By Napoleon Perdis
www.napoleonperdis.com
‘What foundation should I be wearing?’ definitely ranks as one of the questions I get asked most often. The best benchmark to remember when choosing a foundation is that it’s great for the skin, and looks great on the skin. I’m talking about a natural, subtle radiance that results in a Birkin bag full of compliments about how healthy you look – and some pressure from your friends to reveal your skin care secret. But if someone comments on your foundation, then it’s not the one for you. My top three tricks to ace your base:
1. Look at your skin’s depth of pigment (is it light or dark?) and your skin’s underlying hue (is it peach or pink, yellow of beige?). If you have uneven skin, match your foundation to your forearm since this sees as much natural sun light as the face, unlike your neck or wrist.
2. Application is everything. My foolproof technique: start in the feature focus area (the triangle of features that is the eyes, nose, and cheeks) with a brush; always, always with a brush – and blend outwards from there. Use a sporadic patting motion – I call it ‘stippling’ – to ensure foundation is consistent with the natural texture of the skin. Make sure to steer very clear of the hairline and brows as foundation has a tendency to grab to those areas.
3. One of the biggest beauty crimes? A visible difference in colour between your neck and your face. If you want to dial your natural skin tone up a notch or two, don’t do it with a warmer shade of foundation. Add colour to the skin with a bronzer or some clever contouring with a flesh-toned blush.
For some skinspiration, reference a few of my favourite, age-amazing celebs.
LOVELY MISS LIVELY
When you’re in your 20s, you can get away with a lot. But in order to maintain that enviable youth and set up your skin for life, you need to be diligent about sun-protection and a stellar skin care regime so your complexion stays ah-mazing. Don’t leave the house without sunscreen – formulas are so advanced and lightweight there’s really no excuse. Then apply a little liquid foundation wherever you need some tonal attention. If you’re prone to oily skin, try a semi-matte finish and powder the sides of the nose with a small powder brush, tapping gently across the skin (don’t sweep!) to keep shine in check.
YUMMY MUMMY
Whether you’re a mum, a career corporate type, or both, your 30s is the time to refine your makeup look. To keep skin in top condition and to ease foundation application, start with a skin-perfecting treatment serum. Leave it on for 10 minutes to absorb and then follow with a hydrating primer to help keep your base looking fresh for longer. Concealer should be part of your daily diligence by now, but you may need to consider a cream concealer for greater coverage. The trick is to keep your base as fresh as possible and let your concealer do the work only where it’s needed – and the same goes for foundation.
AMERICAN BEAUTY
Scan any glossy and you’ll see that forty is definitely the new thirty. Many stars have admitted to going under the knife – or needle – at this age. But before you pop out for a quick Botox sesh, take Julia’s lead and try using a little makeup magic to take the edge off any lines or wrinkles and reshape your face. Choose a foundation with light-diffusing qualities to give off a youthful radiance, and then try a little careful contouring: one of my faithful age-reversing tricks. Use a concealer two shades lighter than your natural skin tone, and with a medium synthetic brush, press it onto areas such as the brow bone, the cheek bones and the bridge of the nose to give a little gravity-cheating lift.
AGELESS GRACE
You never want to look overdone, but rather sophisticated and elegant. Ensuring that your skin is well nourished is key, so lather on that primer and use a hydrating cream foundation that’s laced with skin-supporters like antioxidants. As a finishing touch, pat a little powder foundation into the skin to keep it dewy, and remember: less is more.
Image Credits: Zimbio
More From Napoleon Perdis:
1. Napoleon Perdis Tells Us How To Get Olivia Palermo’s Look
2. Napoleon Perdis’ Guide To Wedding Day Glamification
3. Napoleon Perdis Rocks New York Fashion Week For Walter
