Choosing the Right Foundation

• When it comes to selecting foundation, a cardinal rule is that it should match your skin tone both in shade and hue. Most foundations are made for neutral skin tones, but some are more appropriate for women with sallow skin or ruddy complexions. Drugstores offer cheaper brands, as well as a wider selection of foundation types, but department stores have sample foundations that you can test to find that perfect match.
  
  When you test a foundation, apply it along your jawline where your makeup line breaks. Even if you think it's a good color match, wear it for a while and view your face in different settings--in the store and outside in daylight. Note both color and texture. Is it oily, or does your skin seem more dry? Is the foundation too thick, or does it fail to give you enough coverage? A foundation that evens out your skin tone but does not make you appear too "made up" is much easier to work with.
  
  

Foundation Application

• Before putting on your foundation, prepare your canvas. If you wear moisturizer or concealer under your eyes, apply this first and wait until your skin has absorbed these cosmetics. You can apply foundation with clean, bare fingertips. But a better option is to use sponge wedge or foundation brush. First, apply small dots of foundation on your face, then blend them together with the sponge or brush. This method allows you to target specific areas that require more coverage, as well as thoroughly blend the foundation around the areas where makeup breaks may be noted, such as the jaw and hairline. Wait a few minutes until the foundation sinks into your skin, then set it with translucent powder.
  
  When it comes to makeup, less is more. If you have problem areas on your skin due to discoloration or scarring, focus on those areas rather than applying foundation all over the face. Avoid applying foundation in "layers" to hide your cosmetic flaws; heavy makeup only draws attention to what you're trying to cover up.
  
  

Foundation Made Easier

• The current makeup trend is to eschew thick, opaque foundation in lieu of a product that's lighter and natural-looking. Tinted face moisturizers, such as Laura Mercier's Tinted Moisturizer, are popular and also double as a sunscreen. Because these impart just a smidgen of color and texture, they're as easy to use as applying a daily moisturizer.
  
  Also popular are translucent gel foundations such as Vincent Longo's Water Canvas Creme-to-Powder and Chantecaille's Real Skin, which are applied with a flat, round sponge. Mineral powder foundations are the easiest to apply, although they do require a careful match to your skin tone.