Sometimes, It’s Not The Foundation

You wear foundation but you can still see the imperfections in your skin, and sometimes by the end of the day you’re wondering whether you forgot to put your makeup on at all.  It might seem like your foundation isn’t up to snuff, but chances are that it’s not your foundation that’s the problem and the solution lies in a group of products that should be in everyone’s makeup kit: we’re talking primers, setting powders, and concealers.  Here’s what you need to have a truly flawless face and keep it looking that way from day to night.

1. Primer. Like so many other things in the beauty world, the idea of a primer comes from painting. A primer can help fill in pores, smooth out wrinkles, and absorb oil – things that a foundation doesn’t necessarily have the ability to do.  Because it has the ability to fill in, foundation goes on much smoother, and because the primer is absorbing oil, the foundation will also stay on longer.  For a truly clean finish we love Dior’s new Airflash CC Primer ($49).  It sprays on so you get even coverage and helps your foundation stick to your skin.

The other way to use primer is in the way that you’d use it before painting a wall – a primer will help colour look truer and brighter, and the same goes when your’e wearing foundation.  We love Clinique’s new line of Superprimers ($29).  They correct colour so that your foundation doesn’t have to.  Use an orange-tinted one over dark circles, or a green-tint to help prime rosacea-prone areas.  When you apply your foundation on top not only will it go on more smoothly but it will seem to cover a lot better.

2. Setting Powder.  Setting powder is a must if you wear cream foundation.  It will help absorb any oils that rise through your foundation/primer combo and will blush/bronzer/highlighter blend in smoothly.  For an airy-light powder that doesn’t show up on the skin, we recommend Anna Sui’s Loose Compact Powder ($13).  The pretty compact also means that you can take the powder on the go which means that touch-ups no longer need to be a cakey affair.

3. Concealer.  If you have problem areas on your skin, think about adding a concealer to your look instead of going with a heavier coverage foundation.  A concealer can be used sparingly and only in the areas that you really need it, making your skin look flawless.  Common areas to conceal are under the eyes, around the nose, and areas that have had breakouts.  For a creamy full-coverage concealer we recommend Nars Radiant Creamy concealer ($30).