Face Up To It

What kind of foundation do you wear? Do you wear a foundation or do you just find it too hard to find one that you like? Finding the right foundation is probably the most crucial make-up choice you could make (although the wrong lipstick shade could be disastrous too!). As we age, less is more. We all have imperfections in our face we want to cover up, but sometimes trying to cover it up ends up being a big mistake if it means piling on more make-up. Facial flaws should be dealt with, as much as possible, from a skin care perspective. Acne, large pores, uneven skin tone, fine lines and wrinkles can be minimized, in appearance, with diligent, consistent skin care that works for you. As I said previously, a trip to the dermatologist is not a bad idea if you have no idea where to begin. Since less is more as we age, consider using a tinted moisturizer or light make-up instead of a heavy foundation. It's easier to match skin tone with a tint or light make-up as opposed to trying to match a foundation to your skin. If you're still not sure how to do this, test color, not on your hand, but right on your neck or the side of your face near the jawline. Stay away from anything that is too pink, unless you really do have pink undertones. Many of us have yellow undertones so the pink will stand out like a sore thumb on our faces. One of the best light make-ups right now is Revlon Age Defying Light Makeup with Botafirm and SPF 30. It is light enough to feel and look like less on the face, but enough to cover whatever you need to cover where necessary. If you need more coverage, take Bobbi Brown's advice and use concealer (every woman over 40 needs a concealer in her opinion). Most women will wear a medium concealer, but try and stay away from a lipstick type concealer. These tend to tug too much on under eye area (where we most need it) and that's not good for delicate skin. Concealers should be creamy to the touch and give you the coverage you need where you need it. This could be a trial and error thing. Sephora is a great place to shop where you can try the make-up on right there in the store to see if it's just right for you. Another great tinted moisturizer is Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture Sheer Tint with an SPF 15. This is a non-comedogenic product (it won't clog pores) and it comes a great four ounce size which will last a long time. Pick it up in any drugstore. If you want a little glow under your face tint, try Sephora's make-up primer, which has a slight rose tint to it. It will assist in covering up any flaws underneath your make-up and set your make-up for the day. At $12.00, it's a bargin. You can probably get to Sephora's website by clicking on one of the sponsored ads on this page to see more choices or to order. Above all else, no matter what you wear, make sure you have a sunscreen on your face (and anywhere else that is exposed for the day). A good day-time moisturizer is Olay Complete. It has an SPF of 15, is non-oily and non-comedogenic and sells for about six bucks in any drugstore. Of all the anti-aging products to use, sunscreen is definitely at the top of the list!