Free Foundation & Concealer Masterclasswhere we share the best tools, tips and products ... read on ...Whether aficionado or light make-up user - here are top tips and top tools that work!
Start your collection now and join us on a journey of
Masterclasses in 2010 that will transform your approach to make-up! Starting with Foundation - we look at some tips to help you do a great job. 
| Our Foundation brush
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| Our Concealer brush
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Top Tips on Foundation and Concealer
As foundation comes of age and many
women pursue the Holy Grail of a sheer flattering foundation, choosing
the right brush is key. With the right foundation and foundation brush it is
possible to apply just enough product to condition your complexion to a
flawless finish without over-applying foundation.
By
virtue of its modest size, our foundation brush helps you apply a sheer and flattering base,
you'd have to work hard to over-apply. Size
does
matter, and it's not always the largest brush that does the best job.
Good make-up application is about getting specific and making effective
choices.
The days of an
all-over one-shade mask are history. For those of you who are over the fake tan look and would prefer something more natural and flattering, here are some tips I use when making up leading ladies in film. Why not enjoy them yourself?
- Are you still using or cotton buds for application when they are better used for removing mistakes?
- Are you spoiling your powder shadows by using your fingers?
- Are you mostly 'making-do' when you could be treating yourself and your skin beautifully?
Here are some top tips to brushing on a perfectly sheer, professionally finished foundation. I also recommend a couple of good concealers. The same top tips and brush techniques are demonstrated in our Member's Make-Up Room. When you buy a set of our brushes you will receive a free pass. - Use a nice springy foundation brush (preferably ours), that will hold its spring when loaded. Some go like a wet dishcloth when loaded or worse foundation clumps the bristles giving you brush marks to contend with, which wastes time.
- Ensure your foundation is a good match for your skin tone; this will enable you to keep it real and thin. You don't see our most admired actresses and models in over-powdered, over-bronzed make-up, so why would you do that to yourself? The key to great looks is choosing products that add radiance. Radiance is about bringing light to the face, flattering and drawing attention to the eyes and best features.
- If you do want to add colour to your face it's best not to push the colour too far as this can require a good deal more maintenance.
- When you are nearing the 'edges' of your make-up, let the brush run low on product to enable you to blend it more easily to almost nothing and into the hairline, and brows. This helps you avoid a sudden stop or tide mark. By letting your brush run low on foundation by the time you get to the edges you won't 'paint' your hair or brows so much. Use the spring of the brush to finish into or just shy of the roots.
- Always keep foundation thin by using the spring in the brush - we want to see your perfectly colour-conditioned skin, not a layer of make-up.
- Be economical with your product. You would be amazed at how little make-up is necessary to give a lovely finish. You'd also be amazed at how little we use on camera. Less is more!
Photography: Christine Allsopp
Our Model is Actress - Su Ming Wild
Copyright The Make-Up Brush Company 2007The finer you apply foundation, the easier it is to finish at the edges
- keep it thin! Not only does the end result look much nicer - you'll
find your product goes a lot further and last longer too. And now for the Eyes - This is a professional preparation technique for powder eye-shadow. You see here our Foundation brush and Concealer brush. Photography: Christine Allsopp
Our Model is Actress - Su Ming Wild
Copyright The Make-Up Brush Company 2007- A breath of foundation on the lids is a neat trick to anchor eye shadow and give it staying power.
- A lid conditioner is not strictly speaking necessary, a whisper of your foundation will do the trick and it will also take less time and keeps continuity of product.
- Blend into the corner below and above the inner corner with foundation to conceal the blue most fair skinned people have here.
- Create a neat little non-surgical lift at the outer corner and 'open' the eyes with brightening concealer - and you can highlight your brow at the same time.
- Now set with a smidgin of powder and proceed with powder eye shadow.
- Remember Powder to Powder - Cream to Cream - coloured Powder will not blend easily over cream, and cream will not go well over a powdery finish. To make the transition from cream to powder, setting is required.
- Brush your brows to remove any product that might remain - this has the added benefit of grooming them at the same time.
Recommended Concealers
- Coral is the best colour for counteracting blueness around the eyes. Whether you are Asian, Caucasian, Eurasian, coral can be mixed into your foundation or concealer to warm up where you have cold blue shadows.
- For African skin, I recommend a pure orange in very small amounts. Coral won't work so well on African or dark skin because it has some pale pigments in it that can go ash. Dr. Harnik's Dark Circle Corrector - (available from Tesco Stores in the UK and astonishingly good value at £4.99 or thereabouts). For Asian and mixed race complexions I like Eve Pearl's Magic Salmon Concealer - which is currently only available from the United States. Google search "Eve Pearl" for further details. TIP: Mix a little concealer with a little of your foundation to help bridge the products so you have a matching blend.
- For medium or slightly darker skins this and similar corals can be used on their own, in small quantities, or mixed in with your cream foundation to very slightly lighten your foundation, (while retaining it's character to remain a good match to your skin).
- You can also use this mix to brighten the skin around the eyes, mouth and if necessary around the nose. This duo also has a cooler, very covering concealer for fair skins. We recommend a clean Concealer brush to manage this and keep it sheer. This leaves your Foundation brush free to be something of an eraser and blender with the remainder of the make-up.
- The advantage of slightly heavier creams (as long as they blend out thinly when warmed on the skin) as opposed to thin liquids is that they tend to stay put and last longer.
- I also like Estee Lauder Ideal Light Brush on Illuminator - although it has a brush, to control product well you will find our Concealer brush useful. This product comes in a few shades has a lovely texture and goes on easily, thinly with good coverage.
- Clarins Eclat Minute - also benefits from a concealer brush to control product and comes in a few shades. It has a lovely texture and goes on easily, thinly and retaining coverage.
- Careful not to over-brighten - or you'll be giving yourself a surprised expression, pale Panda eyes.
- Keep an eye on the colour of your neck and don't wander too far from it or you'll be needing to make that up too. You could blend a 'wash' of your foundation down half the neck to help achieve a bridge or 'join-up' if you've pushed it a bit far.
- Always reference the skin around the skin you have worked on when you are done - stand back and check your work and LISTEN to your instincts - that little voice inside is often correct!
- Best to do little well and finish it beautifully than to try to do too much and spoil it - as we say in the biz "Less is more".
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