Foundation: The Hardest Beauty Purchase of All

My dear friend SingleGal requested that for my next post I talk about foundation. I had to think long and hard before I wrote anything though, because I myself have more difficulty with foundation than any other beauty, makeup, or skin care product.

I have so much trouble because matching my skin tone is hard. I'd like to think that I'm special, and I am special, rare shade of pale, but everyone's colour is different, and it is a challenge for everyone to find a foundation that matches them. And matching is the key with foundation. Foundation is not a means for changing your skin into the colour you wish it was. Foundation is your base, and as such must reflect your natural skin colour.

What is the point in foundation if you only use it to match your skin colour you say? Well the point is to even out your skin colouring. The best advise I can offer is to go somewhere with many different types of foundation, and try as many as possible. Try not to be one brand before you try them out. I went in looking for a light age appropriate foundation, and ended up with a full coverage foundation specifically formulated for mature skin, because that is the one that matched me best. For initial tests I would suggest using the inside of your wrist, once you find a few that match fairly well there try applying them to a small section of your face. Find some natural light (that will most likely mean you'll have to go to a window, stores generally use florescent lights, which can distort some of the colours in the light spectrum) to determine which is best.

Just as foundation won't change the colour of your skin (or at least it should;t if you're wearing the correct colour), it also won't flawlessly hide any and all imperfections. That's what cover up and concealer are for. To help your foundation do it's job you should apply your concealer prior to applying foundation.

Finally, there are a variety of types of foundation: liquid, cream, mineral powder, and choosing between them can be a daunting task. Personally, I like liquid foundations. I find my skin is a bit on the dry side, and powders and creams settle into my skin more making my face appear flaky. On the other hand I know people who find liquid foundation too heavy and oily for their skin, and much prefer a powder. And then there are those who use both. Liquid won't cure your dry skin, even if it has a moisturizer in it, and powder won't absorb all you oil. Underlying skin issues should be resolved with other means: creams, washes, scrubs and moisturizers designer for those issues. a specific type of foundation will not eliminate your problems, but the wrong kind might just high light it.

Foundation is one of, if not the, most personal and specific beauty product, the only way to get it right is to keep an open mind, and try them out. Also keep in mind that if your skin tone changes throughout the year (ie you get tanned in the summer) you may need to have more than one foundation.

Sponges and Cotton Pads: The Tools of The Trade

I've talked about several different products in the last few weeks that get used in the washing up phase of your day, including what I still believe to be one of the best face wash and toner duos out there, but today I wanted to talk about the little tools that help you get the job done. I've actually had a hard time writing this, because it seems so insignificant, but really it's the little things that add up, and judging by my own reluctance to write about it, I'm going to assume that our poor little sponges and cotton pads often get over looked, but no more.

First, lets talk about the sponge. I'm not talking about those huge brightly coloured squishy sponges that were so popular before the advent of the shower puffs, or the even larger ones popular the world over with car washing enthusiasts, but instead the small unassuming facial sponge. Of course you can just use your hands to lather up and apply your facial cleanser, but I find I get a better wash if I use a sponge. They help to scrub a little deeper, while still being very soft and gentle on the skin. All you have to do is wet them to soften them up, apply some cleanser, and then commence scrubbing your face in circular motions. Once your face is sufficiently lathered up, rinse out the sponge and use it to rinse your face. Simple and relatively inexpensive, but I find it does make a difference for me.

Sephora has their own brand of cellulose sponges that come in a pack of three (the wear out and get dirty with use, so you do need to replace them, making a multi pack a good plan). However, if you're looking to keep your money from fleeing your wallet and feel that avoiding Sephora is the best way to ensure that, then drugstore or walmart brand sponges will work just as well.

Next, the other washing up tool I use is a cotton pad, but not just any cotton pad, I use Life Brand Certified Organic Cotton Pads. I know that sounds rather crunchy granola of me, but let me explain.

Normal cotton pads are generally made from a sort of quilted cotton that flakes apart and tear easily, making them a hassle to deal with. The organic pads on the other hand are miraculously entirely smooth and never flake or come apart. They are smooth and durable. And even though I only use them to remove eye make up and smooth toner over my face, I still love the feel of them. They are an indulgence. They make me feel special, and quite honestly I happily pay the extra dollar for the fancy organic cotton pads.

So I recommend to you, the next time you're looking for a little pick me up, and little treat, and you don't have a lot of money to blow, buy a pack of organic cotton pads, you'll be happy you did.

Anti-blemish Spot Treatments: Warring in the Trenches Against Zits

As I mentioned in my glowing recommendation of Tea Tree Oil Face Wash, I have recently suffered under the tyrannical rule of a massive zit. In my zeal to rid myself of it I tried a variety of things, including an old favourite, the anti-blemish spot treatment.

These tiny tubes have allowed many a girl to get a good nights sleep after confidently dabbing on the solution. Basically you apply the gel/cream/stick directly to the affected area (ie the giant zit poised to ruin your life) before bedtime, and in the morning the offending mark will be reduced and/or gone. For the most part these products seem to work fairly well, although there is always the odd case where nothing you do is going to totally eliminate the spot, but that's why we have concealer.

The spot treatments tend to be a clear gel that comes in a tiny little tube, like Garnier Pure SOS Anti-Blemish Spot Pen or Clean & Clear Invisible Blemish Treatment. I've used the Garnier one for many years with decent results. After washing and toning my face at night I simply apply the get to any spot where I have a blemish, or where I see/feel one developing. I then continue with my night routine, but I avoid putting my night cream on over the spot treatment, just to let it have a chance to work. The gel dries over the spot and works to dry out the blemish. In the mornings there is a bit of a gunky residue left over. It's not a big deal as it easily comes off when you wash your face, however, it does mean that I don't use these treatments in the day as I don't want to walk around with that on my face.

During my last battle with my spot, I found my normal spot treatment just wasn't cutting it, so a friend suggested I try her favourite secret weapon, the Vichy Normaderm Drying Concealing Anti-imperfection Stick. Unlike the other anti-blemish treatments I've mentioned this one is a solid stick that you use to colour over the spot. It is a concealer too, however, it only comes in one shade, so unless you happen to match that shade, it's not terribly useful as a concealer. As an anti-blemish treatment, however, it is marvelous. Since using it I've found that in most cases it stops a forming zit dead in it's tracks, and clears up minor spots in a matter of a day. I use it at night, but because it goes on smooth and doesn't gob up like the others, I also wear it in the day. The colour doesn't match my skin, so I have to put concealer over it, but really I was going to put concealer on over the spot anyway, so I might as well apply something that is actively fighting to clear my skin?

Being a Vichy product it is a little bit more expensive, but for under $15 you can have this miracle pen in your arsenal too. However, the more inexpensive options are also good little foot soldiers.

Foundation Primer: The Miracle Product That Actually Works

The first time I ever tried foundation primer I was idly wandering through my local drugstore waiting to meet someone. I saw a clear bottle and, wondering how a clear product could be a cosmetic, squirted a bit onto the back of my hand. I rubbed it in as I read the product description. It promised to give me lasting smoothness to create a perfect canvas for my foundation. The back of my hand certainly felt smooth, but I wasn't sure how long it would last. Two hours later when my chronically dry hand was still super smooth, I bought my first bottle of foundation primer.

Why do you need a foundation primer to make your skin smooth if you're already using a cream to hydrate your skin? Well, because you're skin still has a texture (pores, fine lines, scars, etc), and no amount of washing, scrubbing and moisturizing is going to get ride of that. There is nothing wrong with your skin having a texture, but it does mean that when you put on make up, it will settle into all the tiny lines and crevices, which can make your foundation look uneven. By using a foundation primer fills in all the lines and crevices making a smooth canvas for your foundation. I introduced a friend of mine to foundation primer recently and she described the effect like this: without the primer you can see that I am wearing foundation, with the primer it looks like I have nothing on.

The first one I happened upon and the brand that is still my favourite is Smashbox Photo Finish. other companies make similar products, including Lancome's La Base Pro, and Revlon's Beyond Natural Smoothing Primer. However, for my money, I'd choose the Smashbox one, any day. The consistency of the others is more watery and less effective at smoothing out the skin. Although Smashbox is not the cheapest option, the price difference is not great enough, in my opinion, to justify buying the inferior products. If you're going to go for a foundation primer, save up the extra few dollars and splurge on the Smashbox, you'll be glad you did.

Smashbox Photo Finish comes in a variety of options. There's the original, a light version, and a variety of colour correction options. There is a very helpful video which can help you determine which option is best for you. Personally I started with the original and I loved it, several of my friends with more acne prone skin have opted for the light version and found they prefer it.

Recently I purchased the green colour correction primer, not because I had a sudden urge to look like the wicked witch of the west, but to help compensate for the red in my skin tone, especially in my cheeks. With this green primer I get the same great smoothness and a reduction in my red colouring. The only disadvantage I have found with this is the packaging. The packaging of the original has been fixed, but as far as I know all the other varieties still suffer from the same issue. The primer comes in a glass container with a pump top, however, because of the consistency of the foundation, much of it becomes stuck on the sides of the container and is hard to get out. Other than packaging issues though, I have have no complaints, and I whole heartedly encourage everyone to try it.

Tea Tree Oil: The Smelly Archnemesis of Breakouts

I must start by saying that I am really, really unhappy with the smell of tea tree oil in general and consequently the smell of any and all tea tree oil products. I have been told by others that this is an issue peculiar to me and my olfactory sense, and that the smell of tea tree oil, although distinctive, is not nearly as offensive as I seem to think it is. That said, I must relate the story of how this smelly oil made it's way into my daily routine.

Several weeks ago the worlds largest zit took up residence on my forehead. I'm not exaggerating simply because it chose my head as it's resting spot. Children pointed at it and starred in curiosity before working up the courage to ask me what was wrong with my head. My father asked me what I hit my head on to get such a nasty bump. My mother prodded it to try to see if there was some sort of tumor growing in it. And I considered the possibility that I was growing a single horn out of my skull, like a slightly off centre unicorn.

Just as I was starting to make piece with my new appendage, I had coffee with a friend of mine. In the middle of the conversation I had to interrupt and ask her what foundation she was using, her skin, which is normally acne prone and generally suffering from at least one breakout at any given time, looked flawless. To my complete shock, she told me she wasn't wearing any, her skin had cleared up after using a new face wash and toner.

I had to know what these miracle products were so I could try them myself. So, she instructed me to purchase Tea Tree Oil face wash and toner from the Body Shop. Desperate to rid myself of the massive zit I went out and purchased the products immediately. There was a buy two get one free promotion, so I also purchased the Tea Tree Oil facial exfoliator.

Within days my ginormous lump was shrinking, and I haven't had any further breakouts or even solitary zits since I began using it, neither has my more acne prone friend. The wash and toner are a bit drying, but not terribly, and use of a good moisturizer fixes that right up. I highly recommend the face wash and toner both to anyone who suffers even from occasional breakouts. The facial scrub, however, I would pass on. It's not that it's not effective, I'm sure the tea tree oil is just as good, however, it's not a very good scrub. It's too abrasive to be a daily scrub, and it's too gentle to be a weekly deep scrub. The scrub falls somewhere in the middle right smack in the centre of uselessness. You'd be better served sticking to the normal face wash and then using an additional more abrasive scrub once or twice a week to exfoliate and remove dead skin.