Can you recommend a natural looking foundation for ruddy skin?
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!
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.
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.
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.
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!
