How to avoid dry, cakey foundation

Dear Rissa,

My skin type is dry. Every time I apply makeup, it looks patchy and rough. How do I prevent this?               

Alyssa

To get smooth-looking makeup, avoid water-based foundations. They often have a matte finish, which will make dry skin look drier. Choose a silicone-based foundation, which most foundations on the market are. What makes this type of foundation popular is that it can fill in lines and wrinkles, making skin look smooth and supple.

When applying makeup, always keep layers to a minimum. The more products you pile on, the more prone it will be to cracking. Instead of using your fingers, which can leave a streaky, uneven finish, use a makeup blending sponge. There are so many shapes and kinds on the market, depending on your preference. They help ensure impeccable, streak-free application of makeup.  

Designed to be used damp so they don’t absorb or “eat up” your foundation, these makeup-blending sponges make patchy, dry skin look flawless and impeccable in just minutes. I’ve seen it work wonders on my friend with dry skin and these blending sponges have become her skin savior! Check out Zalora.com.ph and BeautyMNL.com.

The advantage of dry skin is this type will luckily never have to deal with oiliness and shine, but will tend to look older because makeup will be prone to cracking and wrinkling. Always make it a habit to moisturize your skin very well before starting your makeup. In fact, moisturize your skin religiously to improve your skin condition over time.

Rissa

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Makeup tricks for a natural look

Dear Lucy,

How can I make foundation look natural? I don’t like the cakey look, but I need the coverage. How can I achieve natural-looking skin?

Jerri

You must choose a good product and complement that with makeup tricks, some of which I will share with you now.

First, the products. You will need a tinted moisturizer — I like the ones from Lancome and the gel foundation from Bare Minerals. Apply with a beauty blender. Then do spot application of CC Foundation or concealer just where you need it. I like the concealer from RMS, Naturactor, or Bare Minerals. Use the tip of the beauty blender for this. Then set with fine powder and mist. Use facial mist infused with rose essence because I find that even when you’ve somehow applied too much powder that it looks cakey, the rose mist will take care of this and sort of reverse the effect to make skin dewy and more natural looking. Also, try to avoid putting too much product on the nose. When you leave your nose bare, it gives the illusion that you are not wearing foundation even if you actually are.                                                                           

Lucy

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Send e-mail to Lucy Torres-Gomez at ltg@pldtdsl.com. E-mail Rissa Trillo at stylesos_rissa@yahoo.com or follow her on Twitter @RissaMananquil.