviously only possible with cream and liquid products. Make sure both foundations are of the same brand and formulation.
• Don't darken your complexion with foundation. It will look unnatural. Instead, use a self-tanner and then match your foundation or tinted moisturizer to your tanned skin.
• Perplexed by the MAC shading system? NW means "neutral warm" and is for cool undertones, and NC means "neutral cool" and is for warm undertones. In order not to confuse yourself, think of NW as "not warm" and NC as "not cool."

© 2010 Jayne Lancer

Comments

Jayne Lancer (author) from West London, UK on September 22, 2014:

@Moira

Sorry, Moira, I've only just spotted your comment. I don't know how I could have missed it. You need to use primer to make your foundation last longer.

Jayne Lancer (author) from West London, UK on September 22, 2014:

Glad you found it helpful, Linda. Of course, make-up isn't always appropriate, and there doesn't seem much point to it if there's nobody about—the only cosmetic I use when I'm alone is moisturizer. I'm guessing you're over 30, in which case you'll find more helpful information on my hub 'Make-Up for Mature Skin', and if you're featuring in videos, your best friend is face powder. I've published a hub on that, too, called 'How to Apply Face Powder'. Thank you for coming by, Linda, and don't hesitate to ask if you've got any questions.

Linda Jo Martin from Post Falls, Idaho, USA on September 20, 2014:

Very helpful article, thanks... because I don't often use makeup but during the last few months have been making YouTube videos, and I want to apply makeup for some of them. Partly because my lifestyle as a mountain woman in a remote area of a big forest didn't include a need for makeup, I've never learned how to do it correctly. Prior to that I was a hippie, and well, makeup wasn't my thing. Thanks so much for filling in some of the blanks for me!

Moira on October 27, 2010:

My skin tends to absorb foundation, within an hour you can't tell I have any on, any tips on getting it to stay longer?

Jayne Lancer (author) from West London, UK on June 06, 2010:

Max Factor's Pan-Cake Make-Up does still have its place for many women, and is the right product for them. But we do have so much more choice nowadays, thank goodness.

Yes, you're right; always cleanse before going to bed.

Thanks for the feedback, Chris!

chris on June 05, 2010:

i find anything wrong with max factor. it has a nice medium coverage when i apply with a wet sponge. i don't think it clogs pores either because i've been wearing it for years and so has my grandmother. but i will say that the shades they have are terrible (way too cool toned). but they stay on decently, and 95% transfer free iny opinion. as long as you don't wear any makeup, in general to sleep, it shouldn't be clogging your pores...

VioletSun from Oregon/ Name: Marie on March 29, 2010:

Jayne: Will try it, thanks for the tip!

Jayne Lancer (author) from West London, UK on March 29, 2010:

You mean under the foundation?

Have you tried a cream foundation? Although it's less available than it used to be, you can still get hold of it, and I suspect it might be the better option for you. Try to get a sample from a department store or your next beauty product supplier.

VioletSun from Oregon/ Name: Marie on March 29, 2010:

Jayne: This morning I applied my foundation the way you suggested, and now reading your reply I understand! I notice when I add a little mineral oil or moisturizer to the foundation my skin looks healthy.

Thank you for replying! :)

Jayne Lancer (author) from West London, UK on March 29, 2010:

Thank you, VioletSun. Well, they say we all get found with time through the search engine. Let's hope it's true.

Yes, it does make a difference whether you apply upwardly or downwardly.

Our faces are covered with very fine hairs that grow downwardly, therefore we work in the same direction. Working upwardly will cause the complexion to appear grey; same goes for powder application.

And always work in sections for a smooth finish. Foundation dries quickly, so applying as we do moisturizer will result in an uneven finish.

And applying before the moisturizer has full absorbed will thin the foundation, making it more transparent.

A better way of thinning foundation is by mixing it with toner. But never mix with tinted or untinted moisturizer, since the substances are not compatible.

Hmmm, perhaps I should have included these points in the article.

Thank you very much for asking, VioletSun, and for coming by!

VioletSun from Oregon/ Name: Marie on March 29, 2010:

These are very good tips! I hope more readers find you in Hubland as your articles are always helpful. One question, is it okay to apply foundation from the chin up? I notice you suggest to apply it from the forehead down to the jaw. Does it make a difference?

I love trying new makeup products and sharing my opinion on them.

Makeup Jungle

It's a makeup jungle out there. Every woman is searching for the best foundation that holds the best promises of enhancing their natural beauty. But, when faced with the hundreds of products, what do we as women choose to use? That's where L'Oreal True Match makeup steps up to the plate and hits a home run. Whether you are looking for moderate or heavy coverage, L'Oreal has the shade for you.

Determine Skin Tone and Undertone

I have used every foundation found on the Wal-mart cosmetic aisles, and I have to give L'Oreal True Match two thumbs up. Not many products give great coverage for the Wal-mart price. L'Oreal True match makeup covers all the flaws on my face while matching my natural skin tone.

I am very white, but even the fairest skin has variations in shade and color. True Match provides 24 shades to match every skin tone. True match has been the only foundation I have discovered that has truly matched my skin tone. The way to tell if a foundation matches your skin tone is to put it on the jaw line and blend into your neck. If you notice the difference between your face and your neck, then it does not match your skin tone. The jaw line method is better for testing match ability rather than testing on the wrist as people see your face and neck together and not your face and wrist together.

Every woman has an undertone whether it is cool (pink), warm (yellow), or neutral (olive). These tones shine through or skin giving us our beautiful, natural color.

• Cool Undertones: One way to determine if you have cool undertones is to look at your wrist in natural light. If your veins appear bluish, then you have a cool skin tone. Another way to determine is to think about when you receive compliments on what you are wearing. If you receive the most compliments when you wear pink, pastel, or jewel tones then you most likely have cook skin. You can also wear pure white clothes and look great in them. Cool tones typically have blond hair and blue eyes.
• Neutral Undertones: It is difficult to determine if you are cool or warm by looking at your wrist as you have a mixture of everything. You can wear anything and look great in it. Your hair and eyes can be any color.
• Warm Undertones: Warm undertones can be determined by looking at the wrist in natural light. If they veins look greenish. Most warm undertones have auburn, red, brown, black, strawberry blond hair colors and hazel, green, and brown eye colors. Natural and earth tone colors look the best on your skin tone along with gold jewellery.

However, just because you have a certain hair color and eye color does not mean that you automatically have a certain undertone. For example, I have strawberry blonde hair and hazel eyes but I have a cool undertone. Results vary from one person to the next.

Once you discover your undertone, look at your face to determine your skin tone. True Match makeup has seven skin tone shades. To determine your skin tone shade look at your jaw line below your cheek. Do not look at your cheek as this tends to be more pigmented than your jaw line.

1. Fair
2. Fair light
3. Light
4. Light Medium
5. Medium
6. Medium Deep
7. Deep

How to Apply

Our skin is very sensitive and is exposed to lots of stresses in our environment every day. We should take extra care to keep our skin looking its best for a long healthy life. I know as a little girl learning to put on makeup that I would pull and push at my skin trying to move the foundation around. This is bad news! Pushing and pulling the skin is a recipe for disaster, or in this case, a recipe for wrinkles. We should take extra care to use light, soft touches on our face, especially around the eyes.

Take your middle finger and put it over the top of the bottle. Then dot your face at your forehead, chin, and each cheek. Smooth the foundation in with soft strokes downwards. Stroking downwards make sure the hair on your cheeks lays down flat. Under your eyes, make sure you use your ring finger (as this is the most sensitive finger) and just tap under your eyes until it is well blended.

If this is not enough coverage in the beginning, you can always go back and just add a little more areas to the places that need it. Make sure if you have oily or combination skin to set the foundation with a loose translucent powder to make sure that your skin does not shine later in the day.

Also, another great tool that is even better than using your fingers is a foundation brush. They are very gentle on the skin and do not push or pull. You can check your local Wal-mart, Walgreens, and CVS pharmacies for a foundation brush. They have a rounded tip and are about an inch in diameter.

Be True to Yourself

Makeup is a wonderful tool to play with and to let our personality show through. Don't let it be who you are. We are strong, beautiful women, and we do not need make up to be "us." We are the same on the inside no matter if our mascara is on, running, or just plain gone. Our beauty shines from the inside out. Let's celebrate our beauty by being who we are with or without makeup!

Comments

Shari on March 23, 2018:

I am 70 year old woman and look good for my age, get facials and can't use very strong things on my face a tiny bit sensitive but use regular makeup. Usually Esty Lauder, latest is Perfectionist and agrees with me but seems I want a little more coverage and may stay with this one as agrees with me. But do wear a good not that drying powder which say should not from same line, and not drying. Pretty high priced for Lauder. So if at my age you think should get something a tiny bit more that shows up more would like to hear about a good makeup does not have to be so Sparkly but have such dry skin and only want a liquid makeup as the cake ones my Facialist never saw my face clogged up with whiteheads. Hope someone can advise me can always stay with Pebble in Perfectionist.

linda on July 26, 2012:

This is such a great blog post! Very good information! Appreciating the hard work you put into your site and detailed information you present. It’s awesome blog.

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Pinkie on February 27, 2012:

I have dark brown hair, dark brown eyes, am Hispanic and Asian, and am too cool for the cool foundation.

Joan Barredo on September 30, 2011:

I bought this one last night and I love it..

Ptomkarnath from New Delhi - 110 049, India on August 05, 2011:

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Pollyannalana from US on January 08, 2011:

I have always sworn by cover girl but I may just have to give this a try. Thanks

Polly

jenesmith01 from North Texas on January 02, 2011:

i haven't yet tried this but i to do the whole search for the perfect foundation..its hard being pale lol! I'll have to give this a shot

My Inner Jew (author) on July 02, 2009:

Thank you Lady bird!

Ladybird33 from Fabulous USA on June 23, 2009:

Great hub, very informative!