A lot of people cannot stand the feeling of layers of makeup being caked onto their face. They constantly feel the makeup seeping into their pores and the oils sitting on their faces. Like everyone else there are days I don’t feel like layering on the makeup either but still need a little something. There are four great alternatives to liquid foundation that still allow you to awaken your skin, and reduce the appearance of uneven skin tone and darkness.
A BB or CC cream is essentially the next step up from a tinted moisturizer. BB/CC Cream is the option for you if you’re looking for liquid coverage, but not for it to look like it has been caked on. The coverage will be there, but rather sheer. It will act almost as a second skin, or a “my skin but better” kind of product. The difference between BB and CC Cream is that a CC cream will generally address the issue of color correcting as well. From my personal experience, I prefer BB cream and find they are easier to find in a drugstore. I apply mine with a damp beauty sponge and my personal favorite is the Covergirl Ready Set Gorgeous.
In my opinion, powder foundation is honestly slept on. I was 100% guilty of this and only began using it because I raided my mom’s makeup cabinet. A lot of people believe that powder foundation won’t do anything in the means of coverage, but the right one will absolutely do the trick. I love using powder foundation in the summer when my freckles are in full blast because instead of covering them up with a liquid foundation, the powder evens out my skin tone while still allowing me to show off my freckles. I apply this with a domed powder-foundation brush that has rather tightly packed bristles which pack the product on. Another concern people seem to have is that their skin will look, well, powdery. There is a super quick and easy fix to this and that’s a setting spray, which is key when using any facial cosmetics. A setting spray will melt all the product together and help it to blend flawlessly into your skin. My favorite is hands down the Original Foundation powder foundation by Bareminerals.
Concealer is something that many people use, but not everyone uses to its full potential. It’s great for the days that you don’t feel like spending more than three minutes in front of the mirror, but don’t want to look like a zombie either. Concealer can be used to spot conceal things such as hyper-pigmentation or acne, but it can also be used to highlight the natural beauty of your face. When using concealer to spot conceal you want to use a shade that matches your skin tone, but if you’re highlighting your face then you want to pick a shade that is one or two shades lighter than your skin. You can use this under your eyes to conceal dark circles and make you look more awake and fresh. By adding some of this lighter shade to other areas of your face (between your eyebrows, bridge of your nose, center of your chin etc), you are simply adding light to the high points of your face and this will give your face more structure. The photo below has a diagram to explain this and also a quick guide to color correcting with concealers as well. I apply my concealer with a damp beauty sponge, but the right brush would also work just as well. My favorite spot concealer is the Too Faced Born This Way concealer and my favorite brightening concealer is the Kokie Cosmetics Be Bright concealer.
Illuminator can come in many different forms, from a liquid highlight to a face primer. An illuminator is a cream or liquid product that will bring shine, sheen, or sparkle to your skin. This will also aid in helping your skin to look more healthy and awake. This is a great product to liven up your face while still letting your natural skin shine through. Illuminators will not give any coverage to your skin, but instead it will give the look of a glow from within. My favorite time to use these is when my skin is rather clear and healthy but it’s feeling a bit dull and just needs a little more than my daily moisturizer can give. I use about the same amount that I would of moisturizer and apply this all over my face with my fingers. The one I recommend would be the elf liquid highlighter. Even though the idea of applying a “liquid highlight” all over your face may be intimidating, this is a great product that gives your face a beautiful sheen.