Can you recommend a natural looking foundation for ruddy skin?

April 27, 2005 9:14 AM

Help! I need a full coverage foundation that looks more natural. My skin tone is fair with a pink undertone and very red cheeks. While the yellow foundations cover the redness very well, I think the yellow makes me look too peachy.

At the moment I am using a combination of a yellowish liquid foundation (Sondra Kashuk) and a pressed base (glominerals) to cover the natural ruddiness of my skin type. I have tried Prescriptives custom blend, but I the makeup felt sticky to me. I have normal to dry skin.

posted by renyoj to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (22 answers total)

Try going to Sephora, they have loads of different kinds of foundation, and the staff are super helpful. It's better than going to a department store because you can try all the different brands, and the makeup artists know to use all of them. Bring what you're already using, and they can probably suggest something that works with what you already own so you don't have to buy tons more makeup. But really you're just going to have to try a bunch until you find one that works for you!
posted by orangskye at 9:26 AM on April 27, 2005

Also, when you're wandering through the department stores, see if any of the counters have a makeup artist that works the counter. With Lancome, for example, they usually have a photo of the person on the counter along with something that says, "Hey! Lookit! Makeup artist!" They are usually very, very good. You may want to look into a tinted moisturizer if your skin is pretty overall (fairly blemish free, etc). I use Lancome's variety, and it's low coverage that basically evens out my skin and isn't heavy at all. And I break out less when I use this stuff vs. a regular foundation. Good luck!
posted by Medieval Maven at 9:32 AM on April 27, 2005

Try a green-tinted foundation instead of yellow. (I'm not saying you have rosacea, but these articles might be of use.)
posted by me3dia at 9:42 AM on April 27, 2005

My mom uses that "Bare Minerals" stuff from TV (yes, really), and it is GORGEOUS. She wears a ton of makeup and I've always hated it because it looked so fake and cakey, but this stuff looks actually *natural* and covers her skin really well without looking gross. I was really amazed when she started using it.
posted by tristeza at 9:45 AM on April 27, 2005

I would recommend using a good concealer and then using a mineral powder for coverage. Pampered Princess cosmetics is my favorite. They make a foundation which is all natural (and I mean really all natural, not fake all natural like at a department store) and gives excellent coverage for a powder. It has zinc in it which provides a natural sunscreen (a blessing for those of us who have sensitive skin or just hate applying sunscreen) and also soothes any redness. Not to mention that most people find it helps with blemish treatment and prevention. It is similar to the products on those Bare Minerals infomercials excepting that this stuff only costs $12 for a decent size jar (30 grams). If you e-mail them or call Annie, the owner, she is very nice and will send you some free samples of the colors they offer. I view it as a life-saving alternative to cakey liquid foundation or orangey powders.
posted by crapulent at 9:49 AM on April 27, 2005

As me3dia says, you need to use green foundation to cancel out the redness in your face. Don't ask me why I know this.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 10:02 AM on April 27, 2005

Try going to a CVS-type drug store and look for a display of L'Oreal True Match. They have this neat sheaf of transparent plastic pages that you hold up to your cheek. Each page has a dozen or so tinted squares on it. (Beware, the package has been ripped off in some stores.) Look for the tinted square that disappears when you hold it to your skin. You might be surprised: I was. The color it told me to buy looked way too dark and beige in the bottle, but sure enough, it looked great on. Even if you prefer higher end cosmetics, check this out just to get a better idea of what color your skin *really* is.
posted by CunningLinguist at 10:07 AM on April 27, 2005

Response by poster: I'm open to trying a green foundation, but I've never found one. The closest I've come was having some green blended in when I used the Prescriptives custom blend. I have tried the concealer, but with the green concealers I never found a happy balance that didn't make my skin look splotchy. The thing I like about the yellow foundation is that I can create basically the same skin tone all over, even if it is a strange color.

me3dia, I often get mistaken for having rosacea, but it's actually a food allergy that I usually have under control.

Thanks for all the advice!
posted by renyoj at 10:28 AM on April 27, 2005

You could always opt out of the women-must-wear-makeup bullshit.
posted by five fresh fish at 10:28 AM on April 27, 2005

Response by poster: five fresh fish, When I'm no longer judged by my appearance, I'll stop wearing makeup.
posted by renyoj at 10:39 AM on April 27, 2005 [1 favorite]

Oooh, snap!
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 10:41 AM on April 27, 2005

I didn't start wearing makeup till I was 26, and then it was because a friend introduced me to Benefit's Get Even pressed powder (I use the lightest shade). I was always self-conscious about the redness in my face, and the powder did a lot to minimize that. Be warned: it's a little pricey, but I find very worth it. I don't use foundation, just the powder.
posted by j3s at 10:41 AM on April 27, 2005

I'll have to check Sephora for green tinted foundation and try it, because I have found green tinted creams do nothing to tone down my pink cheeks.

I've tried yellow-toned and neutral toned makeup from MAC, but I'd advise going neutral instead of yellow because your neck will look quite pink in comparison if you use yellow on your face.
posted by maudlin at 10:59 AM on April 27, 2005

I second Bare Minerals. It's un-freakin-believable how gorgeous it will make your skin look.
posted by iconomy at 11:03 AM on April 27, 2005

But how does powder like Bare Minerals and Get Even work on flaky skin? I've got rosacea, blackheads AND sensitive skin that gets easily dried out and flaky. I've run screaming from powder for 15 years because of it.
posted by maudlin at 11:09 AM on April 27, 2005

I second the True Match suggestion - I hoard foundation and seem to buy a new brand or type every month trying to find one that I like that looks good, and I love the stuff. After seeing the Bare Minerals page, I'll have to get some of that to play with.
posted by chickygrrl at 12:51 PM on April 27, 2005

Maudlin - I always put on some light face lotion a couple minutes before I use the Get Even powder. If I don't, I look flakey, but with lotion it just looks smooth.
posted by j3s at 1:03 PM on April 27, 2005

Another recommendation for True Match. I also have normal to dry skin and am very pale with pink undertones.
posted by suchatreat at 2:06 PM on April 27, 2005

I'll third the recommendations for Bare Minerals. I've never been happy with a foundation before this one - nothing ever looked natural enough. I can often find the powders on ebay for 5 or 10 dollars cheaper than retail, and the starter kits also go on sale at Ulta frequently.
posted by bibliowench at 2:38 PM on April 27, 2005

4th recommendation for Bare Minerals. Sephora sells it. It is NOT a powder, it does not go on your face like one, nor look or feel like a powder. Try the Medium for your fair skin (the lighter shade is VERY light), and try Bisque as a concealer. The special brushes are a wonderful almost must-have luxury. People with 'bad' or sensitive skin will love it, and a tiny bit lasts a very long time.
posted by LadyBonita at 3:07 PM on April 27, 2005

Eek, you don't absolutely need green foundation. It's one of many things that'll work. One of the icky things about it is that if you're photographed with a flash, you'll look green. Gross.

Bare Minerals, yes! You can buy sample sizes on Ebay. That stuff is grand.

If you need even more coverage, visit a MAC store and look into Studio Fix. I like to apply it with a powder brush rather than the puff it comes with. On particularly bad days, I'll put on a light foundation (like MAC's Hyper Real) and then use the Studio Fix OVER it. I really don't look makeuppy, I swear!
posted by houseofdanie at 5:45 PM on April 27, 2005

Response by poster: Thanks for all your help. I stopped by Sephora last night and tried a few foundations. I ended getting a Dior Foundation that does look really natural and a sample of Murad redness relief. It's a moisturizer that has a green tint to it. I do want to look into the Bare Minerals and L'oreal since so many of you reccommended it.
posted by renyoj at 9:22 AM on April 28, 2005