If you are going prioritize organic beauty choices, foundation should be high on the list. It sits on the skin, covers most of the face, and we use more of it than most make-up items. Start to scan ingredient lists and avoid foundations that contain mineral oil and petrolatum, because they tend to block pores, which may make you more prone to lumpy red spots or to little white pimples that break out under the skin’s surface. As a shortcut, without having to read the entire ingredient list, look for the expression “non-comedogenic” on the packaging: this means that the product does not block pores.
You probably need less foundation than you think you do. Scrutinize your face in a mirror, because that always makes everything look worse than it is. Dab foundation onto imperfections such as spots, broken veins, and dark circles, and blend well. For more coverage, use a concealer that matches your skintone perfectly. Forget sponges. They’re fussy, and you usually end up applying more than you need.
Foundation and concealer need setting with powder if they’re not to disappear into thin air. Apply with velvet puff pad or a brush – not the big, fluffy brush that you’re usually recommended to use, but a 2 cm brush that allows for precision placement of powder. Powder is normally needed only around the oily T-zone of the face: the forehead, nose, and chin, which can appear shiny.
To avoid breathing in the powder and getting a dusty effect, whack the base of the brush hard on a flat surface before you apply it to the face.
The reason women reapply powder frequently during the day is usually to avoid shine. Oily-skinned women who follow the skincare advice should find that they start to shine less, anyway. But instead of adding powder to mop up oil, try using the one-layer-of-tissue trick. It will blot shine without disturbing the rest of your make-up.
For a sun-kissed glow, you should use a big, fluffy brush, the bigger and fluffier the better, and dust the bronzing powder onto your forehead, the tip of your nose, your chin, and the top of your cheekbones – anywhere the sun strikes naturally. Once you have loaded the colour onto the brush, tap the handle sharply on a flat, hard surface to remove any excess, which will mean you don’t apply too much to the face and that there aren’t loose particles of bronzer in the air for you to breathe in.
Allow ten minutes after applying moisturizer before make-up. This will encourage the makeup to stay put for longer, avoiding the need for touch-ups during the day.