Wondering how do I make my foundation look natural? We all want our skin to look effortlessly beautiful and flawless, but it often ends up looking cakey and mask-like. There are many reasons why foundation ends up looking thick and painted on. So let’s look at all the ways we can make foundation look natural and beautiful.
How Do I Make My Foundation Look Natural – Top Tips
Match Your Skin Tone and Color
One of the main reasons that foundation can look unnatural is when the product doesn’t match your skin tone and shade. So to choose a foundation that looks best on your skin, make sure you:
Choose Foundation That Matches Your Skin Undertones
Foundation is created with cool, warm, or neutral undertones, and matching your undertones is more important than matching your shade. To find out what your skin undertones are, look at the veins on the inside of your wrist. If your veins are blue or purple in color, you have cool skin undertones. If your veins appear green in color, you have warm undertones. If your veins are bluish-green, you have neutral undertones.
Choose Foundation That Matches Your Skin Color
Instead of testing foundation color on your arm, test it against your face. Draw a thin line from the edge of your cheek down your neck to your upper chest. The right shade will virtually ‘disappear’ against these three areas of your skin.
Remember that most people have natural variations in their skin color over the year, as we usually get more sun exposure in summer than winter. Therefore, you may need to choose two or more shades to match your skin in different seasons or create a custom blend.
Choose the Right Foundation for Your Skin Type
Another way to help your foundation look natural is to match the product to your skin type. Even when you have the right tone and shade, it’s still important to choose the makeup that works with your skin type, whether you have dry, oily, combination, acne-prone, textured, or mature skin. Here are some factors to consider:
Amount of Coverage
If you have hyperpigmentation or textured skin, you may want a foundation with more coverage. If you have combination or sensitive skin without many blemishes, you may prefer light coverage from a BB cream instead of a full coverage foundation. For in-between skin, get a more natural look with the lightest foundation that has the coverage you need in a buildable, blendable formula so you can target specific problem spots.
Oily and/or Acne-Prone Skin
For oily skin, look for an oil-free, non-comedogenic foundation. Powder foundations provide a long-lasting, matte finish that lasts longer on oily skin than a liquid foundation. Mineral foundations will also absorb excess oil without clogging pores and help soothe inflammation and be gentle on skin.
Dry and/or Mature Skin
For dry skin, look for a hydrating liquid foundation. Instead of a matte finish, opt for a satin or dewy finish to create a fresher look. Be cautious with powder-based makeups and setting powders because they can exaggerate fine lines and wrinkles and make a face look dry and dusty.
If you have combination skin, it may take some trial and error to find the right foundation for your skin type.
Prep Your Skin Before Applying Foundation
To make your foundation look natural, proper skin preparation is key. Taking care of your skin and nourishing it before you apply foundation helps make your skin look healthier and make your makeup more natural. Before you apply your foundation, here are the steps to follow:
- Cleanse your face. Use a gentle cleanser to clean your face and remove any oils or residues.
- Optional: Exfoliate. If you have dry, dull skin, exfoliation is essential for a smooth, even, natural foundation. After cleansing, gently massage an exfoliating product into your skin using a circular motion, then rinse the face clean with lukewarm water. If you have sensitive skin, exfoliate less often
- Optional: Tone. Toning is a great way to calm oily, acne-prone skin, adding gentle hydration and reducing shine. If you have dry skin, choose a hydrating toner or skip this step.
- Optional: Serum. If you use an anti-wrinkle, brightening, or acne-fighting serum, apply it after cleansing (and after exfoliating). Give the serum 5-15 minutes to soak into the skin before moving on.
- No matter your skin type, moisturizing is essential to nourish, protect, and hydrate the skin. First, choose a lightweight formula that absorbs quickly. Then, wait 5-15 minutes before moving on.
- Almost all skin types can benefit from using a primer. Primer helps your foundation go on more evenly and last longer. It also helps smooth over textural imperfections, protect your pores from clogging as you apply makeup, and color-correct your skin without weighing it down. In addition, a good primer can mean that you need to use less foundation, which can help achieve that natural look.
Apply Your Foundation Correctly
For a more natural look, think of using your foundation and concealer to target specific areas rather than applying a layer of foundation to your entire face. Use your fingers or a brush to lightly apply dots of foundation to your face, then gently blend outward. If you’ve properly prepared your skin, you may need less foundation than you think, so apply a light amount of coverage, targeting your problem areas. Then step back and see how much more coverage you need before adding more product.
After you have applied foundation, use blotting paper instead of powder. Blotting paper will remove excess product, create an even layer, and set your foundation, cutting shine while preserving some of your natural glow. Choose a high-quality blotting paper and press (don’t wipe) it into your skin, especially in the oilier T-zone.
Conclusion
Making your foundation look natural is about taking great care of your skin, so your natural beauty shines through with less need for coverage, finding the proper foundation for your skin color and type, and then applying it lightly and evenly.
