Best And Worst: 30 Questions To Experts About Foundation

2023 Author: Jessica James | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 04:20

Are silicones in foundations harmful? How to select a tone for your skin type and color? How do Korean BB creams differ from European ones? BeautyHack asked make-up artists, dermatologist and cosmetic chemist to answer the most important questions about foundations.

Natalia Vlasova

Makeup artist, founder and art director of the Moscow School of Makeup Artists and the agency of professional stylists Mosmake (@vlasovanatalia)

1. How to choose foundation for young and aging skin?

First of all, look at her condition. And aging skin may have "young" problems: acne or post-acne, for example. In this case, Vichy Dermablend foundation is suitable for both young and aging skin - it masks such imperfections best of all.

For aging skin without visible imperfections, choose lighter textures with a pronounced moisturizing effect - this is important, as the skin becomes thinner over time.

Foundation products with an anti-age effect are good. For example, La Mer Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation. Make sure to moisturize your skin before using long-lasting foundation.

It's great that in many products, you can adjust the density of the coating: for older skin, choose a lighter one, for young skin - more dense, if it requires it. A great example of such a versatile foundation is Nars' Natura Radiant Longwear Foundation. It also contains caring ingredients: extracts of raspberry, apple and watermelon, which improve skin texture with regular use. Bobbi Brown Skin Long-Wear Weightless Foundation SPF 15 is another example of a foundation whose coverage can be adjusted.

2. How to choose a foundation for your skin type?

The foundation should not tighten the skin. If this happens, then you have chosen the wrong product. Focus on the condition of the skin and your feelings - the skin with the "right" foundation should look radiant!

I know that many girls find it difficult to determine their skin type. I'll tell you about the most important features. Dry skin is close to perfect, translucent, with a predominant pink and white undertone. She needs a lot of nutrients, is prone to redness (capillaries are visible), taut and can peel off, often with pale pink spots on the cheeks.

Oily skin is usually yellowish and shiny. It requires thorough cleansing and is prone to inflammation, acne and enlarged pores.

3. How to choose a foundation for oily skin? Many girls, after using any tone, have an oily sheen

Choose a tone, primer or moisturizer with a mattifying effect. The foundation itself should not shine - otherwise the matte effect of any primer will come to naught. I often use Prep + Prime Skin Refined Zone by MAC

I apply it not to match the tone, but from above - with a beautiblender - with hammering movements.

4. How to choose a tone for the skin color?

Test the shade near the jawline to see how the tone matches the skin tone on the neck and décolleté.

Apply 2-3 shades. If the tone goes into gray - the shade is too light for you, in yellow - too dark. For girls with very pale skin, I always keep Nars Siberia Velvet Matte Foundation cream in the shade of Light 1 in the makeup artist's case. Also pay attention to Korean BB creams - they usually have very light shades.

5. Does the scheme of applying the tone vary depending on the type of skin?

The application pattern does not change. If you are sure of the shade, start applying the foundation from anywhere, if you are not sure - from the area along the jaw line.

Lena Motinova

Lead Makeup Artist Estée Lauder (@lenamotinova)

6. How to apply the foundation correctly?

It is believed that it is good to apply the product with your fingers, because thanks to the warmth of the hands, it is better distributed over the skin and a more even coating is obtained. But I am for makeup tools! I love synthetic and natural fluffy brushes. I know artists who, on the contrary, choose flat brushes, but, in my opinion, they make makeup more visible. Synthetic tools distribute the product well, ensure its economical consumption. The result is a thin and even coating! After all, all girls strive for this!

At the finish, I sometimes use a wet beauty blender - it removes the remains of the product and makes the tone perfect!

7. What size should the brush be?

It should not be very large so that it is convenient for you to apply the tone in the corners of the eyes, under the nose, on the wings of the nose. But at the same time, again, choose fluffy tools!

8. How to apply a thick foundation?

I'll use the example of Double Wear by Estée Lauder. It's super long-lasting and sets very quickly, so you can't just brush strokes and then blend them. First, apply the product to the brush, blend it on your hand or palette to remove excess and distribute it evenly over the brush. Only then transfer it to the skin in small portions.

An important rule: it is better to add a second layer of foundation than to apply a lot at once and then try to remove it.

9. How to apply foundation so that it does not emphasize flaking?

I'll tell you my beauty hack.

If the skin is dehydrated, all products are more difficult to apply, they can accentuate peeling. In this case, I use a wet beauty blender and drip a drop of oil onto it.

It allows the instrument to distribute the tone evenly over the skin and improve glide.

The same scheme is good if you are applying a thick foundation but want it to look weightless on your skin.

10. How do tonal cushions differ from classic tonal means?

Cushion is a convenient, compact product that you can take with you everywhere - you don't need additional tools to apply it. Soak the puff and apply it to the skin, you do not need to rub the product - it will still work evenly. The porous texture of the puff allows you to use a small amount of tone, so it is impossible to overdo it with makeup.

Two important benefits of cushion: it evens out the tone and leaves a beautiful glow. At the same time, even a person who has never dealt with tonal means can cope with the tool.

Of course, if the skin is very problematic, it is unlikely that a cushion will help you out, although it will cope with minor flaws.

11. How to decipher the symbols on the tonal means?

Estée Lauder foundations have numbers and letters. That is, you can see, for example, such designation: "1C1" or "1W2". The first digit is the shade number (light, medium, and darker). The letter is the ratio of cold and warm undertones (C ("Cold") - cold, W (Warm) - warm, N - neutral, sandy, suitable for most). The third number is an indicator of the intensity of the undertone (cold or warm). For example, C1 is slightly pink, C2 is more pink, C3 is a pronounced pink. The W3 tone will have a yellowish undertone.

If you have pink skin, the vessels are close to each other, there are traces of acne, the pink tone will merge with the skin. It's best to opt for warmer, more natural shades for a healthier complexion.

12. How to store foundation?

You can use the foundation for three years after opening. This is the official expiration date, there is no need to be afraid that something will happen to the product. Do not store the product in the heat or in the bathroom, where there are constant changes in temperature. It is best to choose a dry place, not in direct sunlight.

Elizaveta Frosina

Makeup artist (@elizavetafrosina)

13. Do I need to choose a brush for a specific foundation?

The size of the brush depends on the size of your facial features. The larger they are, the larger the brush should be. But here everything is very individual. It's not for nothing that brands produce special brushes for applying tone. It happens that a specific tone can be applied only with the brush that was invented for it. She has a certain density of villi, cut shape, volume. The fluffier the brush, the easier the finish will be. If you want a denser tone, use a denser brush.

14. How to avoid rolling off the tone on the skin?

The tone can slip if you have not properly prepared the skin for makeup. There is a fat layer on it, keratinized particles, you used a base with one chemical formula, and apply the tone with a different formula. Another reason is that the skin is waterlogged. This happens if you first apply moisturizer, then base and on top of a dense tone.

To prevent the tone from slipping, properly cleanse the skin and prepare it for makeup: foam, toner, then primer (suitable for your skin type) and tone.

15. How do Korean BB creams differ from European ones?

BB and CC creams differ from conventional foundations in a small amount of pigment (10-30%). In foundations - 70-90% pigment.

Korean BB creams are very dense and have strong overlapping power. European ones contain care components - in fact, these are tint creams. There are also CC creams (Color Correcting). They focus on the pigment that evens out the tone. Although they are applied in a thin layer and also contain moisturizing and nourishing ingredients, they are generally lighter.

16. Do I need to apply a base for CC and BB creams?

No, these are independent products that are applied to the skin rubbed with mineral water or tonic. No bases are needed for them!

17. How to choose a shade of mineral powder?

In 20-30 minutes after application, mineral powder can oxidize on the skin - it becomes slightly darker. To find the right powder tone, test it. Apply thermal water on top (or another spray, Prep + Prime Fix + from MAC will work too). This will instantly reveal the final shade of the powder.

If it is not possible to conduct such a test, choose a product that will be slightly lighter than your skin tone. Moreover, it is important to choose the right shade of powder. If you have golden skin tone, go for golden yellowish products. If the skin has a pinkish tint, powders with red-pink pigments will do.

18. How to choose a concealer?

I advise you to use two tools. One is to cover the blue-violet pigment. You can choose the correct shade using the color wheel: find the shade on it that is as close as possible to the pigment of the defect, and see what color will be opposite. This is the exact pigment that should be in the concealer that works for you. A second concealer should be slightly lighter than your skin tone to brighten the area under the eyes and give a fresh look.

19. Can I mix different brands of foundation? And the tone with the face cream?

You can, having previously studied the composition. It is important that the products have the same bases: for example, silicone or wax. If you are not a makeup artist, but want to mix tones, I advise you to use products from the same brand lines.

The same is with the care cream. Compositions should not "argue" among themselves. Use light-textured facial moisturizers.

20. Can good tone be cheap? What does the price depend on?

In the cosmetics industry, there is a clear division into segments: mass market, middle market and luxury products. The lower the segment, the less natural ingredients. I recommend buying leather products in the luxury segment. But it is important to understand that here the price depends very much on the brand name. At the same time, you will be sure that 70% of the composition is high-quality (and possibly natural) ingredients.

If you do use tones from the mass and middle market, change them every few months to avoid addiction.

Alexandra Ganeeva

Dermatocosmetologist, trichologist (@sasha_ewa)

21. Can foundation have a caring effect? What are the components?

Yes, if we are talking about quality foundations. They are able not only to mask imperfections and even out skin tone, but also have properties such as hydration, nutrition, protection from ultraviolet rays, temperature changes and dust. Hyaluronic, lactic, stearic acids, algae extract moisturize the skin, give it tone and elasticity. Oil vitamins of various groups (A, B, C, E) increase local immunity, restore the skin. Algae and aloe extract restore the skin's moisture balance. And white clay is perfect for oily skin - it regulates the sebaceous glands.

22. If the skin has rashes, is it harmful to the daily use of foundation?

If you have problem skin, consult a dermatocosmetologist before using foundation. And feel free to take your foundation for a consultation, so that the doctor can thoroughly understand the composition. Choose products without silicones with matting properties. They must include white clay, starch or rice flour. There are now many myths around silicones and many of them are fiction, but I advise girls with oily and problem skin to abandon tonal products with these components.

23. What should be the SPF of a foundation for a city dweller?

Degrees of protection against UV rays vary from 2 to 100. The best option for a city dweller is SPF 30. If the degree of protection is higher, then the foundation will be denser, and not everyone will like it.

Anna Sharova

Practicing cosmetic chemist (@anna_sharova_pro), technologist, creator of body and hair care cosmetics SharovaPro

24. What is the function of silicones in foundation?

Silicones in the formulation either play the role of a high-quality modifier of organoleptics (more often in care cosmetics), or "keep" the product on the face (in foundation, powders, blush, eye shadow, makeup bases, lipsticks / lip glosses). Light silicones are responsible for the first function, heavy silicones, most often dimethicone, for the second.

Silicone helps to form a pleasant film on the skin, which will prevent it from losing moisture and keep it hydrated for a sufficiently long period of time. In creams, many silicones also improve texture and allow the oily substance to be easily distributed over the skin (this is how cyclopentasiloxane works, for example).

26. If silicones have such positive characteristics, where do so many myths about their negative effects on the skin come from?

For most buyers, silicone is associated with a film, which has one single function - it prevents the skin from breathing. However, modern silicones are capable of: prolonging moisture, protecting against aggressive environmental factors, improving the quality of application / distribution of the product, preparing the skin for make-up, etc.

But to say only about the advantages of silicones is also wrong. Like any chemical product, it also has negative characteristics. For example, the impossibility of decomposition in the environment, partial difficulty in breathing of the skin when heavy forms of silicones are applied to it in very large quantities (usually they are found only in makeup bases). All other decorative products containing heavy silicones in a lower percentage of input - foundation, eye shadow, powder, blush - do not harm the skin even with daily use.

You need to understand that modern tonal creams are formulas with a high content of silicones. There is no other way to create a high-quality foundation.

27. But there are mineral foundation. How do they work?

Yes, there are such "green" means. There are two options to choose from. First: either the manufacturer hides the full composition, or you cannot apply the cream evenly and achieve a natural result. He will not be persistent and will not hide the problem.

Silicones are substances that have taken over the market for both decorative and care cosmetics.

28. What should a cream contain in order to perfectly hide redness and other imperfections?

There are not very many components: titanium dioxide, talc and rarely kaolin. At the same time, they should be at the beginning of the list, because in the middle or towards the end they will no longer perform their functions to the required extent.

Let me remind you that according to the INCI nomenclature of cosmetic ingredients, the components of the composition are arranged in decreasing order of the percentage of input: from the largest to the smallest.

29. What components should not be in foundation?

Long chain parabens (such as butylparaben). They are banned in Europe: long-chain parabens have been scientifically proven to cause breast cancer.

Also, avoid mineral oil facial products. As a petroleum product, it provokes inflammation and has a comedonic effect.

30. What components are responsible for a shining finish?

If the product contains Mica (the famous mica), then the product will shine on the skin! Now, both foundation and makeup bases contain a sufficient amount of it. Mica's portfolio for tonal product designers is endless, with a range of colors ranging from light pink to dark brown. But it happens that the manufacturer promises an incredible shine on the packaging, but there is nothing in the composition that could provide this shine. Therefore, the list of components is still worth looking at.