All About That Base
By Kelly Gilbert for THE EDIT
They called it the selfie backlash: a host of designers including Alexander Wang, J.W. Anderson and Marc Jacobs asked their backstage makeup gurus to create super-natural complexions for SS15. The result? Runways awash with beautifully perfected skin. But how can you achieve a fresh, flawless face without a makeup artist to hand? Fortunately, beauty brands were watching and have delivered a new wave of foundations to help us create the illusion of barefaced beauty…
DOUBLE DUTY
Best for: Dry skin, fine lines
When two once disparate liquids become one – in this case, a high-powered serum and a concealing foundation – the upshot is radiant skin. By Terry Terrybly Densiliss Foundation contains a clinically proven wrinkle-minimizing serum, capable of delivering an impressive 80 percent reduction in the signs of aging and fatigue if you stick with it for a month. With a velvety-matte finish, it is ideal for post-30 complexions, thanks to its mineral correctors that also fill fine lines. Another strong contender? Dior’s new Diorskin Nude Air Serum. It combines skincare actives with foundation pigments, resulting in a gel formula that boosts skin quality and invigorates the complexion as it conceals.
Apply like a pro: “I always use a foundation brush instead of a sponge,” says By Terry founder Terry de Gunzburg. “It makes the color and coverage long-lasting, uses less product, and can reach the smallest areas and creases that fingers or a sponge can’t.”
COMPLETE COVER
Best for: Oily, sensitive skin
Unlike previous high-coverage foundations, the new formulas no longer mean chalky, caked-on results. “What can be achieved today, in terms of micronized powders and super-fine liquid formulation, is incredible,” says Terry Barber, MAC’s Director of Makeup Artistry. For a hyper-natural, shine-free finish, opt for an oil-free formula. With light-reflective pigments and a silky matte texture, Chantecaille Future Skin Oil Free Gel Foundation buffs into skin until undetectable and offers medium-to-full cover. Or try Cover FX Natural Finish Oil Free Foundation, which melds to skin with impressive coverage.
Apply like a pro: “Modern foundation should always be a fine veil, never a visible mask,” says Barber. “Blend foundation with a duo-fiber brush like the MAC 159 – it picks up just the right amount of pigment. Tapping over with your fingertips afterwards is a great way of warming the base into skin.”
POWER POWDERS
Best for: Combination skin
Choose a finely milled light-coverage powder that incorporates optical enhancers, and dust on sparingly. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Mood Light creates a lit-from-within glow and layers well over liquid foundation, concealing imperfections and minimizing the appearance of pores and fine lines. Oily T-zones and redness can also be tackled with Charlotte Tilbury’s Air Brush Flawless Finish Micro-Powder.
“Using the Powder & Sculpt Brush, apply Air-Brush Flawless Finish around the nose and other oily areas that need to be mattified,” advises Tilbury. “Start from the T-Zone and work outwards and upwards with the brush.” Alternatively, Rose-Marie Swift, founder of RMS Beauty, has created Un Powder, a translucent silica powder that eradicates shine.
Apply like a pro: “Always leave cheeks powder-free for a natural look,” says Tilbury.
EASY APPLICATION
Best for: Blemish-prone skin
Innovative application techniques are a prerequisite when it comes to creating a natural finish. Clinique’s new Beyond Perfecting Foundation and Concealer comes with a doe-foot wand applicator that deposits foundation in sweeps or dots over the face. Work fast though, as this formula sets and lasts all day. For on-the-go touch-ups, Lancôme’s Miracle Cushion Foundation uses “cushion technology” from Korea, one of the most exciting countries for beauty innovation. This fluid foundation is stored in a spongy cushion inside a compact, “so you can easily touch-up with the fuss-free applicator,” says Lancôme Ambassador Alex Babsky. “The formula is weightless enough to be reapplied without leaving buildup.”
Apply like a pro: “For more coverage, press fingers directly onto the foundation cushion and apply,” says Babsky. “It will create a medium finish without looking obvious on your skin.”
