Flat and dirty-looking: this has, at times, been the unfortunate result of attempting to find a decent foundation. On my face for all to see, and as a woman who thinks she lacks planes and edges on her visage, this is particularly Not Ideal. I have struggled for a long time to find a base that really suits me; from the minute my skin became dry in my early twenties, foundations have felt harsh, heavy, and drying, and I have always eschewed a matte look anyway, for the aforementioned flat/grubby effect. Having a naturally round face and- I think- quite an uneven complexion, I have long enjoyed a lighter coverage foundation (RIP Prescriptives) and a sparkly, non-matte finishing powder, like the also-discontinued Clinique Gentle Light Powder.
I am now the happiest I have ever been with my make-up as I have discovered the joy of bareMinerals. The best thing about BM is the buildable coverage, achieved with the type of brush you use- I like the Full Flawless Face brush but there is a lighter version (you’ll end up with a few of these if you buy the BM starter sets), and a kabuki brush for fuller coverage. You really do need a tiny amount and less is more so swirl, tap, and buff away.
The range of colours for BM is very good, except of course there’s a but and that but is (predictably) when it comes to darker skins. QVC has been a fantastic way to buy BM, selling awesome kits that save you mucho dinero, however go straight to bareMinerals if you have a darker skin, as the available range is far, far wider. Feelunique do a lot of the shades too, and P&P is free.
I start with primer, as I have for many, many years. It just makes everything go on easier. After that, I’m the average and predictable Medium Beige: It’s got a nice neutral tone that hides the pinker tone in my skin, and Summer Bisque concealer complements the foundation. Applied under the eyes in a ‘v’ shape, to the nose, chin, and cheeks, I feel more even straight away.
The next step is my secret weapon: All-Over Face Colour in Warmth. Boom. It’s recommended that this is applied as a bronzer would be but it’s so light and flattering, I bung it on all over. A tiny amount goes a long way and just makes your complexion a shade, well, warmer. Bronzer in the 3 formation (a sweep on the forehead, cheekbones, and chin) and a touch on the nose adds a nice glow and stops the Warmth making you look too flat. Now, the important question: what powder to finish with. This is so important I’m splitting my infinitives! The Mineral Veils by BM are awesome, and while I didn’t see the point for the longest time, they do finish your face off, and hide imperfections, and as by this point I have five products on my face, a nice powder to finish it off is in no way a bad idea and we might as well. Depending on my mood, I use the Ready Mineral Veil in a compact, or the awesome illuminating veil which is harder to get but so worth it, for that lighter, more ethereal look. Ethereal on a woman of almost six foot is probably a bit of an ask but let’s go with it.
I have done this face on my sister for her wedding, friends for a night out, and it is of no matter whether you have a more olive skin or are a paler darling, the old warmth trick makes you look healthy and glowing in an uber-subtle way, and finishing off with a Mineral Veil totally brings everything together. My gorgeous Aussie friend Zoe said that it barely looked as if I was wearing any make up, which is EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE GOING FOR and also allows for a polished but not over-done look in five minutes on which to then build cats’ eyes and huge lashes. Cos the eyes are the stars of the show, obvs.
One parting shot then, aimed at all those beeyootiful women who have mastered their foundation and feel flawless and awesome: do not forget your blusher.
This is well worth another post, but the amount of wimmin I see who have a gorgeous base but have forgotten to add the natural blush back in.. Well, it’s criminal. A sweep of a super-fine blush will add a dimension back into your face that you may have lost when perfecting your base. Worth thinking about, is all I’m saying.
