Base basics: which foundation product is right for you?

There are endless options when it comes to choosing a base formulation that works for you. I've been known, in the past, to combine any number of these products in the quest for the perfect base. Over the years, my outlook has evolved into what I feel is the mature way to look at skin and makeup and how it all works together, and I now feel that if you can make your skin, the canvas upon which we work with makeup, as good and healthy as possible, then it only needs a light coverage to correct colour and smooth out the overall look. Let your own beauty shine through instead of trying to cover "flaws" with lots of heavy makeup.

So...some of my favourite products to use are:

BB cream; a light coverage product that works on your skin's health whilst providing a base cover for your makeup.

Powder/mineral foundation; initially a light coverage product, which can be built up for more coverage. Doesn't clog pores or sit heavily on the skin. I like MAC studio fix powder (powder cake).

Liquid foundation; my favourite liquid is MAC matchmaster. It's a medium coverage product that works with your skintone to provide a natural-looking base.

Other formulations I've tried:

This base is MAC matchmaster liquid foundation and
Rimmel Stay Matte powder to set it.

Mousse foundation; is a medium coverage product that I actually really liked. It tends to sit lighter on the skin, but I found I got more breakout activity when I was using it. It could have just been a brand I was incompatible with. I'll have to try a different brand of mousse to be sure.

Stick/Pancake/heavy foundation; is a full coverage product that I have used onstage for years. It's very heavy and pore-clogging and needs to be washed off as soon as possible after wear, but it provides a full cover, non-shiny, non-reflective base perfect for if you have bright lights shining on your face or for flash photography situations.

No matter what formulation you prefer, it's always a good idea to use a translucent powder to set the makeup base before applying the rest of your look.

Last, but certainly not least, always make sure that your face matches the rest of you. As you can see in the picture here, my face colour is the same as my shoulders and chest, and that's what we want, to avoid a "mask" look. To achieve this, always test foundation colours on your jawline or neck, instead of on your hand or arm.