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There are hundreds of foundation brands in the market. But not all are suitable for your skin type and work for you. Some provide full coverage, others are for dry skin, oily skin, or acne-prone skin. To buy the right foundation, you need to understand the type of foundation your skin needs.
At The Ordinary, each foundation format is available in 21 shades that makes buying the right foundation much easier. Once you find the right foundation for your skin, it doesn’t matter if your skin is dry, oily, or acne-prone, it will be tough and will blend in perfectly to give you a smooth finish.
Guide To Select Your Perfect Foundation
To choose the perfect The Ordinary foundation for your skin, you need to follow this easy guide to select the right bottle that will help you pull off beautiful make-up looks for months.
1. Identify Your Skin Type
The beauty lingo is confusing so avoid going by what’s written on the foundation bottle. The Ordinary foundation is one of the best foundations on the market but there are different formats. Unless you correctly identify your skin type, you may end up choosing the wrong one because you didn’t understand what was written on the bottles.
Identify your skin type and do some research before buying The Ordinary foundation. If your face often feels dry, you should pick a foundation for dry skin that is a liquid foundation or stick foundation because it will be creamy.
If the skin is oily, choose a powder foundation that absorbs the excessive oil and gives your skin a matte finish.
Choosing The Ordinary foundation for combination skin, however, can be difficult. Depending on whatever foundation format you choose, you need the perfect method to apply the foundation to make it work.
You can either buy a creamy foundation and on a day when your skin feels oily, bake your face. Similarly, if you buy a powder foundation and your skin is dry, blend it using some extra primer and use it with liquid concealers and highlighters. You can also practice good skin moisturization to keep your skin hydrated.
2. Select Foundation With Multiple Benefits
Foundations can do much more than providing coverage these days. The Ordinary foundation can be moisturizing, contain vitamin E, zit-fighting salicylic acid, and have SPF 15 sunscreen. For acne-prone skin, choose the one that has salicylic acid. Have dry skin, choose the one that has a moisturizing effect on the skin. Foundations also have serum infusions that help your skin stay healthy and glowing if you follow a good cleansing routine.
3. Decide Coverage
You might have heard beauty bloggers say they need a lot of coverage. But not everyone needs a lot of coverage especially if you have clear and healthy skin. Some women love their freckles and don’t like to hide them.
If you have freckles too and you don’t want to hide them, you need a tinted moisturizer for cheeks and coverage on the rest of your face. Or you can opt for a lighter coverage that doesn’t hide freckles. Only choose full coverage if you have acne, scars, or skin discoloration.
4. Check Return Policy
If you are not sure about a make-up product is right for you, it is recommended to check the return policy of the seller. Many sellers allow you to return used makeup if you are not happy with the product. So, make sure, if there are chances that you might want to return your foundation, buy it at a store that allows returns of opened makeup products.
5. Identify Your Skin’s Undertone
The undertone of your skin can make a difference in how a foundation appears on your skin. To identify your undertone, look at the veins on your wrist and notice their color. If the undertone is olive, it means you have a warm undertone. Blue and purplish undertones suggest a cool undertone. But if the undertone is blue-green, it means you have a neutral undertone.
Yellow and peach shades of The Ordinary foundation, compliment warm undertones. Cool tones look good with lightly pink foundation shades while yellowish shades are great for neutral undertones. Ask the representative at the store for The Ordinary foundation swatches. Applying different foundations to your skin will help you find the perfect match.
6. Test Foundation
When buying The Ordinary foundation, don’t just apply samples on your wrist. Your skin tone differs across your body. Your wrist might be darkened if you ride a bike or don’t wear sunscreen on your hands. Instead, apply the foundation to the side of your cheek and the jawline to check if it blends into your skin. Applying to the jawline will help you know if it also blends into the skin of your neck.
Test multiple colors side by side by applying The Ordinary foundation swatches to choose which is the best shade. Choose the one that is the most difficult to tell apart because it matches the skin tone.
You can ask for a makeup wipe to remove the makeup later so don’t be shy when applying The Ordinary foundation swatches. If you like a tanned appearance, you can also choose one shade darker than your skin tone.
7. Buy 2 Shades
If you don’t want to stick with just one The Ordinary foundation shade, you can buy two and create your unique shades. On days when you want to appear slightly tan at a birthday party, you can mix a little of your dark foundation with the lighter one and create a unique look. And on a regular day to work, wear your regular skin tone shade and use a dark foundation for contour.
Finding a good foundation is a trial-and-error process where you learn to apply the right foundation shade correctly to your skin. Your skin may change with time which means time to change your foundation. If you have been using a full-coverage foundation to cover your acne, and now your acne is gone, you don’t need a coverage foundation.
To help you further choose the right foundation, read the ordinary foundation review.
The Ordinary Foundation Review
Let’s go over some of the ordinary foundation reviews.
To help you choose the right foundation and understand how each foundation format works with a skin type, here is The Ordinary coverage foundation and The Ordinary serum foundation review.
The Ordinary Serum Foundation Review
The Ordinary Serum Foundation offers a very lightweight coverage that also has a semi-matte finish. It helps you create a very natural and even look that lasts long. The Ordinary Serum Foundation is perfect for sensitive skin types since it is lightweight, offers light coverage, and has serums that rejuvenate your skin. To reduce dark circles and cover uneven skin tone, The Ordinary Serum Foundation is good for daily use.
It has active ingredients that protect your skin from sun damage and contain no pigments. The serum foundation is available in 21 shades to perfectly match your skin tone and undertone. It is easy to blend. You can even use your fingers to blend easily or use a flat brush. Patting it with your fingers and evening it when applying for works like magic. It is designed for everyday wear and is the reason it is kept so light because it feels as if you are only wearing a moisturizer but conceals and brightens discoloration and spots. It has a water-like texture that only glides along your skin hydrating it. Putting on The Ordinary Serum foundation is like adding one last step to a skincare routine.
Unlike some other foundation brands, the serum version of The Ordinary foundation is designed to stay non-greasy and breathable. It leaves a glowing finish and doesn’t get lost under the skin.
In a nutshell, this ‘The Ordinary Serum Foundation review’ has been amazing. The serum foundation can be worn every day for light coverage, skincare benefits, and makes you look toned.
The Ordinary Coverage Foundation Review
Among all the other types of The Ordinary foundation, The Ordinary Coverage Foundation is the best-selling foundation. The Ordinary Coverage Foundation gives full coverage and helps you conceal the uneven areas leaving a smooth finish. Unlike some other beauty brands, the finish of this coverage foundation is not cakey. The foundation is creamy enough to apply and blend. It has a semi-matte finish that works wonders.
If your perception of a coverage foundation is a heavy, cakey base that looks like paint. Think again. The Ordinary foundation is used by makeup artists who create a flawless finish with the right technique. After all, a little extra coverage and dramatic makeup look fabulous on a special occasion.
Even after reading The Ordinary Coverage Foundation and The Ordinary Serum Foundation Review, you feel they might not work for your skin, are you sure that you are applying your foundation correctly?
The Right Foundation Application Method
To apply The Ordinary foundation correctly to your face, follow this easy method to apply and blend your foundation correctly in under 5 minutes.
1. Prep Your Skin
To have the perfect smooth finish, start with a good base. To prep, your skin, apply a moisturizer and gently rub it all over your face. Moisturizer is a must because it has the right plumping emollients that smoothen your skin. Be generous in applying more moisturizer on the rough patches.
If you have oily skin, use an oil-free lotion or water-based get especially on the T-zone. A good massage can also get the blood pumping and give you a healthy glow. Let your moisturizer sink into your face.
An additional tip is to scrub your face with a gentle exfoliating scrub before moisturizing to sweep the layer of dead skin cells. Or apply a clay mask and rinse for drying the face and help the makeup stay non-oily for longer.
2. Prime Your Face
When the moisturizer is done, it’s time to apply a foundation primer that is right for your skin type. Reach for a hydrating and skin-soothing primer that has pore-protecting ingredients to avoid clogging the pores with makeup. The primer helps you create a smooth canvas and safeguards your skin from aggressors like dirt.
It is recommended by makeup artists to apply primer with your fingers. Start from the center of the face and blend the primer outwards. After the primer is applied all over the face, wait a minute or two for it to seep in.
3. Flawless Coverage
To get a natural finish from your full coverage foundation, it is essential to find the correct shade. Using the above foundation selection guide, select the right Ordinary foundation for your face. Stand in natural light if possible or light up the room when applying foundation. Swatch The Ordinary foundation across your cheek, jawline, and neck. You can also put a pea-sized amount on the back of your hand to help you quickly apply.
Use a brush or a sponge to blend the foundation. A sponge may suck up a lot of your product leaving less foundation on your skin and hence provide less coverage. A brush, on the other hand, helps you apply more foundation to the skin as it soaks up less product. When all the areas especially the creases of your face, inner corner of your eyes, neck, and ears are covered with makeup, use a sponge to gently blend out the strokes created by the brush. Blot the areas that have more foundation.
4. Conceal Like A Pro
You may not need to conceal if you are using a full-coverage version of The Ordinary foundation. But if you are using a light-coverage foundation, grab your concealer and pinpoint the places that need extra coverage. A blemish or tattoo on your neck may need extra coverage.
Blend in the concealer gently with the makeup sponge’s tip. To keep the look natural avoid applying too much concealer that stays on top. Apply an amount that you can easily blend in without making it appear cakey. Once you are done with the foundation, move on to the next steps and apply makeup as you like.