Today we'll be covering the four most common types of foundations: liquid, cream, powder, and stick. Another popular type right now is cushion, but cushion foundation is literally just liquid in a sponge compact. Everything we talk about in the liquid portion will apply to cushion foundation.
Liquid Foundation
Not all liquid foundations are made alike, and packaging can be very misleading when it comes to formulations. To clarify, when I talk about liquid foundations, I'm talking about watery or runny formulas. Anything too thick to run, although it may be labeled "liquid," will behave like a cream foundation. Always test a foundation (duh) before you buy it to see what kind of formula you're working with.
Liquid foundations work best for people with dry or combination dry skin. A standard liquid formula won't cling to dry patches, and they can give full coverage without looking cakey when applied correctly. If you have oily skin, most liquid foundations will look too shiny, and you'll find yourself constantly reaching for blotting powder throughout the day.
My favorite liquid foundation is Born This Way from Too Faced. This was the first foundation I ever purchased from a prestige brand, and it's absolutely wonderful. I've been using this for about two years, and it was my favorite foundation for a long time. It's a tad thick, but it still runs a little when it's pumped out of the bottle. It contains coconut water, so it's perfectly hydrating for the days my skin is on the drier side. It's medium coverage, but it can build to full coverage. This retails for $39, and you can find it at Ulta, Sephora, or on the Too Faced website.
Cream Foundation
Many "cream" formulas are marked as "liquid," but a thick, creamy foundation like Tarte's 12 hour Amazonian Clay will not behave at all like Makeup Forever's watery Ultra HD formula. Like I said before, not all liquids are the same, so you need to distinguish between a runny formula and a whipped, creamy one.
These thicker foundations work beautifully on almost all skin types. If you have normal to combination skin, these formulas are your skin's best friend. If you have dry skin, be sure to moisturize and prime your face, or they may cling to dry patches. If you have severe oily skin, this will suit your skin better than a liquid foundation, but be sure to carry a little bit of setting powder for problem areas.
I highly recommend Tarte's 12 hour Amazonian Clay foundation, because it's full coverage that can really last all day. It's the only foundation I've ever tried that can withstand hours of Alabama heat and humidity, and as a bonus, it has SPF 15! You still need to set it, though! That goes for any foundation, but especially when you live in a hot, humid place. Buy it online or at your local Ulta or Sephora for $39.
Powder Foundation
Many in the beauty community rave about the convenience of powder foundation, because it takes significantly less time to apply than any other type of foundation. Sadly, it can look disastrous on certain skin types. If you suffer from extreme dry skin, STAY AWAY. It WILL cling to every dry patch, flake of skin, texture, you name it. Take the extra 5-7 minutes and go with a liquid formula. If you have severe oily skin, this can clump up and look cakey around your problem areas.
The Confidence Creamy Powder Foundation from Tarte's Double Duty Beauty line is wonderful. It's medium to full coverage, and it's enriched with moisturizing and anti-aging ingredients. You can buy it here for $35, but it's only available for sample at Ulta.
Stick Foundation
Last but not least, we have the Holy Grail of oily and combination-oily skin types: stick foundations. I don't care how "creamy" a stick foundation claims to be, they are drier than bottled cream foundations. To someone with dry skin, these would be nearly impossible to blend smoothly because there's not enough moisture in the actual foundations. I do not recommend beauty oils, but you can use a skin mist to help move around these drier formulas. However, if your skin produces a lot of natural oils, these will be so easy for you to use, and they will look fantastic. Many of these are full coverage, too.
Although pricey at $46, the Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick from Hourglass is the best of its kind. It's the most full coverage foundation I've ever tried in my life, and you don't have to use a lot of product for a rich color payoff. It's very concentrated, so one stick goes a long way. Sephora carries Hourglass, but the JC Penny Sephoras do not. If you only have a JC Penny Sephora, Makeup Forever and Anastasia Beverly Hills also have popular stick foundations.
I'd like this to be the start of a series where I answer frequent questions about foundation. Let me know if you'd like me to tackle a certain topic!
Thanks for reading 💕
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