Foundational Makeup - Older skin/Anti-Humidity - T.A. Nieman

Hello beauty enthusiasts! And welcome to my first blog. For some time I have wanted to do this to provide some information on the trials I have gone through since moving to a high humidity area. My whole life I've lived on the west coast, in drier climates. Since moving to North Carolina, I realized quickly that my entire makeup routine needed to change. What worked in dry areas tended to leave my skin greasy here.

In this blog, I want to provide all of you the information on the products that have become my 'ride or die' pieces of my foundational routine. I will offer both high end and affordable options - which all painstakingly tested by me, and definitely moisture-proof.

First, let's discuss what I mean by foundational. In this blog, we will cover the following:

Skin primer
Foundation
Concealer
Powder
Facial Mists
Setting spray

There is more to makeup, I know, but if you can find a foundational routine that will help eliminate the need to scrape your makeup off at the end of the night, then the top items (blush, bronzer, eye shadow, etc.) will all benefit from it.

We will go in order of when you will use each of these items. Let's assume that you have already washed and moisturized your face (refer to blog regarding AM/PM face maintenance - coming soon).

PRIMER:
Once you have moisturized the next step in the process is wait. Have a cup of coffee. Start a crossword puzzle. Whichever you prefer, but give your skin at least twenty minutes to soak in all that moisturizing goodness.

TIP: The reason waiting is so important is your skin needs moisture. It doesn't matter if your skin is naturally oily, combo, dry, normal. All skin needs moisture. Particularly the skin on your face. Letting your products soak in will minimize oil production, lessen flakes and keep your skin all over healthier.

In the conversation regarding primer, I have two that I want to show you. Let's start with high end:

Touch in Soul - No Pore Blem Primer:



I almost hesitate to call this high end, but it is not available at drug stores (in the US, anyway). This is one of the unsung heroes of our generation, I believe that. This is a smoothing primer that fills in pores and creates a protective layer on your skin. What that protective layer does is stop anything else from getting too deep into your pores, causing breakouts. Your makeup will sit on top of the primer, rather than embedding into your skin too heavily. This may not have always been the conventional wisdom, but it is a lifesaver on those 90% humidity days.

Next is the drug store affordable option:

Wet n Wild - Primefocus Primer Serum:



I discovered this little gem by mistake. I had meant to get a different primer, but grabbed this one by mistake. But what a happy mistake this ended up being! This has moisture infused within the serum, but it works very similarly to the Touch in Soul primer. It helps to create a block on your skin, and fills your pores nicely. My foundation smooths on easily with this as the base.

Foundation:
This was a much harder road for me. I must have gone through twenty different types of foundation - oil controlling, moisture blocking, raincoat wearing...it didn't matter, they all ended up melting off my face in the humidity. However, I found salvation in the two below.

TIP: For aging skin, try to choose a foundation that is lighter coverage. I know that the default is to try and cover your aging skin with as much foundation as possible, but if you do this your foundation could look cakey and actually emphasis any wrinkles that you have. Go light, and own what's on your face. That's totally ok!

High end option:

Clinique Even Better Foundation:



Not only does this provide some SPF coverage for your face, but it has moisturizer in it as well. It is also so smooth and natural looking on the skin! As we get older we want to hide, but don't! Use lighter coverage and let your skin shine through. This is the absolute best I've found. You don't need much at all, because it works so well with any primer I've tried it with; it smooths on and covers discoloration I have on my face and old acne scaring without making my face feel or look caked.

On the affordable side, I will use this:

Loreal Infallible - Pro Glow Foundation:



I know what you are going to say...but it's a "glow" foundation. People who have oily skin shouldn't use anything that has glow in the title. And I would have agreed with you before I tried this one. Not only is it light coverage, still correcting discoloration and hiding acne scars, but it adds just enough additional moisture to your face that it stops the oil production. Because it is more affordable, I tend to use this more often than the Clinique (saving that one for more special occasions due to the cost). Don't get caught up in the name; the moisture addition here helps your skin control the oil production, but also adds something to your dry skin.

Concealer:

This category is iffy for me. If you use the right foundation, you do not always need a concealer. However, when I have had very little sleep, I do tend to need more coverage under my eyes.

TIP: Don't spend your money on eye primers. I always use concealer on my eye lids before shadow. You really need to have that base before you put anything on your eyes. Not only can it stop breakouts (if your skin is extra sensitive), but it puts your skin back to zero. By that I mean it eliminates any discoloration or veins that may naturally show on your eye lids, creating a blank canvas for the shadow.

SECONDARY TIP: The same rule applies for concealer as it does for foundation. Be careful how much you use. The more you use, the less likely you can ignore those laugh lines. Go light, and blend light. Trust me.

The high end is one of the best on the market. I got it as a sample from Ulta and fell in love. It is the one thing that I will splurge on, but it does have a dual purpose:

Estee Lauder - Double Wear Instant Fix Concealer:



Yes, I know. Estee Lauder is most definitely a high end company - for a really good reason. Their prices are quite expensive. And most of them are really not worth the cost. That is not the case for this concealer. Not only is it fairly affordable (as Estee Lauder items go), but it comes with additional hydration. One end of this is called 'Hydra Prep' and is meant to be used under your eyes, or on your eye lids, prior to use to increase moisture. I never miss an opportunity to put it on before foundation and on my eye lids. The consistency of this is light, even though it's in the Double Wear family. It's a perfect addition to either foundation above.

On the affordable side, this one took me a little longer to figure out. At first, I did not like this concealer at all. But, as with lots of things in the makeup world, I just needed to figure out how to use it properly:

Instant Age Rewind Eraser:



My advise on this, especially if you have aging skin, is be careful how much you use. This can get out of control very easily and it absolutely will look cakey if applied to thick. But if you have a light hand, you get excellent coverage out of it. There is also additional skin care in this brand (specifically the age defying line), so there's an added bonus for you.

Powder:
Oh, how important this is for someone with oily skin! Even combo skin. Dry skin mentality is typically to not use powder - which is usually fair. However, both of these options can be used by all skin types and I'll detail all of that out below.

TIP: Did you know that if you add a little bit of powder to your skin before foundation you can add to the longevity of your make up? Be careful how much you use (particularly with older skin), but you can add a light dusting of powder ahead of foundation to help keep your skin even more matte through the day.

I can't say enough good things about this high end option. Really. When I first found this I fell in love, and we've been in an almost fully committed relationship ever since! I will buy this over and over again (I already have four empties of this specific powder). And I will continue to do so:

Bare Minerals - Mineral Veil Loose Powder:



Now, ok, to be fair, this is technically a powder foundation - not a finishing powder or anything like that. But if you use light dustings of this over your foundation, it will lock everything down. Humidity? It doesn't care; it literally stops moisture from attacking your skin and melting off your make up. If there is one thing from my high end list you purchase, please have it be this. I swear it won't steer you wrong. One important item of note: Get the loose powder; the packed powder version of this does not work the same.

Now, the affordable one is more like 'good in a pinch.'

Covergirl Clean:



It can definitely help block humidity, and it won't cake on your face or stick to fine lines, but you will have to reapply or touch up later. But it comes in a compact, easy to transport (easier than loose powder!), and is quite easy to have with you all the time. I will use this primarily on my eyes after concealer to smooth everything down. And I do use it daily for that. Full face is typically when I'm traveling, or have the ability to touch up.

Facial Mists:
I know you are going to say, why is that important? Well, my friends, let me tell you. When you are putting on foundation, does your face ever feel tight or dry? Even if you are naturally oily? One of the things I do to combat that - and also to ensure that I don't put too much on - is to use facial mists. I use them in two ways:

1. I spray a little on my foundation brush before I dip into my foundation. This helps the brush be very lightly damp, and helps the foundation spread better. It also helps to introduce the benefits of that facial mist into your foundation.

2. After I put my foundation on, I put on my concealer and then spray my face directly. After that, I blend the concealer. Once again, it helps smooth everything down.

TIP: You can also use facial mists on your flat brushes for grabbing shimmer eye shadow. If you don't like using your finger, and the shimmer doesn't pick up well on a dry brush, try spraying just a little on the flat brush and then pick up the shadow.

On the high end, this is one of those products that smells and feels amazing:

Mario Badescu - Facial Spray:



Mario's products are all amazing, and honestly I recommend any and all of them. But this is a stand out to me. It contains aloe and other natural ingredients and helps to keep your face even more moisturized. Remember when I said keeping your skin moisturized helps to block oil production? Well, thank you Mario for creating this! As a side note, I don't recommend using this as a setting spray. It is a facial mist, and doesn't really help your makeup stay put. But it has the best additives in the world.

On the affordable side, this is a fair substitute:


Garnier - Soothing Facial Mist:



Ok, so I will tell you that this is not my favorite. BUT it is way better than anything else I've found at the drug store. It works better than most, but isn't a super fair comparison with the Mario Badescu one. It is definitely more affordable, and you can get what is needed out of it. (Plus, it does smell really great)

Setting Spray:
Last, but definitely not least, setting spray. Obviously you would use this after all of your make up is on, but there ways to use it and get the full benefits they provide. Setting spray is meant as the 'glue' to hold everything in place after it's done. And because of that you have to be careful. If you choose one that is high glow, it may make you oily. On the other side of that, if you use one that is 'matte' it may make you become flakey. Choosing the right one is tough, but here are my recommendations.

TIP: Did you know that you can spray a little bit of setting spray on your face after your powder? You can use a small amount to set the powder immediately after you put it on, before you put on bronzer or blush, or anything else. I do this in my T-zone, which is the oily part of my face. It has make a big difference in longevity.

On the high end, no one should be very surprised by this:

Urban Decay - All Nighter



Yeah it's pricy. But my goodness does it work! It's worth every penny. I have used this every single day for the last three months and haven't gone through that bottle yet (I had an empty from before already). You do not need to use a lot to get the full benefit of this spray. You set it and forget it. Period.

From the affordable range, though, I can't stress how wonderful this one is:

Elf - Oil Control Spray



Now, I personally don't care for the smell of this one (which does make it harder to use), but I have used this in the middle of July in North Carolina and it just sort of beats off the humidity with a stick. Elf products can be one of two things: Amazing or crap. This one most definitely falls into the amazing category - and you know it's affordable!

Well, I've given you all a lot of options, and I honestly hope they can help you out. Gun to my head, what is my favorite pairings for all of these things? Here you go:

Skin primer: Touch in Soul - No Pore Blem Primer
Foundation: Clinique Even Better Foundation
Concealer: Instant Age Rewind Eraser
Powder: Bare Minerals - Mineral Veil Loose Powder
Facial Mists: Mario Badescu - Facial Spray
Setting spray: Urban Decay - All Nighter

I know I chose mostly high end, but it's my preference. I promise you, if you try the affordable ones you will not be unhappy with the results. Consider this my tip to you: find what works, and stick with it. Experimentation isn't always necessary.

More blogs coming soon. Let me know if there are any others in particular that you want to see.

Thanks for reading!