Beautiful skin takes work and in most cases is enhanced by artfully applied foundation. Foundations protect the skin, even out skin tone, and give the skin a more radiant appearance. Many foundations contain pigments that brighten the skin and hide imperfections. Guarantee a flawless finish by following a few simple steps.

1. Select a Foundation That is Suitable for Your Skin Type.

There are cream, full-coverage, medium-coverage, creme-to-powder, and mineral powder foundations. Cream and full-coverage are suited to normal to dry skin and will help to moisturize the skin for up to 6 hours. Medium–coverage suits combination to oily skin and controls oil for at least 8 hours. Creme-to-powder foundation and mineral powder foundation are suitable for all skin types. The majority of foundations are now transfer resistant so they won't fade away midday.

2. Select a Foundation Shade That Enhances Your Skin Tone

Foundations come with several undertones; pink, yellow, olive, golden orange and warm brown. The best foundation shade, for you, will disappear on your face as you blend it into your skin. Many women can benefit from a yellow based foundation because it will minimize redness from broken capillaries, rosacea and will also minimize dark circles under the eyes. Pink based shades are generally best for fairer skin tones. Olive undertones are great for women with a Mediterranean or Middle Eastern background, golden orange shades seems to work best for Asian skins unless they are very fair and warm brown shades suit most women from African descent. Be sure to change your foundation shade as needed if your skin tone changes from season to season.

3. Prepare the Skin

Cleanse, exfoliate and moisturize well to guarantees a smooth surface for your foundation. Cleansing and exfoliating with a 3-in1 Cleanser gets rid of dry surface cells that can cause foundation to clump. Moisturizing ensures that the foundation will glide smoothly over the skin. Allow your moisturizer to dry before beginning your foundation application.

4. Foundation Application

Apply liquid or creme foundations by blending a small amount on the pads of your fingertips and then patting the foundation over your face. This ensures a lighter application of color than the older method of putting dots of foundation on the face and then spreading it out. If you need more coverage in certain areas let your foundation dry for a minute or two then apply more in those areas. Some women like to use a sponge for application and this can work well especially around the eyes. I would encourage you to use disposable sponges and throw them out after each application. A used sponge is a breeding ground for bacteria. Blend your foundation well along the jaw line so there is no discernible line where your foundation ends. Finish with a dusting of finely milled, pressed mineral powder in a matching shade to set your makeup.

Apply loose, mineral powder foundation with special application brush. The bristles should be soft, natural hair that let you pick up a precise amount of powder. The shape of the brush should have shorter bristles that are flat across the top. This allows you to easily customize the level of coverage you are able to achieve. Dip your brush into the powder, tap the brush to remove any excess and then the swirl the brush in the lid of the jar to distribute the powder through the bristles. To apply, start in the center of your face and work your way out to the hairline, jaw and across the forehead. For light natural coverage, a thin application should be enough however you can repeat the application if extra coverage is required.

5. Final Note

Remember, foundation needs a good complexion as a base. All the makeup in the world will not look good over bad skin because it will look like a cover-up and nothing more. At night be sure to cleanse and moisturize to maintain your skin so that you will always look your best.