Hi Veeners! I would like to start off apologizing for not blogging last month, I had a super busy month because I was rehearsing for the Detroit pole festival and working like crazy. I have finally wrapped all that up so I am back to blogging for you lovely ladies!

Today I want to talk about foundation because I have noticed that some women don't know the different types of foundations, what they do, etc. Certain formulas work better for certain skin types and some provide more coverage than others. They also come in different forms such as creams, liquids, and powders. I am going to hit on the five basic types of foundations here. There are many more formulas I didn't touch on but I will save those for another day.

I want to start with a little fun history on foundation and talk about how it got started in the first place. It was invented by celebrity film makeup artist Max Factor, often regarded as the first authority of cosmetics. He invented it to use on his actors and eventually the public became so curious about it they wanted to try it and it was released for public sale in 1937. This was known as the first foundation, referred to as "pan-cake" makeup at the time. I was very lucky and got to tour the Max Factor museum which was his original makeup studio and original Max Factor makeup factory when I was a student at the Makeup Designory Los Angeles. This building also contained the room where Marilyn Monroe's hair was first bleached blonde, done by Max Factor himself. Pretty cool, huh?!

Here are a few tips that apply to foundation. Many of the liquid products have an SPF of some kind. SPF does not add up, so if you have a foundation with SPF and wear face sunscreen underneath, you will NOT get extra protection. This is just redundant so save yourself the product and only wear a facial SPF or a foundation with SPF.

If you have oily skin but want to use a liquid formula, make sure it says 'oil-free' somewhere on the bottle.

This is a big tip that only the pros know, if you use a foundation brush when applying the product, you will use three less bottles per year!!!! This is because so much product gets soaked up by the sponge, it doesn't all get used and then it gets thrown into the trash. Foundation brushes are available in most places where makeup is sold and they can be anywhere from $5-$50 depending on the quality and hair type of the brush. Brushes also help eliminate those annoying streaks that sponges can leave.

Liquid foundation: The most common forumla there is. They come in many varieties such as SPF, anti-aging, oil-free, etc. Offers more coverage than tinted moisturizer. Can be messy to work with, some brands sell pumps you can use to eliminate messes and product waste. If the product contains oil (and even sometimes if it doesn't), it will oxidize on your face after a bit of wear due to mixing with the oils in your skin. Oxidation makes it darker, so be careful when choosing a shade.

Tinted moisturizer: This is a cross between a facial moisturzier and a liquid foundation. Coverage is more sheer than a liquid and it has moisturizing properties. They often contain SPF. These formulas can be helpful for more mature skin as full coverage liquids can settle into lines, making you appear older than you are. The moisturizing properties also help mature skin as skin tends to get more dry as women age.

Liquid foundation with silicon: Silicon based foundations are relatively new in the world of makeup. Silicon based cosmetics allow for easier blendability and more even coverage than the older liquid formulas from years ago. Silicon based foundation is also more comfortable for the wearer and less likely to oxidize (change color) on your skin.

Mineral makeup: Typically comes in the form of loose powder foundation made primarily from minerals. It may be all mineral, half mineral, or just 1% mineral so please read the labels on these products. A company can label something "mineral" even if there is 1% mineral in the product. Bare Escentuals is probably the most well-known mineral line. Can provide a soft, pretty coverage to even out the skin. For more coverage you can add a layer of liquid or tinted moisturizer underneath.

Powder foundation: These are good for people with oily skin or people that like the coverage a liquid forumla gives but do not want to mess with the application of a liquid, so it can be a nice alternative to a liquid. This is what I wear daily. You can not touch up with these products because they will start to get caked on so if you get oily through the day, use blotting sheets or translucent powder to touch up, do not keep adding this powder as it is full coverage.

I hope this was helpful to some of you and as always please contact me with any comments or questions you may have. Next month I will be talking about the importance of SPF and I will show you a sexy bronze-y makeup tutorial for those hot summer nights!

Love,

Glitter