Finding Your Perfect Foundation for a Flawless Face

So today I thought I would do a different kind of post since Reviews.com reached out to me in regards to how I go about finding the perfect foundation for my beauty routine. Back in the day when I worked in high-end fashion boutiques I wore makeup every single day. As I started getting older, I realized my skin was not loving makeup and I went through the experimental phase of spending money on all the designer brands to see if one of their foundations would work for my skin. Flash forward to today, and I only wear full face makeup for special events or nice dinners out. Especially now that I'm pregnant, my skin hates any kind of makeup! I do have my favorite go-to's however, which I've posted at the end! Here is how (now close to age thirty) I finally figured out how to shop for my makeup.

Finding a perfect foundation is a huge undertaking. There are so many pieces of the puzzle to think about and consider: the formula, the coverage, the shade. When it's all said and done you want a formula that evens out your skin tone and looks great all day.

When picking out a foundation there are a few factors to consider. Checking out ingredients is always smart because some formulas might contain ingredients that increase the risk of skin irritation, clog pores, or increase the risk of sun damage. You also want to make sure there is a shade that actually works with your skin tone. Some lines have limited options so you want to make sure there is a match for you. Then you need to consider the finer points like finish and amount of coverage you are looking for. While all of this can seem like a lot it really is worth it when at the end of the process you have a seamless match that truly gives you a flawless face. 

Rather than having to do this entire process yourself there is an alternative. Reviews.com recently went through this entire process and created a guide to help beauty mavens as they try to find their perfect match. Take a look here: http://www.reviews.com/foundation/ to see their full guide to finding foundation. 

Here are the two foundations I go between (and sometimes mix together for the perfect shade) 

Beauty Faves & New Loves

1. Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit 2. Cover FX Matte primer 3. Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb 4. Butter London 2016 collection  5. Estee Lauder Double Wear 6. LipSense 7. NYX MicroBrow  8. Sephora Cream Pot eye shadow 9. Nars Orgasm Blush 10. Beauty Blenders 11. MAC False Lashes Mascara 12. Laura Geller baked gelato highlighter 13. T3 Trio (Nordstrom) 14. Amazon 15. Sephora Contour Matte Cream Eyeliner

Since upp-ing my beauty game with quality over quantity, I feel that over the years I have tested a lot of makeup products, and while I am always discovering new, great stuff, here are my current favorites I use daily (well, lets be real here, I don't wear makeup to sit and face a wall at work). Oh and you know that meme online about going into Sephora and coming out lost all your money? It's accurate in case you're wondering. 

My newest find that I love? This Laura Geller highlighter. My hand looked like a damn unicorn the day I was testing all the highlighters, and this compressed powder was the best I found by far: not too glittery and a soft, realistic glow. Besides that, I picked up a couple of Sephora's matte eyeliner cream pencils because they are so pigmented, glide on smooth and come in so many beautiful colors. My favorite? Metallic Gold that I will line on top of my normal black liner for a festive/edgy/fun look to my brown eyes!

What are your favorites?

xo

My Boss Beauty Picks

 

So I'm trying something a little different today and sharing my current loves in my makeup bag. I usually don't wear makeup during the week since I work and go straight to the gym after, but I do on the weekends. I'm definitely not Kylie-mode with the 15 step process but if something goes on my face, I want it to be healthy. I'm a weirdo when it comes to my face as I feel paranoid that everything will clog my pores so when I look to purchase makeup and skincare products, I make sure they are as anti-acne friendly as possible. Keep reading on for my review on my favorite picks!

Bare Minerals matte liquid lipstick: The creamiest matte lip color with amazing color, consistency and coverage.  Perfect for that sexy, nude pout.

NYX Micro Brown Pencil : By far my favorite brow tool. I don't like the "brows on fleek" look where they look painted on and waxy so this super-thin pencil lets you create thin brush strokes and then brush them into your natural brow. 

NARS 'Orgasm' Blush : Looks good on every skin tone/color. Period. 

NYX 'Wonder Stick' : Contouring made easy with a creamy stick for easy application. Super easy to blend and looks natural. 

MAC 'False Lashes' Mascara : I've tried a ton of mascara's and this in my favorite. It doesn't get clumpy, and really gives me long and voluminous lashes. This is a must!

NYX natural shadow palette : My $5 version of 'kyshadow's' for a natural smoky eye. I never spend a lot of money on eye shadow as it's all basically made the same and if you want a darker, more dramatic pigmentation, add some water to the tip of your brush!

Cover FX blemish control + matte primer : I never cared for SmashBox primer and then I tried this one and love it. If it is a product that goes directly on my skin before makeup, I will pay more for it especially if it helps keep my pores clear. This is salicylic acid acne control and mattefying so it is the best of both worlds. My makeup looks smooth as velvet over top of this primer. Plus, it doesn't feel super greasy or emulsified like the SmashBox one. 

Besides the above basic picks, I also use a beauty blender and various brushes. I start my make-up process with clean skin, Clinique moisture thirst cream, under-eye primer, my Cover FX primer, then I go to town. 

What are your favorite tried and true products for beauty? I would love suggestions for some great lip color combos, as I have so many lipsticks but always want more!

xo