what foundation is right for me?

What Foundation is Right For Me?

There are thousands of makeup brands all selling different types of makeup, so what should you buy? There are so many different aspects to makeup, from skin types to skin colour, it all depends on you. Makeup brands make things they think people will want, but everyone is different. What brands have diverse shade ranges? What brands have foundations for all skin types? What brands have cheaper or more expensive prices? Let's discuss.

It's very important to find foundations, and makeup products in general, that work for your skin type. There are four major skin types; dry, oily, normal and combination. Many different brands will say that their foundation works for all skin types, but in reality it ends up only working for some, or only one. It’s so important to test out different makeup for yourself as this allows you to decide what works best for you and your skin. 

An immense problem within the makeup industry is the lack of shade ranges that brands often produce. This means that, unfortunately, it's uncommon to find a wide shade range in drugstore foundations. Only recently have brands begun to include the necessary darker shades into their collections, and unfortunately these often come from the higher end brands. Luckily a few brands have actually realized that they need to include all skin tones. Here are just a few of them;

• Maybelline Fit Me Matte and Poreless Foundation - 40 shades - $10.99 CAD on Amazon.
  • This foundation is described to work for normal to oily skin to normal skin. I have personally tried this foundation and as someone with dry skin, found it to be incredibly cakey and made my skin feel unmoisturized, even though I had applied moisturizer before the foundation. There is another version of this foundation called the ‘Fit Me Hydrate + Smooth Foundation’. This version of the foundation is described as ideal for normal to dry skin. If you have dryer skin, this foundation might be a better option for you. Always make sure to test the foundations out for yourself as each product works differently for everyone.
    • Some shades have reportedly only been available in certain stores based on the demographic in the area of the store. To avoid this I would recommend ordering online. Always make sure you know what shade would work best for you as shopping online can be risky. 
• Colourpop No Filter Foundation - 42 shades - $12.00 USD on the Colourpop website.
  • This foundation is described as oil free and therefore it may be better for people with oily skin. However, some reviews report it to be drying so I would recommend reading or watching reviews from people with similar skin types to you as everyone’s skin is different. 
• Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation - 40 shades - $42.00 on the Sephora website.
  • This foundation is described as “a soft matte, long-wear foundation with buildable, medium-to-full coverage” Which should be suitable for all skin types. Many popular Youtubers who have reviewed this foundation say that it is very drying. I recommend going to Sephora to test this yourself, just so you can see if it is too drying for you. Ask one of the employees if they have a tester you can wear on a small section of your face so you can see how it may look in a few hours. If you do find it a little drying, but it is the best shade match you have found, you can always try experimenting with moisturisers, primers and setting sprays to lessen the effects. 
• Too Faced Born This Way Foundation - 35 shades - $49.00 CAD on the Sephora website.
  • This foundation is described as an “oil-free, medium-to-full coverage, natural-looking, radiant foundation.” that apparently works for all skin types. Nine new shades were just released for this foundation in collaboration with youtuber Jackie Aina.

It's very important to find foundations, and makeup products in general, that work for your skin type. There are four major skin types; dry, oily, normal and combination. Many different brands will say that their foundation works for all skin types, but in reality it ends up only working for some, or only one. It’s so important to test out different makeup for yourself as this allows you to decide what works best for you and your skin. 

Of course, this isn't every single foundation with a large shade range on the market. These are just a few of the ones that I have seen getting lots of media coverage. Take some time to read or watch some reviews of different foundations, or maybe even head over to your local Ulta or Sephora and check out a few. I hope my article has helped you to discover a few inclusive brands, and maybe help you to find foundations that will work for you. 

- Riley