Foundation review & matrix

Hi everyone, I haven't blogged for a while and its been about a month since the last post! I've been a little busy with myself and Dineish - started to get back into reading again (at the moment its The Palace of Illusions by Chitra B Divakaruni - I am a of fan of books by Indian authors), been busy setting up our house (we bought a buffet, which I am totally in love with and can't wait to add pieces to), sewing (found a Spotlight in Singapore to repair some damaged clothes) and in general enjoying the post-studying phase of my life!

End of rant/update.

Anyway, my friend made a good point the other day during our Skype sessions about make-up for women of color and the limited information that is out there about what suits and doesn't.
There are so many makeup gurus on YouTube, both professionals and amateurs, who give people advice about makeup trends and how-to's, but I rarely find a guru with skin color who actually suits my skin tone! Maybe its because many of them are much lighter than me. This is not to say that there aren't Indian/Asian girls doing a similar thing, but I find that there are a very few that I would go back to (Uma Preve is great though and I think she is my match).

I am not a pro to give anyone advice about what will suit you the best. To be honest, its hard to say without having a look at you in person. So I suggest you consider the following before going out hunting:

• Skin type - are you oily, dry or combination? If you're oily, look for "oil-free," "oil-control" or "mattifying" foundations. For dry skin, try and go for moisturizing foundations with "hydrating" or "moisture-rich" formulas. Foundations containing glycerin glide on easily. For combination skin, determine if you're more oily or dry and work from there. Cream-to-powder bases work great for combination skin. Mineral foundations work well on all skin types, especially sensitive skin. 
•  Coverage - do you want a light, medium or full coverage? If you have good skin, but want to even out a few ruddy areas, consider a light coverage or just use a concealer to cover up marks and some loose powder to set that. For women with really uneven skin tone or blemishes, consider a medium to full coverage foundation. Some women swear by mineral foundations, so you might want to try these out as well.
• Under tones Go for the yellow-based foundations, which look most natural on all skin tones. However, if you're very fair, try a pink, cooler shade.

Foundations I use regularly

I don't have a wide range of foundations, because I generally tend to stick with what works best with my skin (oily remember) and repurchase it.
MAC Studio Fix Fluid in NC4 ($47 SGD) - I use this for occasions where I know I'm going to doll up and want full coverage. The foundation gives me a natural matte finish and medium-buildable coverage with SPF 15. It's light on my skin and although its long-wearing, I have to set with powder. It helps minimize imperfections and has a smooth finish. It's oil-free; absorbs and disperses oil (reduces shine on my T-zone).

Clockwise: applied with MAC 187 stippling brush - packaging - almost blended into skin

bareMinerals Matte SPF15 Powder Foundation in Medium Tan ($35 SGD) - I use this on a daily basis with my Stila foundation as a setting powder. It gives buildable full coverage and guarantees to absorb excess oil without drying out my skin. I use it on its on after moisturizing for days when I want to give my skin a break and allow it to breathe. And even then, it looks like I have flawless skin (so glad that I use this more often, because the liquid foundations were clogging my pores).

Clockwise: applied with Coastal Scents Kabuki brush - packaging - completely blended into skin

Stila Perfect & Correct foundation in Tan - ($60 SGD) - I use this every day to work with my bM powder foundation and its great. It gives me a mediun coverage enough to cover any imperfections I have and because the formula comes with primer and moisturizer (explains the swirl), I find that it helps against the shine and nourishes my skin at the same time. It has a mousse-like texture and blends smoothly and lightly onto the skin - minimal effort.

Clockwise: applied with MAC 187 stippling brush - packaging - blended completely into skin

Along with these foundations, when I need the extra coverage (when I'm going all out) I use:

• Prime time primer by bareMinerals to reduce oilyness
• bareMinerals All Over Face Colour in warmth as a contour
• bareMineral Mineral veil as a loose powder at the end
• Skindinavia No More Shine finish spray to set my make up to avoid it moving throughout the day

Foundation matrix (who put this together is a genius!!)
For those of you wanting to try out any of the above products, I would definately recommend them to you. My favourite has to be the Stila, its so light and doesn't damage my skin.
If you know what colour you are in a certain brand, then follow the link http://www.temptalia.com/foundation-matrix and enter a few basic details to find out what other options are available to you. This matrix suggests other brands of similar colour to you and is great if you are an online shopper like me because you avoid buying a product that doesn't match. *Make up is very expensive in Singapore (so I always buy online).

Hope this helped some of you :) Please let me know if you guys use other products that are great I would love to try them out!

No amount of makeup can mask an ugly heart.

- Kevyn Aucoin