Benefits Of Applying Foundation To Your Skin

Foundation used to be just a way of covering up the skin to improve its appearance and possibly also hide fine lines, wrinkles or blemishes. Today however, skin foundations can serve a much more beneficial role.

Unlike what you used to get in the past, foundation can now actually be good for your skin by protecting it from pollution, the sun and helping to balance oily or dry skin. As a result, foundations will now not only make you look good, but they can also offer some serious anti-aging benefits as well!

In this article, we are going to be taking a look at some of the main anti-aging benefits that can be achieved by applying skin foundation to your face. Later, we will also look at what foundation can and can’t do and how to apply it correctly. You may be surprised at what you are about to discover!

Anti-Aging Benefits Of Skin Foundation

Normal day-to-day living exposes you to a wide variety of pollutants, and because your face and hands are the most exposed regions of the body, they will be the most affected by that pollution and so require the greatest amount of protection as a result.

Pollution can come in many different forms. Some pollutants for example, will be composed of visible particulates such as dust, dirt and soot, whilst other pollutants will be smaller and not visible to the naked eye.

In general, a person is likely to be exposed to a greater amount of pollutants if they live in a built up urban area where there are industrial factories and lots of cars.

Those living in less populated areas, such as in the suburbs or countryside, will be less exposed pollution, but this is not always the case as prevailing winds can still carry significant amounts of pollution from nearby cities.

In terms of the health of your skin, invisible pollutants, those which you can’t see, tend to do the most harm as they can result in excessive free radical damage which causes premature aging.

The first signs of free radical damage will often appear as irritation or inflammation of the skin, which can then progress to surface irregularities, fine lines and wrinkles which will cause you to look visibly older.

As a result, if you want to maintain a youthful and healthy looking appearance for as long as possible, it is absolutely essential that you take proactive steps to minimize the damage that the pollutants which you are exposed to can do to your skin.

An Anti-Aging Protective Barrier

Unfortunately, applying a daily moisturizer, cream or lotion to your face and hands won’t give you the level of protection that your skin needs against pollution. This is because moisturizers are quickly absorbed into the skin and so do little do protect the face from things which land on it.

What you really need is something that will form a protective barrier over your skin to stop pollutants from coming in to direct contact with your face. Ideally, you should then be able to wash off this barrier at night so that you can get rid of the pollutants which you have collected throughout the day. The good news is that there is already a very easy and inexpensive way to do this, it’s called foundation.

Once you apply foundation to your face, you literally coat the skin with a protective barrier that prevents pollutants from coming in to direct contact with your skin and damaging it.

Of course, foundation won’t protect you from all external pollutants, and neither will it protect you from internal pollutants that occur as a result of an unhealthy lifestyle such as drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, smoking and eating unhealthy foods.

But it can still be a very useful cosmetic to add to your everyday anti-aging skincare routine, because it will help to give you that extra layer of protection to keep you looking younger and healthier for longer.

Protection Against Sun Damage

Whilst getting some amount of sun exposure certainly can be very beneficial for your overall level of health, such as by boosting vitamin D levels, overexposure to ultraviolet or UV light can result in premature aging of the skin.

Too much sunlight for example, can result in hyperpigmentation (dark/brown spots), sagging skin (as a result of a loss of collagen and elastin), fine lines and wrinkles, all things that will make you look old!

Fortunately, many foundations now come with a sunscreen in the form of a sun block. This creates a protective barrier over the surface of the skin, which then reflects the rays of the sun rather than allowing them to penetrate into the skin where they could damage it.

Most sunblocks will contain either zinc oxide or titanium oxide, both of which protect against UVA and UVB rays. From a health perspective, sunblocks tend to be a better option for protecting against sun damage, as there is some concern that chemical sunscreens may actually increase one’s risk of developing skin cancer due to the chemical reactions which occur when chemical sunscreens are exposed to sunlight.

You may however, still want to use an additional sunscreen alongside your foundation when you will be outside for long periods in strong sunlight to provide your skin with the maximum amount of protection.

But if you do decide to do this, just remember that applying sunscreen from multiple sources does not result in a cumulative effect. So for example, if your foundation has a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 and you are also using a sunscreen with a SPF of 15, then they won’t add up to SPF 30 by using both.

At a minimum, you should be aiming for a SPF of 15, as anything less that this should only be considered for very light sun exposure such as during the evening.

Matching Your Skin’s Type

Most of the foundations that you will find in stores today are designed to complement your regular skincare products and your skin type.

For example, if you have oily or acne skin, then you can buy oil free foundations so that your face won’t become overly oily by using them. If you have very oily skin, then you can even get oil absorbing foundations that will act like a sponge and soak up excess oil that appears throughout the day.

For people with dry or sensitive skin, there are foundations that can help to prevent moisture loss and foundations that contain emollients and humectants which add moisture to the skin and help to lock it in.

So take the time to really look at the various beauty products in your local store, as you are likely to get the best results and the most protection from using a product that matches your skin’s unique type.

If you are unsure as to what would work best for you, try talking to the sales rep behind the counter as they will likely to very knowledgable about the different products they offer and what is likely to work well for you.

Should You Use It Every Day?

Whilst using foundation certainly can help to benefit the health of your skin, its use is entirely optional. Some people for example, don’t like the idea of using foundation as they prefer to let their natural skin tone show.

It is still possible to maintain healthy skin without foundation, but unless you have a specific objection about it, then you may seriously want to consider using it on a daily basis especially now that you know the numerous anti-aging benefits it can provide you with.

What Can Foundations Can & Can’t Do

Although skin foundation is an incredibly useful skincare product, there are certain things which it can’t do. Being aware of these limitations is important as it will help to prevent misuse, such as applying too much or having a foundation line, and avoid disappointment from having unrealistic expectations.

Below you will find listed some of the things that foundation can and can’t do for your skin.

Flaws

Skin foundation is not designed to conceal major flaws in your skin. If you try to use it for this purpose, you are likely to apply too much and it will appear as though you are wearing a mask. Foundations should compliment and enhance the appearance of your skin, but do so in a way that looks natural and doesn’t obviously change your normal look.

Pigmentation

Foundations can help to give your skin a more uniform color and also brighten your complexion. So if you have areas of hyper-pigmentation such as brown spots, or areas of depigmentation such as skin which is whiter than normal, the use of foundation as a makeup can help to lessen their appearance.

However, if you have very dark skin pigmentation such as a birthmark or mole, then foundation won’t be very effective at hiding it. Rather, it would be better to use a camouflage makeup or concealer that matches your skin tone.

Smooth Skin

One of the biggest advantages of using foundations, is that they can quite effectively fill in any irregularities which you have in your skin. This will result in a smooth polished surface which makes your facial skin look much more youthful and attractive.

Blemishes

Whilst it is true that foundations can lessen the appearance of skin blemishes, they are not designed to conceal them. So if you have serious blemishes on your face, such as acne blemishes, then you should use a concealer instead.

Deep Scars

Skin foundations can help to smooth out the edges of light scars and make them less noticeable, but for deep scars, foundations are not very effective at concealing them. If you are trying to conceal scars, you are likely to get better results by using some kind of facial filler such as a wrinkle filler depending on the size and depth of the scar which you are trying to conceal.

Rosacea

If you have rosacea and/or broken capillaries which give your skin a reddish color to it, then using a green tinted primer with foundation can help to conceal this and give your face a more uniform color.

A Base For Other Skin Care Products

Once you have applied foundation to your face and evened out any irregularities, you will have a good base to work with to apply other cosmetics such as blush and eye makeup. Using foundation before you apply such products will actually make them work better, as you will be able to put them on much more evenly and smoothly.

Cleansing

An important point to remember when using foundation and make up, is to always ensure that you properly cleanse and tone your skin before going to bed at night. Nighttime is when the skin naturally cleanses itself, so if you go to bed with a dirty face, then it won’t be able to do this properly and you could suffer from inflammation of the skin which puts you at risk of premature aging.

Skin Care & Foundation Application

Before you apply foundation to your face, you should carry out your regular skin care routine. This includes using a cleanser and toner to remove dirt, oil, sweat, bacteria and pollutants from the skin, followed by a light daytime moisturizer to hydrate your skin. By carrying out these steps, you will ensure that you face is kept clean and that your foundation will be able to spread evenly over the face.

To apply your foundation, start by placing a small amount on the back of your hand and then use your sponge, brush or applicator to dab into the foundation. A sponge is an excellent foundation applicator, as it will allow you to get some color but not too much. A sponge will also allow you to blend in the foundation over your entire face.

When using sponges, it is important to remember that most are designed to be disposable. So once they have been used up, they should then be discarded. To maximize the usage you get out of a sponge, use a different corner or area of the sponge each day and then throw it away when it has been completely used up.

Most foundation sponges will last you about three weeks, but some you may be able to wash out and reuse for extended life. Be careful not to use your sponge for too long though, as otherwise you won’t be able to put on your foundation as well as you could be doing with a new sponge.

Facial Application

Once you have put some foundation on your sponge, the next step is to apply it to your face. Start by dabbing a small amount in the center of your forehead, chin, nose and cheeks, concentrating on one area at a time.

Once you have done this, spread the foundation outwards moving it towards the direction of the ears, temples and jaw. Repeat this for each area of your face, until your entire face has been covered.

After you have applied foundation to the major areas of your face, check your nose, the inner corners of your eyes and the bridge of your nose to make sure that you haven’t missed any of these areas. Also, be careful when applying skin foundation to your hairline, as you want to avoid getting any on your hair.

Skin foundation should be applied to just above your jaw line, and then blended in lightly down your neck. If you have done this correctly, there should be no visible foundation line. If there is, then you have applied too much or are using the wrong shade for your skin tone.

Generally, you should avoid applying foundations to the lower neck region as they have a tendency to rub off onto your clothing. This can be especially embarrassing if you are wearing a white shirt!

Finishing Touches

The more often you apply a foundation, the easier it will become and the better you will be at it. So when you are applying foundation for the first time, take it slow so that you can get a feel for how best to apply it to the different areas of the face. Don’t be too slow though, otherwise it will dry out if you are using a liquid foundation.

If you find that you are needing to apply more than the recommended dab, you may not be cleansing, toning and moisturizing your skin correctly. Remember, foundation should glide onto the skin easily when it has been properly prepared.

Once you have finished and covered your whole face, have a quick look to check that you have blended the jaw line and neck area correctly and that there are no visible streaks. If you do have foundation streaks, then try to smooth them out with your sponge.

If you are happy with the result, you can then apply some dusting powder to set your foundation if you choose, otherwise, just go right ahead and apply your eye shadow, blush or lipstick as you normally would.

Wrinkles, Blemishes & Skin Concealer

Skin foundations can help to cover up fine lines and wrinkles, but they are not meant to cover up dark spots or blemishes. To do this, you need to use a concealer.

A concealer is a waxy skin care product which is designed to stay where you put it, and because it is waxy, you should only apply a very small amount. Concealers can be used either before or after you apply foundation, although most people prefer to use them before.

Concealers can come in a light, medium or dark shade, so the color you use should match your skin tone as closely as possible.

To apply concealer to your face, place a small amount on your sponge or brush applicator and then dab your skin gently. The idea is to create a series of small intersecting dots, rather than a large solid blob, as this will result in a more discrete concealment.

You should never apply a concealer with your fingers because this will alter the formulation and make it less effective, more oily and less waxy which can cause it to migrate to other areas of your face.