Foundation is meant to help make your skin look flawless, but there are so many things that can (and do) go wrong when it comes to choosing and applying this makeup to your complexion.

Foundation application faux pas #1: Wearing the wrong colour.

Beauty tips: “I see so many women getting it wrong, some go too light, others too dark,” says Bree Powell, a Toronto-based makeup artist. What you need to do to ensure you’re choosing the right shade of foundation is to find a natural light source, she says. So walk over to a window if possible and apply some foundation to your jawline. “It should blend in seamlessly, and you shouldn’t be able to see it at all,” she says.

Foundation application faux pas #2: Not switching your foundation colour with the seasons.

Beauty tips: Your skin tone changes from winter to summer, so your foundation colour should also change with the seasons. One lighter for winter, one darker for summer and for the seasons in between you can try to blend the two shades you own together.

Foundation application faux pas #3:
Bad blending.

Beauty tips:
“That dreaded line at the jaw!” says Bree of the bad blending she’s seen on women. You don’t have to go all the way to your neck, she says, but go just underneath the jaw and also blend well at the hairline. You can try a kabuki brush (flat headed brush) to help buff foundation into the skin (a favourite brush used by many makeup artists), or you can just use your fingers as Bree prefers. “Your fingers will warm up the product a bit, which will help with application, plus you won’t be wasting any product,” she says. Added bonus: no brushes to clean. If you want fuller coverage, try applying with a sponge, but be wary of streaks, says Bree. Start applying at your nose, chin and forehead and blend outwards.

More beauty tips for foundation application and achieving an even skin tone on the next page…

Ferretti-bks-d-RF11-4076edit.jpg
Foundation application faux pas #4: Using the wrong format of foundation.

Beauty tips: “There are so many varieties, from cream, liquid, cream to powder and tinted moisturizer that it’s easy to get overwhelmed,” says Bree. If you have dry skin, you might want to avoid cream to powder formulations as it may make your skin drier. On the other hand, if you have mature skin, a matte finish may settle into fine lines more readily than a tinted moisturizer will, for example. For those prone to oiliness, avoiding oil-based foundations is a smart choice.


Foundation application faux pas #5: Wearing too much foundation.

Beauty tips: “The healthier your skin is, the less foundation you need to wear, so definitely focus on cleansing, exfoliating and moisturizing,” says Bree, who is part of the L’Oreal Paris team at LG Fashion Week in Toronto. Also, know that you don’t have to apply it all over your face. “Just on the spots where you have ruddiness or blemishes,” she says. “I see so many young women applying it everywhere and you really don’t need to.”

Read more:
The best foundations under $30
Great pore refining products

Perfect match: 5 flawless foundations