Foundation

Choosing your Foundation. Most modern foundations are designed for specific skin types within each range and most, unless for greasy skin types have a moisturizing element built in. If, like me, your skin is sensitive or dry then an additional application of a light moisturizer can be useful to help even out the skin surface. Avoid applying foundation directly after moisturizing as this can make it hard to get an even finish. To find the right shade of foundation for your skin dab a small amount on either your jaw line or forehead with your finger, if it disappears it's the right shade. Use two side by side if you are not sure which one is right and where possible go outside into natural light to view the results. If one shade is only slightly visible this maybe useful for stage performances when you will need a little more colour to balance out the effect of the stronger lighting.

There are several brands on the market which are designed for longer wear and reduce the problems of foundation rubbing off when you touch it. Max Factor, L’Oreal, Revlon and Maybeline all offer good ones at very affordable prices. The top of the range ones like Chanel, Lancôme, Stila, MAC, and Laura Mercier, although more expensive, give an excellent finish. Mature skins look wonderful with a light-diffusing product; most of the main brands offer at least one of these in their range, they are very suitable for performances near to the audience where a pleasant 'fresh-faced' look is okay. (See Q&A below)

One of the best of the newer products to come onto the market is that of the 'colour sensitive' foundation. These foundations adapt to suit your skin tone when applied. They often look much darker or lighter in the bottle, which can be off-putting, but the results are really surprising when applied to the face. These types of foundation are excellent for taking out the guesswork when choosing the correct shade for your skin. They are ideal for performances where you are close to your audience. Boots, Revlon and Max Factor all have similar products of this type. I would recommend something with a little more coverage for performances on a stage though.

You can see a list of product recommendations at the bottom of this page.

Not to prime is a crime!

Primer serves several functions - it helps even out minor skin imperfections, minimizes the look of pores, gives a nice smooth surface to apply the foundation on. It will also help create a matte look that reduces shine and will provide much longer staying power for the foundation itself. You don't need to apply a huge amount as a little goes a long way. There are quite a few good ones out there at both ends of the price range.

Applying Foundations. There are several different methods of applying foundation depending on the type you are using. Liquids often work better if warmed up slightly by putting a small amount of the back your hand, or if it's very runny, in your palm. You may need to shake a foundation first to ensure that the product hasn't separated in its container.

Safety Note: Always discard any foundation after 3/4 months, no matter how good it still looks in its' container. Bacteria from contact with the air and your fingers or applicators build up and can give you a nasty reaction or rash. Discard immediately anything that smells strange or has discoloured

My recommended method for application is to use a foundation brush as it makes the product easy to apply and will give you a smooth and flawless finish. Using a brush will make it far easier to blend the product evenly across your face and you can use a brush for pretty much all types of foundation, although the type of brush will differ depending on the product. For the purposes of this tutorial I am going to assume that you will be using a conventional foundation and not a mineral. This is because mineral foundations have a separate technique all of their own and require a specialist brush called a Kabuki. For all other types of foundation I recommend one with a rounded and slightly domed tip rather than a flat one.

If you are applying a liquid foundation pour a small amount into the palm of your hand if it is runny or if it has a thicker texture apply a small amount to the back of your hand. If you are applying a from a stick, cake or pot of mousse swipe the brush gently across the surface of the product. Apply to the face in gentle sweeping motions making sure that you use the brush to get into all the nooks and crannies like around the edge of your nose. Blend away to the hairline and just past the edge of the jaw checking to make sure that you don't have any hard lines. I prefer to start from the forehead and work down to the jaw as this follows the natural direction of the fine hairs on your face and allows for a really smooth and flawless finish.

If you are very pale you might consider using a very light bronzing powder on your neck and shoulder area to reduce the contrast between your face and the exposed area down to where your costume starts. A particularly good idea if your costume is low cut. If you apply this after putting on your costume be sure to protect it with tissues or a cover up. Do not apply foundation beyond your jaw line as there is a substantial difference between both the tone/colour of the skin as well as the skin texture. Using foundation on this area will give you a very unnatural finish.

Setting your foundation. When you have applied your foundation you will need to apply powder to set it – a translucent one is best. Use a velour puff and press the powder gently on, this will give you a matte look for longer and will help prevent the product from melting/fading away if you get very hot. Only use a brush to sweep off any excess powder. If you are using cream eye shadows or blusher you should powder after you have applied them to prevent creasing, running or fading. Some foundations are now available in a ‘cream-to-powder’ finish, which means you can skip the translucent powder stage, but it’s still a good idea to have some in your kit to powder down any excess shine in between numbers.

Before you set your foundation make sure that you have blended away all the edges with your foundation brush and that you have applied any corrective measures to disguise blemishes. See the blemishes and camouflage pages for more information on how to do this effectively.

"Why is a 'matte look' so important for dancers?"

This is a bit of a bug-bear for me as I really dislike seeing dancers with very shiny faces when it can so easily be avoided. As mentioned above regarding 'light diffusers' anything that has a shine to it can give the appearance of a sweaty or greasy look. Although a light glow may look okay up close, as you get further away it can start to look unglamorous as it may develop into a very shiny look under stage lights or if you start to get hot whilst you are dancing. You want to look fresh faced but not sweaty as though you are really labouring to dance. If you chose to use a light diffuser, use it sparingly and always dust very lightly with translucent powder over the top.

That said, I think that a little bit of sparkle or glitter dust, sparingly applied can look nice for use at performances where you are closer to the audience. The important thing is not to use a gel-based product as this will make you look shiny rather than sparkly. There are many companies that do lovely colours in a variety of sparkle dusts, just be careful about using them on or near your eyes, particularly if you wear contact lenses. If you want a very light sparkle to your face but don't have a light diffuser foundation here is a useful little trick using fine glitter dust - you will need a friend to help you. Tap a *very* small amount of the dust into your friend's palm (note the dust should not be coloured) and then get them to stand a couple of feet away from you, hold their palm out flat, level with your face and then blow the dust onto your face. Remember that you only want to use a tiny amount of glitter dust in the finest size you can buy and don't forget to close your eyes!

Afra's Recommended Products:

Brushes
I also like Mark and Spencer's foundation brush and if you really want to splurge I can recommend MAC's.

Primers
I also really like MAC's primer and the Studio range by L' Oreal.