We chat with Nica Marcello, national education manager at Revlon, to get the lowdown on how to choose and apply foundation like an expert.
What’s the best way to apply foundation?
This depends on the type of foundation you’re using (liquid, cream, powder) and your personal preferences. Beauty blenders or makeup sponges (dampened or dry) are great for a seamless, natural or sheer finish, while a dense foundation brush affords higher coverage.
Formulas that are more long wearing and achieve a medium to full coverage such as Revlon ColorStay Longwear Makeup For Normal/Dry Skin, $38.95, are best applied with a foundation brush.
Fingers can also work well for blending foundation, especially for lighter coverage. The key to a natural-looking foundation application is to blend well and use the appropriate amount of product for your desired coverage.
It’s important that your foundation is also good for your skin. Revlon Illuminance Skin Caring Foundation, $42.95, is the perfect hybrid of makeup and skincare. It evens out skin tone and gives the complexion a beautiful luminous finish without looking like you are wearing foundation.
Do you have any application tips?
Less is more: Start with a small amount of product and gradually build coverage if needed. It’s easier to add more product than to remove excess.
Blend thoroughly: Blend foundation well, especially around the jawline and hairline to avoid visible lines of demarcation. Ensure that there are no harsh edges where the foundation ends. After applying foundation, check your makeup in natural light to ensure it looks seamless and matches your skin tone.
One of my favourite hacks is to use the Revlon Beauty Tool Jade Facial Roller, $22.95, to apply foundation. You get the benefits of a lifting massage as well as a natural-looking airbrushed finish.
How do I choose the best colour match for me?
Consider your undertone: Identify your undertone – whether you have warm, cool or neutral undertones. Foundations come in shades for each undertone. Cool undertones usually have pink or rosy hues, warm undertones lean towards yellow or golden tones, while neutral undertones have a mix of both.
Test in natural light: Natural light offers the most accurate representation of how a foundation shade will look on your skin. Visit a store with testers or stand by a window to test shades. Swatch the foundation shade from the area beside your mouth down to your jawline. This area gives a better idea of how well the foundation matches your skin tone. Since the middle of your face usually needs more coverage, testing here helps see if the shade blends well with your overall complexion. Just checking along the jawline might not show the full picture of how the foundation matches your overall face tone.
Should you apply foundation on your eyelids and lips as a base?
Applying foundation on your eyelids and lips before makeup application is a common practice for several reasons.
Eyelids: Applying foundation on your eyelids can help create an even base for eyeshadow application. It can neutralise any discolouration and camouflage veins on the lids, providing a smooth canvas for eyeshadow colours to appear more vibrant and better adhere. Be sure to dust on a little Revlon PhotoReady Powder, $36.95 afterwards to avoid your eyeshadow creasing during the day.
Lips: Applying foundation on your lips helps to neutralise the natural colour of your lips, allowing the true colour of your lipstick to show. It can also help the lipstick adhere better and last longer. Revlon Colorstay Longwear Makeup For combination/oily skin, or for normal/dry skin, $38.95 is great to use because it has 24-hour wear, is transfer-resistant and waterproof. It also contains hyaluronic acid for hydration.
Should you have different foundation colours on hand?
Yes, it’s quite common for people to adjust their foundation shades between seasons and even within seasons due to changes in skin tone caused by sun exposure and skin hydration levels.
Skin hydration is an important aspect of how foundation appears on your skin. In colder weather, skin might be drier, and a different foundation formula or shade might work better to complement your skin’s hydration needs. Revlon Illuminance Skin Caring Foundation, $42.95, contains hydrating ingredients such as hyaluronic acid to keep the skin plump and healthy looking.
