Foundation

I have quite literally lost count of the number of times a nervous bride-to-be has asked me a question regarding her wedding day foundation.
How do I keep it looking fresh for the whole day? What if the weather is hot and my face becomes shiny? Which foundation looks the best in photographs?
Well before I take you through my answers to the most common foundation questions I receive, I want to first point out the importance of proper make up tools, and more specifically, a foundation brush. I know some of you may prefer using a make up sponge or indeed you fingers, but I would strongly urge you to try using a make up brush, in particular M.A.C.’s 130 Short Duo Fibre Brush. This short barrel-topped brush is absolutely ideal for creating smooth flawless coverage and is perfect for blending foundation into the skin, leaving you with a natural (dare I say air-brushed!) complexion. These are the kind of results you simply cannot achieve with a sponge or your fingers!
Very often women buy expensive make up and wonder why the results are not as impressive as they had been led to believe. More often than not, the problem can be sourced back to their make up tools. There is absolutely no point in spending money on high-end make up products if you apply them with cheap low-quality brushes. You just won’t achieve a good result. Yes top quality brushes can be expensive, but if you care for them properly, they will last you a life time and reward you with a flawless complexion!

Q. My foundation starts to come off within an hour of it being applied. How can I make it last longer?
A. If you find your foundation is fading within a few hours of it being applied, then you might be applying it too soon after the moisturiser. Foundation should be applied nearly 10 minutes afterwards. Doing otherwise leaves the skin with no time to absorb the moisturiser. As a result, the foundation doesn’t last, it simply slides off

Here’s another little trick to make it look fresher for longer:
After you have applied your foundation, lightly spritz your face with water and allow it to dry. Do not wipe it away or pat it dry, simply allow the skin a few minutes to absorb the moisture before proceeding on with your make up routine.

If you want to achieve a dewy look, then apply your foundation before covering your head with a towel and placing your face over a sink of warm water. The steam from the water will work wonders on your foundation.

Q. How do I prevent a make up line appearing along my neck and jawbone?
A. To help prevent the dreaded make-up line appearing, simply open your mouth when applying your foundation. This little trick helps expose the lower neck area, which in turn makes it difficult to leave a line. If this doesn’t work and you find a line still remains, then lightly mist the line with water and gently blend it in with your fingers or your foundation brush. Make sure you also use some bronzer on your neck. This should prevent the line from being as noticeable.

If you find the line is very noticeable then take it as a sign that you are wearing the wrong shade of foundation for your skin tone. The sales assistant at the beauty counter will help you determine a shade that will best suit your skin tone.

Q. How do I stop my foundation from becoming too shiny?
A. Women with oily skin should in fact wear as little make-up as possible. Piling it on in the hope that you will cover up the oiliness will only bring about disastrous results because the oil will always seep through and make your foundation appear blotchy. Keep foundation to a minimum and steer clear of shimmery make-up.

When you notice your face becoming quite shiny, don’t continuously reapply your compact powder, or you’l end up with a very ‘caked’ look. Instead, pat your face gently with some blotting paper. Decent blotting paper can sometimes be a little bit expensive so if you are on a budget, try using Supermarket brands such as Clearasil. (Believe it or not but ordinary tracing paper, which you will find in the stationary section of the supermarket, also works brilliantly!)

If you’re prone to oily patches appearing throughout your foundation, then pat the areas in question with a tissue before dusting on some loose powder. This trick is also beneficial for anyone who wants to soften their look and have their foundation look more natural.

Q. When I test a foundation in the shop, it almost always looks different when I try it on at home. Any tips on how I can find the right foundation?
A. Its not uncommon for a foundation to look different at home than it does in the shop. Next time you test the foundation in the shop, wait at least three minutes, then check it in natural light. You will then see the exact same results that you can expect to see at home.

When testing foundations in a shop, do not use the back of your hand. The colour of the skin on your hand does not resemble the colour of your complexion and will therefore provide you with inaccurate results. To determine if a shade of foundation will suit your skin colouring, dab some on your lower cheek near your jawbone, or even underneath the jawbone itself. This will help you decide if the shade suits your skin tone. It will also give you indication as to how easily it will blend into the edges of your face.

Q. What is the best way to disguise fine lines? I never seem to find a foundation that does the job.
A. When you use foundation, apply minimal amounts to the areas of the face where you have particularly fine lines. Doing otherwise will only result in the foundation sinking into the lines and making them more obvious. A good idea is to try tinted moisturiser as it is not as heavy on the skin as foundation. I always tell women not to rely on foundation to cover their fine lines but to instead lessen their appearance naturally.
After all, why cover the problem when you can cure it?

One such solution for combating fine lines is to apply some egg white to the lines in question. Once it dries, wash it off with cold water. Do this every day and you should experience noticeable results within a month.

A second solution is to dab some unscented castor oil on the lines before you head off to bed at night. This works particularly well on lines around the eyes.

Believe it or not, but an age old remedy for preventing fine lines and fighting blemishes involves washing your face with potato juice on a daily basis. (Just make sure you rinse with cold water afterwards!) Potato juice is also a wonderful fighter of ageing, so by applying it to your face each day, you are discouraging the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines!

Q. I find foundation primers quite expensive. How important are they?
A. To be honest, they’re not crucial. They do feel nice when you apply them to your face because they tend to be quite silky in texture, but overall however, moisturiser far outranks primers in terms of importance. You don’t even need to use particularly expensive moisturisers. Last year I interviewed a very well known make-up artist who has worked on the faces of many world supermodels and she is adamant that the cheaper moisturisers from the supermarket are actually the best to use!

Marilyn Monroe for instance is said to have used olive oil as a moisturiser however she did once admit to her photographer Bert Stern that she adored Nivea moisturiser and would often coat her face in the cream.

When it comes to products don’t be fooled by designer labels as they don’t necessarily guarantee better results.

The fact of the matter is that if you have bad skin, no primer will make your foundation look flawless. Take good care of your skin and your foundation will look much better. Even gently exfoliating your face will help brighten up your skin. Its also a good idea to keep your moisturiser in the fridge. When you apply your moisturiser after taking it from the fridge, you should find that it will completely refresh your face. Its particularly beneficial if you’re feeling very tired but don’t want your face to reflect your fatigue!

Q. What make up products did Kate Middleton use on her wedding day?

A. Ever since it emerged that Kate applied her own make up on the morning of her wedding, there has been a surge in demand for the same products she used. Even though the make up brand has not been confirmed, it has been widely assumed that Kate’s choice of products came from the Bobbi Brown counter.

To replicate her look, (using Bobbi Brown products), apply the foundation to suit your skin tone, then work on the eyes by sweeping Ivory eye shadow all over the lid before blending Slate coloured eye shadow into the crease of the lid.

Next line the upper and lower lash lines with black gel eyeliner, making sure that the top line is slightly thicker than the bottom. Now brush on two coats of Black No Smudge Mascara.

Kate also whitened the inner rim of her lower lash line. To do this, invest in a Bobbi Brown white eye pencil. Afterwards sweep some pale pink blush on the apples of the cheeks before dusting some Quartz Shimmer Brick high on the cheekbones.

Kate also wore Sandwash Pink Lip Colour on her lips, which she then emphasised with Clear Crystal Gloss.

To perfect this look, it is essential you use the correct make up brushes.

To help women recreate Kate’s bridal look, Bobbi Brown released a demonstration sheet outlining where to apply each individual shade.

Q. What foundation would you recommend for a bride on her wedding day?

For your wedding day, I would strongly suggest Estee Lauder’s Double Wear which is famed for its staying power!
Other foundations I would strongly recommend include Dior Sculpt which has a worldwide reputation for its beautiful flawless coverage, and Chanel’s Mat Lumière, which is wonderful for mattifying a shiny complexion and giving you with a subtle healthy glow.
Yves Saint Laurent Perfect Touch, which uses similar principles as its world famous Touché Éclat pen, offers amazing natural-looking coverage thanks to its light-enhancing ingredients. M.A.C Studio Fix is also wonderful for keeping any oiliness under control and looks amazing in photographs!
My final recommendation is Bobbi Brown’s Skin Foundation. This is very lightweight in texture and blends amazingly well without leaving a greasy residue.
It is vitally important that you test the foundation three-four weeks before your wedding day. Some women, particularly those with sensitive skin, may be prone to breakouts when they use a new product for the first time. This is simply because their skin is not accustomed to the new ingredients.