My skin has always been red, especially my cheeks. The redness comes in various blotches when dryness hits. Winter months are a killer in the Northeast since everything from your pinky finger to your lips become suddenly chapped. To combat this dryness, I decided to try a new foundation routine that would eliminate redness while adding medium coverage.
On a frigid day in NYC, I went to a Sephora in Union Square. Here I met a lovely sales associate (can I just say – her skin was BEAUTIFUL). She tested my skin using the Skincare IQ system. This device takes pictures and measurements from your skin in three places – neck, cheek, and forehead. The recommendations were on point ranging from Benefit’s Hello Flawless to Laura Mercier’s Tinted Moisturizer. I tried on these foundations but did not enjoy the coloring and coverage. Here were my final picks after looking at countless medium coverage routines:
- Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation – I am Beige 3 in this product – it matches my skin perfectly! I am worried about wearing medium coverage foundations due to the threat of a “cake face.” This foundation actually looks like skin while covering all blemishes!
- smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer – One thing I learned from the Sephora sales associate – primer is a necessity. I went for the Color Correcting Adjust Primer from smashbox because the green pigment reduces all redness while smoothing the skin. I really like the feel of this product … it acts like a skin drink by immediately reducing redness and hydrating skin before the foundation. This primer is also great on its own.
- Sephora Daily Brush Cleaner – How often do you clean makeup brushes? If you are like me, probably once a month (bad habit)! A brush should be cleaned after every use and then deep cleaned every two weeks. Since purchasing this brush cleaner, I have been cleaning my brushes daily with a paper towel. Unlike a dirty brush, a clean one allows for a smooth application without any loose pigments floating around.
- Sephora Brush #55 – Before this purchase, I normally applied all foundation with a sponge. I decided to go for a brush that created a true airbrush finish. Brush #55 from the Sephora collection is perfect. The size is just right because it can reach areas of all sizes on the face while creating a flawless look through the buffing motion – take the brush and apply the foundation to your hand to warm it up, then buff gently on the face in circular motions.
P.S. – here is a sneak peak at my skin using this routine! I was not using this picture for the blog… but thought my skin looked great! What is your foundation routine? Share below!
andrea elizabeth 