Ace Your Base: 8 Common Foundation Mistakes You NEED To Avoid

by Sejal Parikh · September 28, 2015

An ever-present in our handbags, we still do not know how to get the best out of the one item that promises us the best of flawless skin! Yes, I am talking of foundation and the most common foundation mistakes that we make every day!

Image source: Shutterstock

So, without further ado, check out the most common foundation mistakes that stand between you and that enviable flawless skin:

1. Wrong shade

Remember that time you went foundation shopping? What did you do- whacked a drop on the back of your hand, right? That’s the error. Your hand doesn’t match the same shade of your face, and actually, you should be testing it on three small areas. Under your eyes, on your nose and along your jaw line; if it’s a match then when you rub it in it should simply disappear. This way, you’ll be confident that you are taking the right shade home.

2. Skipping primer

Yes, it is another layer on your skin- but an important one. Extremely important one. It anchors your makeup for those extra hours and that sure comes in handy when you are working overtime or simply, head for a night out after work, right?

3. Trowelling it on

Layering it on shall not just make your face seem like a pancake but also waste that precious thing in the bottle. Using a lighter base and hand will leave skin looking fresh, and if you have something you want to hide, a dab of concealer will do.

4. The finger touch

Yes, it seems like an easy, breezy on-the-go fix but there’s a reason brushes are pure genius. Brushes save your foundation and also blend out like you’d not believe! So, buy those li’l geniuses, now!

5. Just the face

To stop at your jaw is to give yourself away and sell yourself short. Falling short because you think foundation is simply for the face is the worst mistake you can make. So, keep working that magical thing all the way down your neck in circular motions until you even out your tone once and for all.

6. Using tinted powder

So, you’ve aced your base and the next thing you fish out of your handbag is that tinted powder (your exact skin shade) for that extra shine! But if you don’t want to look like you belong to cake-ville, you might want to give your ‘but-it’s-my-exact-skin-shade’ tint whack a miss and opt for translucent powders and ensure that you blend them thoroughly.

7. No prepping up the skin

Just whacking on the foundation without cleansing your skin and slicking on an oil-free lotion for the base to glide on is a mistake you need to steer clear of!

8. Applying foundation in a dimmed down room

Yes, it might seem flawless in a dimmed down room but the sun isn’t your friend, hon! So get yourself to the window or in a brightly lit room so you ace your base like never before!

Ready to leave behind these basic foundation mistakes in the past? You bet!