Full Face Glam: How to Pick Your New Go-To Foundation

Here’s how to ace your foundation base

Sweater weather has arrived so you know what that means: It’s time to make the switch to your fall foundation routine. That’s right, as your clothes and food habits change for the season, so should your beauty routine. The best place to start is with your fall foundation. After all, foundation sets the tone for your overall look so it makes the most sense to spend time perfecting it. That way, it’ll make your other makeup look good, too.

Fall Foundation Trend Alert: Semi-Matte Skin

Glowing skin isn’t going anywhere but it is getting a cool-weather update with semi-matte coverage in key places like underneath the eyes and around the nose. And it makes sense. When the temps dip and skin is more prone to redness, foundation needs to be glowing and healthy but provide enough coverage for redness where needed. The effect you’re going for is flawless skin but not overly done or heavy foundation.

Prime Your Skin

It’s time to reset your skin so it can look its best for the season ahead. The best approach is to exfoliate regularly and find a primer to suit your skin’s needs. We love the way this glowing serum primer gives foundation a lit-from-within-effect. The hydrating formula packs hyaluronic acid, which is key for transitioning into fall as humidity pulls a disappearing act and your skin needs as much hydration as it can get.

Which Foundation Formula Is Right For You?

These days, we want a lot from our foundation formulas and that’s for good reason. We want to look good while wearing it and also feel good when we wear it. When searching for a foundation formula that meets your needs, start with key terms like hydrating and medium-to-high coverage. This longwearing transfer-proof foundation checks those boxes and more. It’s vegan, waterproof and free from parabens, silicones and microplastic particles. You can also build up to your desired coverage with this formula, which melts into the skin easily and gives the glow factor we all crave this time of year.

Are you more of a powder foundation type? Whether you love (or need) a matte finish because your skin is on the oily side, go with a powder foundation that’s lightweight but packs major staying power. The beauty of this powder foundation is that it comes in a compact, which makes touch-ups a breeze (but chances are you won’t need to as the formula lasts really long on the skin).

Another favorite when it comes to foundation formulas is mousse. It’s creamy yet lightweight on the skin and provides ample coverage that looks natural, not heavy. If your skin is dry and you crave a formula that’s more substantial than liquid but more moisturizing than primer, try this dreamy mousse foundation. A little goes a seriously long way.

Your Foundation Tool Kit

Behind every successful fall foundation application are the right tools for applying it and blending it. Here are three to stock in your makeup bag:

1. Beauty sponge - Be sure to mist this with water before using it to help your foundation melt into the skin and look the most natural

1. Buffer brush - Use this to buff your foundation into the skin for a seamless effect. The flat top shape is key for getting a smooth, even skin finish.

1. Airbrush blender - If you’re not already using this to apply powder foundations, hurry up and get one. It gives an airbrushed look to your skin, thanks to its microfibre texture and ability to perfectly smooth the contours of the face.