When shopping for a foundation, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. Most importantly, you want to find one that matches your skin tone just so, right? The goal is to choose a shade that looks like a second skin but better and that blends in with both your skin tones and undertones. And while you’re searching, you’ll also want to consider the type of coverage you need. Do you need something full? Or do you want to go with a sheer option?
But there’s one factor that I had never really given much thought to when shopping for a foundation: my skin type. It turns out choosing a product with your specific skin type in mind can make a difference when it comes to application and the finished look. Maybe you’ve been in the same boat as me. Don’t worry, though. We’re about to get a foundation 101 session courtesy of the experts.
If you want to choose a foundation for your specific skin type, where do you even start? The experts gave me these tips for each type:
Normal: “Normal skin types are usually the easiest to use with foundation,” says Robert Sesnek, makeup artist for Catrice Cosmetics. “You can buff foundation with a damp natural hair foundation brush for an overall easy and even finish.” So you can pretty much choose any foundation here, and Sesnek recommends a liquid foundation for all skin types because he says they look the most real on skin and can look “invisible” when applied properly.
Combination: You’ll want to look for oil-free and/or water-based foundations, according to our experts.
Oily/Acne-Prone: “You should look for an oil-free foundation if you have oily or combination-oily skin,” recommends board-certified dermatologist Elyse Love, MD, who practices at GlamDerm in New York City. “Foundations can clog pores, which may cause bumps on the forehead and worsen dilated pores on the nose. Powders are great for all-over oily skin but can sometimes come off as drying on drier skin.”
Dry: Board-certified dermatologist Karen Chinonso Kagha, MD suggests looking for a foundation with a hydrating finish.
Sensitive: “For more sensitive skin, avoid products with fragrance, which is commonly used in makeup but can cause allergies in those with more sensitive skin,” Kagha says.
Now that we’re up to speed on foundations and skin types, we’re going to focus on how to choose and apply products for people with combination skin, which is probably the most common skin type. “Combination skin is used to describe those who have significantly different oil production on different areas of the face—typically oilier skin in the t-zone and normal or dry skin on the cheeks and chin,” Love explains.
When you have combination skin, the biggest concern there is managing the oil production of your t-zone without irritating or drying out your cheeks and chin.
Before applying foundation, you’re going to want to prep your skin so the product goes on smoothly and looks flawless. But how you prep can depend on… you guessed it, your skin type. Across the board, you should make sure your skin is clean, no matter your type, says makeup artist Georgie Eisdell, whose clients include Gwyneth Paltrow and Sophie Turner. She particularly loves IS Clinical’s Cleansing Complex for combination skin.
After cleansing, you’ll have to work on controlling some of the oil-prone areas if you have combination skin. “My secret is to double up! In addition to a moisturizer best for combination skin, use a textured cotton pad with micellar water to scrub off any buildup on the skin’s surface. This is key to preventing congestion from oil buildup under the skin,” says Christine Cherbonnier, who is Yoko Ono’s personal makeup artist.
When it comes to applying foundation, formulation choices are important to keep in mind. “If you use a foundation that is too moisturizing when you have combination skin, you may find you get shiny very quickly,” Eisdell explains. “It’s also not ideal to use a foundation that is all about moisture, as it will be too much for the combination skin and could cause breakouts.”
Makeup artist Tamah Krinsky suggests going with a matte formula and a little bit of powder. “You don’t want your skin to look heavy, so a sheer-matte formula with a touch to no powder should do the trick. You want to keep the powder light to let the natural oil in your skin keep the matte formula from looking too heavy,” she says.
And now that you know what to keep in mind when shopping, you might be ready to add to your cart. Below, we’ve got foundation recommendations for combination skin from the experts and our editors.
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