How to Choose the Best Foundation for Your Skin

0 Shares

While many options exist to help you choose the correct color and finish for your foundation, not many guides can help you choose the right ingredients to help your skin perform your best. Knowing your skin type is the first step in choosing the right ingredients to make your skin look and feel its best.

How do you know your skin type? Consider what happens five minutes after you have finished washing your face. If your skin feels tight and dry, or even red and itchy, you have dry skin. If your skin is already looking shiny and maybe even greasy, your skin is oily. If you are always battling breakouts your skin is acne-prone, and you will want to choose a foundation that includes ingredients to help you keep your skin clear.

Once you know your skin type you can target your shopping to choose a foundation that is not only the right color and finish but also has the correct skincare ingredients to provide the very best foundation for your face. Here are some things to look for on the bottle or ingredient list that will provide the results you are looking for.

Dry Skin

Hyaluronic Acid

A gold standard ingredient for providing moisture and skin brightening effects, including this ingredient can make your foundation as effective as a skin serum for taking care of your face.

Aloe Vera

Calms skin and soothes against irritation while providing antioxidant protection.

Shea Butter

A fatty acid that is both hydrating and anti-inflammatory, it adds great texture for your foundation.

Jojoba Oil

This naturally moisturizing ingredient nourishes and soothes skin while providing a velvety finish.

Celery and Linseed Extracts

These ingredients help firm and tone the skin and minimize the appearance of pores.

Ceramides

Lipids that help maintain skin moisture and promote balance.

Oily Skin

Zinc Oxide

Helps to soothe inflammation while absorbing excess facial oil.

Water

Choose a foundation that is water-based to keep pores clear and your face smooth.

Absorbent Powders

An absorbent powder such as cornstarch, silica, alumina or talc will help control oil and prevent shine.

Acne-Prone Skin

Salicylic Acid

Helps to exfoliate the skin to keep pores clear and prevent breakouts.

Benzoyl Peroxide

Helps to dry out the skin, preventing shine and excess oil.

Ingredients to Avoid

In addition to making sure your foundation choice includes certain ingredients that can help you address the special needs your skin may have, there are also some ingredients you should avoid no matter your skin type. These are ingredients that can cause problems for both your skin and the environment.

Be sure to avoid these harmful chemicals when you are choosing your products:

BHA and BHT

A synthetic chemical often used as a preservative in cosmetics, BHA and BHT can cause allergic reactions and have been linked to cancer in laboratory testing.

Parabens

Parabens easily penetrate the skin and are absorbed by the body. They are often included in cosmetics but have been linked to various diseases when being tested.

Fragrances

Fragrances are often used to mask the scent of the pharmaceuticals in cosmetics but are often linked to irritation and inflammation. To avoid any potential allergic reaction it is best to look for fragrance-free products when possible.

Petroleums

Petroleums are linked to disease in humans, but also to many environmental concerns during production. Avoiding petroleum when you can will help both your body and the planet.

Sulphates

Sulphates such as sodium laurel sulphate and ammonium lauryl sulphate, are common ingredients that can often cause drying and inflammation. Avoiding sulphates makes it more likely that your skin will react well to the foundation that you choose.