First, you need to decide how much coverage you need. Sheer foundations are good for a light natural coverage. Moderate coverage is a good choice for those of us with some discoloration, a few acne scars, maybe some freckles, or broken blood vessels. Heavy/full coverage foundations offer the most camouflaging. It is good for covering burns, birthmarks, bruising, melasma and scars.

We’ve all grown up seeing women (including ourselves) testing the shade of a foundation on the back of the hand. When was the last time you held up your hand to your face? It is rarely the same shade. The best place to test the color of a foundation is the side of your face between your cheek and jaw line. Your goal when you apply the foundation on the lower part of your face is to find the color foundation that appears the same shade as your neck. We’ve all seen women with a face one shade and the rest of the body a different shade. (Some of us have even been those women). That could mean that you might need to adjust your foundation in the summer and winter. Remember, although your face is your canvas, it’s still attached to the rest of your body.

Caucasian women have a tendency toward red pigmentation in the face, which is why they flush and their skin can become red and blotchy. They need a foundation with some yellow pigment to balance out the redness.

Mediterranean/Latin/Asian women have a tendency to have a more olive tone to their skin. Olive/beige/neutral toned foundations with a yellow undertone work best.

African American women have a tendency to have oilier skin, which can turn the foundation darker than it first looked on the skin. These women need to choose shades a bit lighter than the skin and stay with shades with warm honey tones. Avoid overly yellow or olive shades, since they will have a tendency to turn ashy and grey after being applied.

When applying foundation, don’t forget your eyelids, in the corners of your nose and over your lips.

After applying foundation, if you feel that there might be too much on, simply blot with a tissue. This will eliminate excess oil or moisture from the foundation.

Create a flawless canvas with foundation or concealer and everything that follows will look better.

Eve’s Tips for Foundation

When applying foundation, you can choose a slightly lighter shade than your skin – especially if you have oily skin. The oil in the skin actually turns the foundation darker over time, as it oxidizes.

When using thick concealer as foundation, it is important to set it with powder. It will keep the foundation from running, creasing and smudging. It will also prevent it from cracking into any lines around the eyes.

This process will also work to cover areas with acne scars.

The end goal when applying makeup to the face is to make the color tones of the face match your neck.

To keep the foundation looking fresh and natural, follow with a light dusting of a neutral or light colored loose powder using either a powder brush or a puff to set the foundation. Continue with the rest of your normal makeup routine. The key is to keep everything looking smooth.