Is she adorable or what?! I got Whitney ready for her family photos that were taken by her brother Ty French. Here are the details.

Complexion: Laura Mercier Contour Palette, Temptu Airbrush Kit, High Beam to illuminate, Tarte Cheek Stain in Fearless, Cle de Peau Concealer

Eyes:Urban Decay Anti-Aging Eyeshadow Primer, MAC Eyeshadows in Ricepaper and Bronze, Nars Eye Paint in Black Valley, Lancome Khol eyeliner in Blanc, Hypnose Mascara,  Lancome Brow Pencil  in Taupe.

Lips: Urban Decay lip liner in Streak, Lancome O So Coral gloss

Her cute lil family! <3 Photos by Ty French

Foundation is the foundation of your makeup, it is muy importante. Your skin needs to be the proper shade (this includes the skin on your neck also if needs be,) and it needs to have the proper dimension which I go over in more detail in my foundation post here.  In this post I’m going over products and what to look for in a great foundation and primer.

What to avoid looking like ↓ (remember this photo from my tips for teens?)

When shopping for foundation here are some tips:

1. Ask for samples. Most brands in major department stores will sample liquid foundation. 
2. Check your neck. If you look like you have a floating head consider using a lighter shade just along the jawline to make the color more uniform with your neck. You can also use a bronzer on your neck to even it out. Bobbi Brown makes great bronzers and for most things I prefer a matte bronzer.  A great universal bronzer for light to medium (even if you’re fairly tan this color will still work) skin tones is the shade Natural from Bobbi Brown. For very red based skin tones I like Dark (this can also double as a blush.)  And for a darker bronzer I like Elvis Duran. *I like to check the company website for any deals or promotions they might be having, otherwise I tend to order online from departments stores, Amazon prime, Ulta or Sephora.*  And for a bronzer that can double as a contour color I like theBalm in Bahama Mama.

Now for the products. You guys this was so hard  because sometimes there’s more than one product that I like. In my efforts to not over-complicate things I chose two foundations to recommend. For normal to dry skin I do really like YSL Touche Eclat . What you want from a foundation if you are dry is a one that will be hydrating with a dewy finish that will last on your skin. Sometimes, these kinds of foundations look incredibly flawless and natural at first but after several hours you may get a little bit shiny on the t-zone. No big deal, just at that point touch up with a little powder. For all skin types I love Laura Mercier’s invisible pressed powder.  *last time I ordered a bunch of stuff through the Laura Mercier website they sent that powder as a sample, and I’m hooked!*  It won’t add much coverage, it will just mattify.

For normal to oily skin the most universal foundation I’ve found is Lancome’s Teint Idole 24h. If you have more of a normal skin type and want a more sheer application apply a liberal amount of moisturizer to your skin just before applying the foundation. If you’re oily or want more coverage, you’ll want to wait for your moisturizer to absorb a little bit before applying.

If you have the kind of skin that nothing wants to stick to and even the ‘long wear’ formulas of foundations wear off (like the crazy durable Double Wear from Estee Lauder,) then the Becca Ever Matte Primer will be your best friend. This stuff is like, industrial strength so you can’t get lazy with it (if you miss a spot on your face you can tell because the foundation won’t grip as well to the area.) To ensure that you can get it blended properly before it sets I recommend applying the Becca Ever Matte Primer in sections, like this ↓ I know that picture looks kind of crazy but hopefully it helps:-)

I am currently testing out different kinds of foundation primer for dryer skin, I will keep you posted! So far I am liking Lancome’s Hydra Glow and it smells divine.

What’s your favorite foundation? I’d love to know!