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Makeup 101 - What Should You Look for When Buying a Foundation?

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Trying to decide what type of foundation to get can be overwhelming. There are so many different types on the market and there is a lot of misinformation out there. I will try to break it down simply and easily for you, so you can make the best choice for you. This article is about what type of foundation you should use for your skin type, the next part in this series will be discuss the benefits of each type.

The first step is to determine what type of skin you have. If it's dry, it will often feel uncomfortable and tight as well as you can see some flaking or dehydration lines. If it is normal, you won't notice much dryness or oiliness, it is in perfect balance. If it is combination, your skin may be slightly to very oily in your T-zone (forehead, nose and chin) and normal to dry on your cheeks. If it is oily, it is oily all over your skin, even on your cheeks and makeup just slides off. If you are not sure how oily you are, wash your face and check back in an hour and see if where you have shiny skin. If it is all over, you have oily skin, if it is just in the t-zone, you have combination skin.

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Dry skin benefits from a moisturizing liquid or cream foundation. If you don't need a lot of coverage, use a tinted moisturizer for dry skin. Look for words like "Moisture", "Soothing", "Smoothing", "Comfort" or "Dewy" on the label. Foundations for dry skin often have a bit of sheen to make your skin glow. Start with your regular moisturizer, let it soak into your skin for 5 - 10 minutes and then apply. Avoid using a powder foundation on dry skin, it can make your skin look even more dry.

Normal skin can use any foundation labeled "normal". You don't want to go for anything for dry skin because it could break out out and you don't want to go for anything for oily skin because it could dry you up, you need the Goldilocks of foundation, something "just right". If you don't have a lot to cover, a tinted moisturizer is great. You can also use a regular liquid foundation or a powder foundation. I would still try to go for something oil-free, just so it won't break out out. Something with the words "Illuminating" or "Radiance" in the name will give you a beautiful healthy glow.

Combination Skin is the most common, so luckily there are a lot of options. Look for words like "Balanced", "Oil-Free", "Non-comedogenic" on the label. Avoid anything that says "dewy" or "illuminating" on it as it can make your oily t-zone look even more oily. You can use an oil-free tinted moisturizer, a liquid, a long wearing foundation or a powder foundation. If you are not using a powder foudnation, top your liquid foundation off with a dusting of powder, especially on your t-zone for an all day finish.

Oily skins have specific needs and should use specific foundations. Look for words like "Acne", "Breakouts", Matte" or "Clarifying". If you have a lot of breakouts, you should use an acne foundation that contains some medicated treatment, so it will hide your flaws as it treats them. Look for products with salicylic acid, it will help keep breakouts down. You can get these products in liquid or powder formulations. I recommend a liquid foundation with a powder all over on top, you may need to do touch ups during the day.

Coming up next ... what are all the different types of foundations and who should use them.

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