Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual: For Everyone from Beginner to Pro (13 page)

3
Sweep the powder across the eyelid.

4
Apply the powder under the brow bone. Repeat two times if necessary.

FOUNDATION

Beauty starts with great skin. The right foundation will make you look like you’re not wearing any foundation at all. You’ll just have even-toned, great-looking skin.

The reason we wear foundation is to even out our skin tone and texture. When applied correctly, the result is skin that looks clear and smooth. But, what is most important is that the skin look better than it did without foundation.

Some women shy away from foundation because they associate it with thick pancake makeup that sometimes looks like a mask. But even the strongest makeup should have a natural-looking base.

Formula

Foundations are available in many different formulas. Choose one that is right for your skin and style and has a consistency you like to use. Use the following guidelines to choose your formula.

TINTED MOISTURIZER

For normal/normal-to-dry skin. Gives a sheer, light-weight coverage and is an alternative to foundation. Provides a totally natural look. Great for weekends.

TINTED FACE BALM

For extra-dry skin. Provides sheer coverage. Intensively hydrates and gives skin a dewy finish. Balm actually plumps the skin and reduces the appearance of fine lines.

STICK FOUNDATION

For all skin types except oily. Provides easy spot coverage and is also buildable for medium to full coverage. Best foundation for photography.

LIQUID FOUNDATION

For dry to extra-dry skin. Hydrates and smoothes, providing medium to full coverage.

MOISTURIZING COMPACT

For dry to extra-dry skin. Hydrating formulas provide medium to full coverage.

WHIPPED FOUNDATION

For combination skin and great for skin with texture. Balances the skin by hydrating dry areas and absorbing oil in the T-zone. Provides medium to full coverage.

OIL-FREE LIQUID FOUNDATION

For oily skin. For combination skin in the summer. Absorbs oil and smoothes while providing light to medium coverage.

OIL-FREE CREAM FOUNDATION

For normal-to-oily skin. Absorbs oil, providing medium to full coverage. A good choice to cover acne and large pores.

OIL-FREE POWDER COMPACT

For oily skin. Provides medium to full coverage. Because of the portable packaging, compact foundations are great for touch-ups.

MINERAL POWDERS

Suggested for very oily skin. (Be careful when choosing color. Oily skin can change color of powders, and they may appear dry and pasty.)

Finding the Perfect Shade

Once you have decided on the right formula
of foundation, you need to find the right shade. The correct shade will disappear on the skin.

Make sure the foundation is yellow-based.
Everyone has yellow undertones in their skin. Pink-based foundations look like a mask on most people. Only 1 percent need a pink tone: those who sunburn even in the shade. Foundation should not change the color of the face but simply even out the tone.

Test several shades
of foundation on the side of your face, between the nose and the side of the cheek. Make a stripe of foundation in the preferred formula from cheek to jawline, gently blending into the skin. Also test a shade lighter and a shade darker for comparison. The correct shade will disappear.

Double-check the selected color on forehead.
Sometimes women have darker skin on the forehead, and the foundation shade that matches here will work better for the whole face.

Always test foundation in natural light.
Walk to a window or doorway to check the match. The swatch that disappears into the skin is the right shade. Do not test foundation on the hand or arm, as the face is rarely the same color as the rest of the body.

If your skin tone gets darker
in the summer or on a vacation, you may need to adjust the foundation tone. Keep a deeper shade of foundation on hand to accommodate changes in skin tone. It can be blended with your regular foundation if you are between shades or used alone when skin is darkest.

Oily skin sometimes turns foundation darker.
Check and adjust accordingly.

Stick foundation
that is a shade or two lighter than the skin tone can be used for light under-eye coverage instead of concealer.

Tip

For those with combination skin, foundations are now available with both silica beads, which soak up oil, and lecithin, which hydrates skin. Moisturizers and oil-control lotions can be applied to parts of the face that need it to counterbalance the foundation choice.

Tools

The right tools help you apply foundation quickly and easily, with great-looking results. Sponges, also called makeup wedges, are used with foundation. Makeup can be applied directly to the sponge or face and gently blended into the skin. Some prefer to use a foundation brush. The synthetic bristles of this brush type can be used with all foundation formulas for a smooth and even application. Fingers are the best tool for warming and blending makeup into the skin.

Tips

While sponges are a convenient and sanitary way to apply makeup,
they can’t replicate the direct control and warmth of using the fingers and hands. You can use the hands to warm a product before application. Foundation, concealer, lip color, and even pencils spread more easily on the skin if they are at body temperature. Use the fingers to apply makeup for complete control over placement of the product. Always thoroughly clean the hands and nails before applying makeup.

To see the true effect of the foundation,
let it settle for a few minutes. Then blend or layer in more foundation in spots where it is needed.

FOUNDATION APPLICATION

To get the even-toned, great-looking skin you want, you need to choose the right color, texture, tools, and formulas. Always begin with a test to choose the color that’s the closest match to your natural skin tone, and then follow the simple steps for proper application.

Troubleshooting: Foundation

Wrong color

Add a layer of darker foundation or darker powder bronzer or face powder to balance the face color. Select the tone properly. Sometimes the skin needs yellow, red, orange, or blue. The face color should match that of the body.

Color doesn’t match neck

Instead of lightening the face, darken the neck with warm bronzer.

Face has a lot of redness

Use a sheer coat of foundation, making sure the skin tone can be seen through it. Use bronzer lightly on the face, neck, and chest to blend.

Orange-peel texture coming through

First try a light moisturizer on your palms to warm it up. Then press it into the skin. Layer with more foundation. If this doesn’t work, take the foundation off. Greatly hydrate the skin. Wait two minutes and change the foundation formula to work with the skin.

Pasty-looking skin

The color is too light. Check the color following the tips below.

Yellow-looking skin

The color is too dark. Recheck the color on the forehead and cheek. Switch to another color and correct with bronzer. Some women need to use two shades on different parts of the face during different times of the year.

1
Swipe each shade to choose a color. Gently blend into skin. The correct color will look like your natural skin tone.