If you’ve read Part 1 of this Blog, you have now answered the four important questions to narrow down your choice of the hundreds of different foundations that are available in department stores, drug stores, specialty beauty stores and on-line sites. So you’re now ready to move on to the equally important question: How do I go about finding this perfect foundation?
With the number of options available to you, it may feel like you’re searching for the proverbial needle in a haystack. But fear not. Now that you know what kind of foundation and finish you want, here are some suggestions about how to go about locating that gold standard product that’s just right for you:
Do you have a friend whose skin type is similar to yours and whose skin looks flawless? She’ll love to tell you what foundation she uses and, most likely, what she’s tried that hasn’t worked for her (which, by the way, doesn’t mean it won’t work for you, but you may want to move this choice down to your “B” list of options).
Go to a makeup counter at a department store and talk to an Associate who is roughly your age. This Associate will most likely have experienced your concerns and issues and can guide you to the foundation that will be right for you.
Ask the Associate to do a “color match” for you and be sure to check out the options in a magnifying mirror. Foundations have a warm, cool or neutral base and it’s crucial to find the base that doesn’t make your skin look too pink or too ashy. The right color should make your skin look radiant rather than dull or lifeless.
Ask for samples of several different foundations or different colors so you can try them out at your leisure at home. This way you’ll be able to check them out in daylight with a magnifying mirror to make sure the color match is spot on and the texture is right for you.
Go to You Tube and enter “best foundations for older women” in the search bar. There are also some YouTube videos about this topic that you may find helpful.
Google “Rank and Style.” This site has a multitude of “top 10 lists” for just about every makeup and beauty product known to woman. You may want to search for “top 10 drugstore foundations” or “top 10 department store foundations.” Rank and Style’s “Top 10” lists are compiled from data from magazines, blogs, department stores and social media to rank the 10 best based on popularity, quality and buzz. Be aware, though, that popularity and buzz is often generated through advertising, so take the rankings with a grain of salt. However, these lists will give you a “starting point” for checking out various products. And it’s been my experience that many of the products included on these lists deserve to be there.
Check out reviews of products on the brand’s website and on sites like Sephora and Ulta. Since the age of the reviewer is often available, you may want to look at what women close to your age say about the product.
The right foundation for you will not cake into lines or leave you with a mask-like complexion. What it will do is seamlessly blend into your skin, even out your skin tone and disguise fine lines. Since foundation can do the most to help us look out best, the search for just the right foundation may well be worth the investment of time it takes to find that personal gold standard of a flawless foundation.