The fantastic and frustrating world of foundation-Richmond VA Airbrush Artist Aaron Ellerbrock

Foundation can be your best friend and your worst nightmare. Who hasn't had the experience of spending an afternoon trying on brands, types, and shades, making a purchase, and then getting home and hating it? But, when you do find that perfect match it is like finding your best friend! We recently asked you to share with us some concerns you have with your foundation, and we have some suggestions. So, here goes...

"Do I need to wear a foundation?"
Bottom line answer is no. But, that is like asking, "Do I need to go to the gym?" It is a question that only you can answer for yourself. Foundation is there to help you look and feel more confident, not make you feel like you are tied down to it. Often people reserve their foundations for special events so they look a little more polished. People also will use foundation, but maybe not over the entire face; just in the areas where the skin is uneven. That is why, if you do wear it you want it to match perfectly. Don't pick one to give you a little more color (that is what a bronzer is for). So even though this sounds like an easy question, I think it is more complicated.

"How do I pick the perfect color to match my skin tone?"
This is where the trial and error process comes in. If you go to a department store and can try different foundation shades make sure you are testing it on your jaw line. Grab three shades that you think are close to your tone and do a swipe of each on your jaw. You don't want to test on your hand or wrist as you won't be wearing it there. Secondly give it a few minutes to dry down. Depending on the stability of the pigments the foundation may dry to a different tone. Don't rush this! Then, take a mirror and check yourself out in the natural light. Stores often have lighting that either casts a pink or yellow hue and that can change how the color looks in natural light. If you are just picking one up from the drugstore, this is where it gets tricky as you can't try one on usually. When you are doing this, remember that most of us have both pink and yellow in our skin. Don't get fooled by things like freckles or a little redness in the cheeks! Also, check with the store on their return policy to see if you can exchange it if the color is not right.

"I don't want to look like I am wearing foundation. What should I use?"
This is where your tinted moisturizer or BB cream comes in. You can read all about BB creams in recent blog posts. These products are wonderful because they offer a light coverage, really just something to even out the skin, but don't have a lot of texture. Texture is why we get that "made up" look. The less texture on the skin the better. Now, if you need coverage because of special concerns you may need a fuller coverage foundation for that area (and yes, having two foundations is VERY common). Also, if you are a powder foundation kind of girl, look for powders that do not have a lot of binding agents or talc in them. My favorite powder foundation is Cover FX and it has no talc in it!!

"Do you prefer a BB cream or a traditional cream foundation?"
Again, this depends on how much coverage you need. BB creams are often used as a quick fix for running around in the day time, but not so much for when you want a flawless complexion. I love them both and this is a perfect example of having two types of foundations. Use your BB cream for a day at the office, for running errands, for weekends and then use your traditional cream foundation or fuller coverage foundation for the party, the date night, or the board meeting.

"Do I need to use my regular moisturizer with SPF if I am using a BB cream?"
Not all BB creams are created equal. Many of their benefits tend to skew in one direction (ie: moisture, coverage, spf protection, etc). Also, not all BB creams have an spf, although most do. You need to make sure you are reading up about your BB cream to see what benefits you will get. In general I like to recommend that during the winter months it is probably best to continue to use your daily moisturizer under you BB cream and then in the summer you may be able to use your BB cream alone for daytime and then use a good night time moisturizer.

"What type of foundation is best for a dry skin?"
Usually drier skins like a cream based foundation, for the simple fact that they are more emollient. They have the ability to blend more easily across the skin. Often powder foundations will show up more on a dry skin (taking us back to the idea of too much texture on the skin). Again, if you love a powder use it, but make sure you are picking the right one. As far as a cream foundation, I am going to once again go back to Cover FX. They have an amazing cream foundation that can be applied as lightly as a tinted moisturizer (using their synthetic powder brush) or as beautifully as a full coverage foundation (with the traditional foundation brush).

"What is a reasonably priced foundation for an oily skin?'
This of course depends on what type of foundation you like. Powders can be great (as long as you look for non-talc ones) and liquids are beautiful (maybe go for oil free), so you need to know your preference. Although Laura Mercier tinted moisturizers have been a staple for many people, they are $43 dollars. If you want to get a similar effect but not break the bank you should take a look at Aveda Inner Light ($23) or Boots No. 7 Soft and Sheer ($9-$12). You may not get as many skin care benefits, but hey, that is what skincare is for!

"Should I put foundation under my eyes?"
My basic rule of thumb is the right tool for the right job. Foundation can always be used in a pinch, and as technology has evolved it is not as "bad" as it used to be to do this. However concealers are created a little differently as the skin around the eye is much more delicate. Also, your foundation may not be the right color to hide those dark circles. For a quick fix, when you are in a hurry sure, but when you want to make sure you are looking your best, take an extra 2 minutes and use an under eye concealer.

I hope this has been useful to you! If there are other questions you have please feel free to leave a post and we will answer them for you. Happy makeup-ing!!

To BB or CC??-Richmond Makeup Artist Aaron Ellerbrock

 

 

Just when you thought you had it all figured out, enter yet another "wonder" product. The latest surge is coming from CC creams. What is a CC cream? Well to answer that we should first review a BB cream. Here is a quick description from one of our previous posts:

"BB stands for "Beauty Balm" or "Blemish Balm". It really became popular in East and Southeast Asia during the 80's but was originally formulated in the 1950's to be used after surgery or laser procedures. The reason for their popularity in Asia was the fact that the product was a great multi-tasker. There are tons of formulas on the market, many touting anti-inflamatory or soothing properties. The ones that you will find in US stores generally combine the following benefits: a skin prep (think primer), light weight coverage (think tinted moisturizer), hydration (think light weight skincare), and anti-ageing protection (think SPF and antioxidants). Now some of the formulas are heavier on one benefit and lighter on the other, so you need to do a little research to find out which is best for you."

CC stands for "Color Corrector" and in all honesty they are quite similar to BB creams and the above mentioned benefits. The main difference in a CC cream is that they contain ingredients that help to fight against hyperpigmentation. Whether the ingredients are light-diffussing that help to camouflage the discoloration or something more active to help lessen the darkness (such as vitamin A or niacinamide), this added benefit may be something that a more "mature" person, or a sun worshiper might be interested in.

These cream are available in a variety of colors as well as price ranges. As per usual, they are slow to launch in the US. Right now the easiest one to get your hands on is Olay Total Effects at CVS for $22.99. Lorac has one that is launching in the spring and Ulta sells one by Juice Beauty called Stem Cellular Repair CC Cream for $39.00.

In all honesty I have yet to try a CC cream as my clients have seemed to embrace the BB creams. But, since it is out there I guess a trip to the store will be beneficial. In the meantime, if any of you have tried a CC cream please post on our Facebook page what your thoughts are. We would love to hear from you! Be on the look out for our review of CC creams soon!

BB Creams; What is the hype about?-Richmond VA Makeup Artist Aaron

So BB creams have been getting a lot of press lately. With that press seems to come a lot of confusion from the consumer. So let's take a minute to find out what a BB cream is about and if it is worth all the hype.

First, BB stands for "Beauty Balm" or "Blemish Balm". It really became popular in East and Southeast Asia during the 80's but was originally formulated in the 1950's to be used after surgery or laser procedures. The reason for their popularity in Asia was the fact that the product was a great multi-tasker. There are tons of formulas on the market, many touting anti-inflamatory or soothing properties. The ones that you will find in US stores generally combine the following benefits: a skin prep (think primer), light weight coverage (think tinted moisturizer), hydration (think light weight skincare), and anti-ageing protection (think SPF and antioxidants). Now some of the formulas are heavier on one benefit and lighter on the other, so you need to do a little research to find out which is best for you.

Even though BB creams have not been available in the US for many years, they have flooded the market and have people flocking to stores like drag queens to a foam padding sale! Clinique, Smashbox, Stila, Dr. Jart, Garnier, Maybelline, Too Faced, Estee Lauder, and Boscia are just a few of the ones out there now. The price range on these is anywhere from $12 to $40.

Now Dr. Oz raves about the Boscia one and it has a good amount of skin care properties to it. However, it is only one shade, but can read the skin to mimic your tone. I think if you have some olive tone you are OK but otherwise this one is better as a skincare product. Many makeup artists like ones from lines like Smashbox and Too Faced as they have more coverage to them and more shades to choose from. This is why you have to pay attention to ingredients and color options. Do you want one that offers a lot of hydration, or do you want one to give you nice coverage. The best way to find the one that works for you is to try one out. If you love it great! If not, pass it on to a friend or family member and try another one.

In my experience (but note, I have not tried all of them) I really like the products but do think they have some limitations. If you are on the dry side, or it is in the Winter months, I don't think they offer enough moisture and you probably would still need a moisturizer under the BB cream. But, right now (in these crazy warm Summer months) if you are normal or oily, you can probably get by using it without a separate moisturizer.

Secondly, be aware of ones that have an SPF of 50 or more. Most doctors and dermatologists agree that once you get that high of a number, the product is really no more effective (30-45 are great numbers to look for).

Thirdly, many of the BB creams will have ingredients to help make the tone and texture of the skin more even and smooth. This is often done with light reflecting agents. That may translate to "shimmer" or "sparkle". So, if you are putting a bronzer on top, you might want to try a matte bronzer instead of one with more shimmer. Remember "disco balls" are fun but can date you too!

If you are someone who requires a heavier coverage, this may not be the one and only product for you. However, it is a great way to "refresh" your SPF as most BB creams can go on over traditional foundation if you desire.

So in closing, my opinion is I like BB creams, but for the right person and the right time of year. I think they are worth the hype, as long as you are realistic about they payoff. When you need to lighten up a bit, this is a perfect product, but I don't think I would use it alone as we head into late Fall or Winter. I do think you should check one out, especially now as Summer is beating down on us. With this new phenomenon I would love to hear your thoughts. Leave me or Nancy a message on our Facebook pages (BRIDEface Richmond or BRIDEface) if you have tried one. Share your experience so others can benefit!!