WHAT IS FACE MAKEUP?

Face makeup is the term coined for enhancing and putting together one’s already present beauty and facial features. While it may also be used to cover up our “flaws” or “imperfections”, so to speak, it initially has always been a way to accentuate our naturally gifted beauty artistically. The traces of makeup can be tracked back to ancient Egypt, where women from affluent families used makeup naturally derived from beetles, flowers and clay. Fast forwarding to the 21st century, makeup has become a staple in almost everyone’s life. Foundation, concealer, blush, highlighter, bronzer, you name it, are all used by women to fulfil their innate desire to beautify and slay the day!

MAKEUP FOUNDATION AND ITS TYPES.

Here comes the first step in the myriad of makeup products and steps. Makeup foundation, quite literally, is a foundation for the rest of the makeup. It creates for you a canvas, giving coverage to the blemishes and discolourations that you may have, creating an even-toned and uniform skin for you to work with. But here is a catch. A foundation is not versatile in nature. It varies from person to person, depending entirely upon their individual skin type. The formula of the foundation should, therefore, be selected on that basis. Here is how:

Liquid Foundation:

If you are a makeup amateur, this is your place, to begin with. Mostly working for all skin types, the liquid foundation gives light to medium and medium to full coverage as it’s easily buildable (can be layered). The finish can be matte or dewy, based on your selection – And for the duration; it lasts about 3-4 hours.

● Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Liquid Foundation

A lightweight pore-minimizer liquid foundation, perfect for normal to oily skin, mutes the oiliness and gives an even finish to the skin. It’s easily buildable, perfect for everyday and fancy looks. This product is MAGIC!

Powder Foundation:

If you’re looking for something that is not too much “makeup”, powder foundation is your best friend, as it gives light to medium coverage. Powder foundation, as the name suggests, is a compact powder which works well for people with oily skin. The finish is matte (being talc-based) and luminescent. This foundation might be a quick pat-on, staying for a duration of 2-3 hours.

● L’Oreal Paris Infallible 24 Hour Fresh Wear Waterproof Powder Foundation

A waterproof, sweat, and no-transfer foundation, ideal for combination skin. It has a light & breathable finish and is non-comedogenic. It gives a non-cakey impact which lasts easily around 24 hours.

Cream Foundation:

This foundation has a thicker and creamier consistency, which helps it to last for a longer period of time. So if you have dry skin and you’re looking for a medium to full coverage, this foundation might just be your saviour, provided that you’ve moisturized well before the application. This one lasts around 4-5 hours.

● Dermablend Cover Creme Full Coverage Cream Foundation

This creamy foundation with SPF 30 is perfect for sensitive, oily and combination skin types. It has been tested for allergy, and the best part is that it can also be used as a hydrating concealer as it’s non-comedogenic. 

Mousse Foundation:

A whipped foundation perfect for all skin types. Mousse foundation is the one you should turn to if you want a foundation that’s lightweight, creamy, and easy to apply. In addition, it gives medium to full coverage. Unlike the cream foundation, this foundation does not settle into fine lines, giving a matte finish to your skin. The only con is that it would not last for a whole day.

● Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse Foundation

A silky and lightweight foundation that gives an opaque and full coverage. It works wonders and feels soft and smooth on the skin while giving a perfect natural glow. It is dermatologically tested and safe for sensitive skin. 

Serum Foundation:

Serum foundation is what the hype is all about these days. This one combines foundation and skincare to make the makeup as safe for your skin as possible. Serum foundation works well for all skin types and provides a casual, natural and light look. This makes it ideal for everyday use, keeping the look minimal and neat. In addition, it gives a luminous finish, lasting around 2-3 hours.

● L’Oreal Paris True Match Nude Hyaluronic Tinted Serum Foundation

This product contains mineral pigments for a luminous touch, whereas hyaluronic acid keeps all the moisture locked in. It is free of fragrances and parabens, dermatologically tested, and non-comedogenic. It gives a sheer touch to your skin and makes it all glow. 

CHOOSING THE RIGHT FOUNDATION.

As you can tell by now, there’s a whole science behind a foundation; therefore, choosing the right one is no less than a research project. But don’t get too scared. Let me break down this search for the right match (wink wink) into three major parts.

A foundation is not an all-rounder for every person, meaning that it varies in function from person to person, depending upon their skin type (normal, dry, combination and oily being some of the major ones), skin texture and undertone. It also depends on how much coverage, type of finish and formula you want. So, selecting the right foundation requires some self-awareness on your part. 

● Choose as per the required coverage

If you are a beginner in the makeup world, sheer coverage foundation will help you navigate your way through, as it is buildable and natural.

Once you’re proficient with it, you are ready to move on to a light-medium coverage foundation. Light to medium coverage foundation helps you do everyday makeup and works well with fancy looks too. 

Now let’s come to the full coverage foundation. This foundation is a good choice for those with skin conditions like acne, deep scarring and extreme hyperpigmentation. 

● Choose your desired finish

Once you know what kind of coverage you want, you are ready to move on to the next part, which is the finish. Usually, when you head over to a store or are looking up on the internet, you see labels such as “dewy”, “luminous”, “matte”, and “natural” finish (there might be other labels as well but as long as you get the point). These are the types of finish that a foundation gives.

To simplify, foundations labelled as “dewy” or “shimmery” have light-reflecting pigments to give you a dewy look. They are ideal for people who want a youthful, fresh-faced makeup look. However, a matte finish gives you a mattifying look, an ideal foundation finish for all those dealing with too much sebum production on their skin.

● Choose according to the formula

Finally comes the formula of the foundation, the selection of which, for the major part, depends on your skin type.

For which, the best & the safest bet is to watch a tutorial, because that can help you select the best foundation, and this one from Haley Kim is my favourite. 

THE MAGIC OF A CONCEALER:

While a foundation evens out your skin tone, a concealer works more precisely for spots, blemishes and dark circles. It is applied right after the foundation but could also work great on its own when full makeup look is not required. You can use it primarily to cover and brighten the undereye area; hence, it is a must-have to freshen up a tired face.

● Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Treatment Multi-Use Concealer

This product has the power to correct and erase dark circles, redness, and blemishes with a quick swish. Packed with goji berry and antiaging agent Haloxyl, it treats the undereye area while giving you a bright and refreshed look.

CAPTIVATING CONTOURS:

The contours are what they sound like, contouring and providing a definition to your face by sculpting and highlighting your facial features. They are supposed to be used after you’ve worked through the major base of your makeup foundation.

● Wet n Wild MegaGlo Makeup Stick Conceal and Contour

A jojoba oil enriched multiuse stick for contouring, highlighting, brightening and concealing the face. The stick shape makes it easy to apply. It’s a must-have for makeup on the go, as it can be easily blended.

THE BRONZER BLISS:

A bronzer gives a balmy, sun-kissed glow to the skin. In addition, it provides a natural finish to the makeup by adding warmth to your rather plain foundation and concealer look. 

● NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP Matte Bronzer

It is a pressed powder bronzer which gives a matte and a radiant look simultaneously by providing your face a gentle tan and is easier to work with.

A lot of people confuse the bronzer and contour. However, the primary difference between bronzer and contour is that bronzer is primarily used to add warmth to the face, while contour “adds dimension and shadow,” explains makeup artist Beth Follert.

HEROIC HIGHLIGHTS:

To add to the final touches, a highlighter accentuates the bone structure of the face, attracting light and thus producing a radiant and lit look. 

● Wet n Wild MegaGlo Highlighting Powder

This compact highlighter is buttery in the application and has just the perfect shimmer to catch all the light. Formulated with vitamin E, murumuru seed, shea butter & argan oil, this product leaves the skin glowy and nourished.

BLUSH IT UP:

Now comes the OG. Do you know that blush is one of the oldest makeup products used by women throughout the centuries? A little insight into its function, and you’ll know the reason. A rosy, natural, and fresh flush of colour give life to the whole makeup look. This product is another must-have for your makeup pouch.

● Milani Baked Blush

A perfect blend of matte, shimmer and pop of pink, giving a beautiful and natural flush to the cheeks and other features. Completely vegan and cruelty-free. It gives a nice pop of colour to your cheeks with a glow.

PRIMER AND SETTING SPRAY:

These two products has the ability to change the game of makeup for you. Primer (to be applied/sprayed before the makeup and after the moisturizer) freshens up your skin, creating a cooling effect, reawakening and refreshing your skin for a smooth makeup application.

On the other hand, setting spray preserves your makeup for a longer period of time. It also helps mattify or glow up the face, depending on the choice of selection. Finally, it practically completes your look and creates a neat and beautiful finish. Just spray it gently all over your face, and voilà!

● e.l.f., Hydrating Face Primer

Hydrating, smoothening primer, packed with essential elements like grape and vitamins A, C and E. It preps your face into a smooth canvas to work on – entirely vegan and cruelty-free.

● NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP Setting Spray – Matte Finish

It’s a lightweight, mattifying setting spray, that helps keep your makeup locked up for more than 16 hours. In addition, it’s a cruelty-free, vegan formula that gives a clean and fresh finish to your prepped look.

Thank you for reading this blog! Let us know in the comment section if you find it helpful because I would love to know what you think! And if you enjoyed reading this article, share it with your family and friends.