Makeup foundation is one of the most important products in your makeup arsenal, and they come in many forms such as cream, liquid, stick, and powder. With an endless variety of formulations and brands in the market today, it can be hard to narrow down the right foundation for you.

In general, foundations can be classified as conventional or mineral foundation. Each one has its own pros and cons. For example, conventional makeup may contain ingredients that can be too harsh on the skin such as parabens, triclosan, and fragrances while organic mineral makeup includes only natural minerals and organic ingredients that are more neutral and beneficial to the skin. On the other hand, conventional makeup including foundation stays longer on the skin than a mineral-based variant. That’s why professional makeup artists use them in photoshoots, films, and TV production.

For everyday makeup, using organic mineral foundation has a lot of advantages. Since mineral foundations are made with non-irritating ingredients, women with sensitive skin can use them without worrying about breakouts. Next, common mineral ingredients such as zinc oxide and titanium oxide provide some sunscreen protection. Finally, mineral makeup is simply easier on any skin. Whether you have dry, oily or combination, the simple formula ensures that your skin is not exposed to harsh chemicals.

Organic mineral foundation has several advantages including lack of harsh chemicals, non-irritating ingredients and mild sunscreen protection.

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Choosing the shade of mineral foundation can be a daunting task for many women. You wouldn’t want to choose something that’s too light or too dark or else your makeup will look obvious and unnatural. The perfect foundation is one that completely blends in with your complexion and looks invisible in the natural light. To help you choose the best shade for your particular skin, here are some pointers to remember.

1. Determine Your Skin’s Undertone

Whether you’re buying clothes, coloring your hair, or choosing your makeup, you must first know what your skin undertone is. Undertone is different from skin tone. Skin tone refers to the surface color of the skin and is described in limitless ways such as fair, dark, and tan, while undertone refers to the underlying perception of color, which can only be warm, cool, and neutral.

There are many ways to determine undertone. One is by looking at the veins inside your wrist. If your veins look bluish or purplish, you have a cool undertone. A greenish tinge indicates a warm undertone, and if you’re having trouble determining the hue, you might be one of the lucky few who have a neutral tone. Another technique is by holding gold or silver jewelry against the skin. Warm-toned skin is more radiant with gold, while skin with a cooler tone tends to look best with silver. Neutral toned skin looks good with either one.

2. Know Your Skin Type

Do you have oily, dry, or combination skin? Knowing your skin type can help narrow down your choice of foundation finishes. For oily or combination skin, a matte finish is best to tone down the shine from excess oil. Meanwhile, dry and flaky skin could use some moisture and a dewy finish. Finally, women blessed with normal skin can get away with a semi-matte foundation for a look that’s balanced and healthy-looking.

3. Apply Samples on the Neck

Typically, women tend to try out foundation on the hands or face, but this is a big mistake. The best spot to try your new foundation is actually the neck area since it’s less exposed to the sun and retains your natural skin tone best. With the foundation matching your neck skin, you will be able to use the foundation regardless of the season.

4. Use Natural Light to Assess the Shade

Next time you’re shopping for a new mineral foundation, step out into the sunlight with a mirror. With indoor or artificial lighting in malls and shops, you’ll have a difficult time gauging if the foundation is blending well on your skin. You need to see the foundation in natural light to truly tell whether the shade works for you.

Choosing the best shade of mineral foundation could be time-consuming and may not be as exciting and fun as buying a new lipstick or eye shadow. However, as the name suggests, it’s the foundation of your whole make-up look, so it’s important to get it right.