Discussion: Foundation tips for Dry Skin

Recently I was asked about what foundations I would recommend in terms of finding a matte foundation for someone with very dry and flakey skin, and I decided to also share my thoughts! 

As a brief reminder: I definitely want to mention that the products I've mentioned on this page are ones that work for my skin and my skin type personally, and won't work for everyone! Base products are ones that are the most fussy in terms of makeup, and one thing that looks wonderful on one person may not look great on someone else. If it's possible for you to get samples of products before you commit, I would definitely suggest doing a test run first! Don't get lured in by the hype! 

Skincare: 

There might be a few problems, or troubleshooting tips you might want to look at before you throw in the towel and give up foundations all together: Skincare. 

For example, I've once seen someone ask, "how can I stop dry patches with my foundation?"

My first question to them was definitely, "what do you do for skin care?" 

If you're one of those people who don't do much with your skin - or maybe you're using chemical cleansers, and not using moisturizers, this could be your problem! You can also try drinking more water if you don't, or switching up your products depending on the weather. Other methods you can use to hydrate your face with your skin care, use face masks, sleeping packs, lightly exfoliating and using a combination of other serums, toners and moisturisers. Sometimes, a good way to keep your skin hydrated is to layer water and oil based products to trap the moisture in. 

Are you primed? 

If you've been lazy and slacking on your skin care, primer can be a great way to start off. While I normally don't wear primers because I don't feel they do too much in extending the wear of a foundation, it can really alter the finish of a foundation if you're layering it on right. 

Try opting for a hydrating base, something with a water or oil base! Silicone based products can often give you great results, but depending on the product can be slightly drying and end up putting even more focus on your dry patches, and drying your skin out even more. 

I personally love the Laduree primer with 50 SPF, which is hydrating but still sticky enough, and it gives me a lovely moisturised base and plays really well with most of my foundations. 

Let's lay a good foundation: 

With the huge amount of foundations out there, it can be really difficult to find the right one for you! As I mentioned before, it's vital that you try what works for you and your skin, and potentially what might break you out or not. 

One of the best go-tos are BB/CC creams or tinted moisturizers! These tend to have dewy, skin like finishes with lighter coverage - and they're much less likely to be drying on the skin because of they're marketed as more 'natural' alternatives to foundation. 

If you have dry skin, definitely stay away from powder foundations. Dry skin plus dry powder on top? Definitely not the way to go. Additionally, if you prefer to set your foundation down with setting powder, you might even notice dry lines and patches that you didn't even notice before by taking all the moisture away from the face. If you want to set, try using a dewy setting spray, or if you're on a budget, just misting your face a little with water or rosewater. 

While cream foundations can look great on drier skin, some of these don't particularly set well and can be a little thick (for example, stay far away from Kryolan TV paint sticks, which emphasize texture like nobody's business). 

However, a good alternative to a more dewy, less drying finish can be cushion compacts (typically from Korean beauty brands!). If you happen to be within the shade range of East Asian cosmetics, there are a huge range of cushion compacts (even from bigger brands like Chanel), and they often have dewy, shinier finishes that are made to be layered throughout the day. This can be very forgiving for drier skin types. 

Lastly, if you're looking at liquid foundations - definitely do your research before you commit to one! Some foundations are made to be mattifying, which can be great for other skin types, but definitely do not play well on drier skin (eg. Armani's Power Fabric Foundation, Chanel's Ultra le Teint Velvet, Fenty's Pro Filtr Soft Matte Longwear Foundation). Instead, make sure you're picking foundations which have dewy, or semi matte finishes - which are advertised as 'hydrating' or 'dewy' finishes. This can make a huge difference if you're blind buying. 

For example, a more hydrating alternative is the the Fenty Pro Filt'r Hydrating Longwear Foundation is a fitting follow up to the matte finish. I personally must confess to previously loving Chanel's Ultra le Teint Velvet, before falling in love with Chanel's Les Beiges and Aqua Vitalumiere, both which are more traditional, more hydrating and forgiving finishes on my drier, more textured skin (ah aging). 

Overall: I would just recommend trying out foundations on the face first anyway, firstly for shade matching but definitely to also check both in artificial and natural sunlight to see if your skin is looking more textured, or highlighting dry patches you didn't even know you had!