How to Choose the Right Foundation for Your Skin Type

How foundation sits against your skin is directly related to your skin type and chosen finish. A flawless makeup look relies on a well-prepped canvas – and learning how to choose the right foundation for your skin type is the first step in the process.

Whether you prefer a ‘no makeup’ look or skin-like full coverage, foundation is highly individual. A foundation for oily skin is going to produce a different effect on dry skin, and vice versa. In the same vein, sensitive or mature skin is going to have very different needs.

To help you select a formulation that’ll achieve your dream complexion, read on for our expert tips on finding the perfect foundation for dry skin, oily skin, and everything in between.

Identify your skin type

The journey to a flawless foundation finish begins with determining your skin type: dry, oily, combination or sensitive. Mature skin falls into the camp of ‘skin concerns’, but it can share similar challenges – for example, a lack of natural moisture – with dry skin types. If you’re unsure which skin type you are, here are few ways to identify each one:

• Dry skin: along with dry patches, dry skin is prone to flakiness and tightness. Dry skin can look and feel rough or dull in texture.
• Sensitive skin: if you experience negative responses (including redness, dryness and tingling sensations) to external factors – such as skincare products, soaps, fragrances, or environmental triggers – you likely have sensitive skin.
• Oily skin: excess sebum (the skin’s natural oils), shiny patches, and clogged pores – like blackheads, whiteheads, and pimples – are all typical signs of oily skin.
• Combination skin: as the name implies, this skin type is a combination of oily and dry patches. Excess oil is common on the t-zone (forehead, nose and chin), while dry patches tend to appear on the cheeks.
• Mature skin: while not a skin type per se, mature skin is characterised by visible signs of ageing: including fine lines, wrinkles, dark circles, hyperpigmentation, loss of elasticity, and dehydration.

Foundation for dry skin

If you have dry skin, it’s best to avoid powder foundations and matte formulas because they can emphasise the skin’s visible dryness. Dewy foundations, on the other hand, are perfect for dry skin types. Opt for liquid formulas with hydrating or illuminating properties to help brighten dry skin (which can look quite dull).

The Luminous Silk Foundation is our go-to foundation for dry skin as it offers a lit-from-within glow and a second-skin effect that allows you to build up coverage as desired. With 40 shades available, you can easily choose a foundation colour that seamlessly blurs imperfections on your dry skin.

The best way to apply foundation for dry skin

Firstly, ensure that your skin is well-nourished with moisturiser and primer – this will help mitigate dry, rough texture.

Crema Nera Supreme Reviving Cream instantly softens, illuminates and hydrates skin, giving you the perfect base for your makeup look. Follow up with the Luminous Silk Hydrating Primer to increase the comfort and wearability of your foundation.

Apply your foundation for dry skin using a damp makeup sponge – the dampness offers a little extra hydration and will help prevent your foundation from clinging to dry patches.

Foundation for oily skin

When choosing foundation for oily skin, you’ll want to seek out a formula that reduces shine and offers a mattifying effect. Err on the side of oil-free and non-comedogenic formulas to avoid clogging pores and exacerbating oil production.

A liquid matte foundation like the Power Fabric+ Full Coverage Liquid Foundation is a perfect match for oily skin as it offers shine control, medium to full coverage, and up to 24 hours of wear. This water-based foundation feels weightless on the skin to ensure comfort throughout the day – along with a flawless finish.

The best way to apply foundation for oily skin

You have your foundation for oily skin, but you’ll need a couple of other key products to assist with application: a primer, to give your foundation something to grip onto, and a powder, to lock your foundation in place and diminish shine.

You can use a brush or sponge for application to achieve different levels of coverage. Using a brush provides a lighter finish, whereas a sponge will disperse more product onto the skin, offering more coverage. Stipple on in thin, even layers to gradually build coverage and avoid a cakey finish.

Foundation for combination skin

The challenge of choosing a foundation for combination skin is that you have to factor in both hydration and shine control.

We suggest opting for a hydrating formula like the Luminous Silk foundation, which will give you a dewy base that you can strategically mattify as required. The Luminous Silk Glow Fusion Face Powder is up to the task since it gently becomes one with the skin: controlling oil where you need, without interfering with the skin’s natural moisture levels.

The best way to apply foundation for combination skin

Just as you would apply foundation for dry skin or oily skin, ensure that your combination skin is well moisturised and primed. This will help your makeup glide on easily and give it staying power throughout the day.

Choose your application tool – be it blender or brush – then follow up with the Luminous Silk Glow Powder. Take a clean, fluffy brush and apply a dusting of powder over your forehead, nose and chin – or wherever you’re most prone to oil.

Foundation for sensitive skin

Knowing how to choose the right foundation for your skin type is especially important for sensitive skin because you don’t want to exacerbate any tightness or uncomfortable sensations.

The best foundation for sensitive skin should be gentle and nourishing – like the skincare-infused Neo Nude Tinted Moisturiser, which contains hyaluronic acid and glycerin to deliver intense hydration. As sensitive skin tends to experience redness, a tinted moisturiser is a good fit as it offers buildable coverage while still being lightweight and breathable.

The best way to apply foundation for sensitive skin

Always start with a moisturiser that’s formulated for sensitive skin so that your skin stays comfortable under your foundation. Dirty sponges can carry bacteria that’s especially harmful for sensitive skin types, so keep your beauty tools as clean as possible. If applying with your fingers, make sure to wash your hands thoroughly first.

You might also find it helpful to cancel out any redness with a concealer. Enriched with vitamin E and glycerin, the Luminous Silk Lightweight Liquid Concealer nourishes the complexion while delivering highly pigmented coverage.

Foundation for mature skin

An effective foundation for mature skin will smooth textural concerns without settling into creases. Cream foundations are very compatible with mature skin because they are hydrating, smoothing, non-drying, and soften fine lines – which helps de-emphasise visible signs of ageing. Formulated to smooth facial features with weightless coverage, the Designer Cream Foundation unifies skin tone and provides a lasting, radiant finish – the ideal foundation for mature skin.

The best way to apply foundation for mature skin

As mature skin tends to be dry, a makeup routine for mature skin should be predicated on skin preparation to give you a smooth canvas to work with.

Alongside a moisturiser and makeup primer, we suggest two other hero anti-ageing products: the Crema Nera Firming Plumping Facial Essence to plump and tighten ageing skin; and the Crema Nera Firming Meta Eye Treatment to moisturise and combat signs of stress around the delicate eye contour.

When it comes to application, a makeup sponge achieves the best results as it ensures an even, natural finish.

Whether you’re applying foundation for oily skin or dry skin, the goal should always be long-lasting coverage. Next, then, discover how to stop makeup transferring through the day.