It's all about the base with Kent make-up artist Elizabeth Joseph Love

Kent-based bridal make-up artist Elizabeth Joseph-Love is, quite rightly, still celebrating her win at The Wedding Industry Awards 2021 for best make-up artist in the South East. So, when we started grappling with the question of foundations, we could think of no one better placed to help us out.

So Elizabeth, for those of us who've been through endless foundations. How can we pick the right one, once and for all?

"What a question! Indeed, foundations are an absolute minefield. Choosing the right one for you can be a frustrating and confusing process that’s costly if you get it wrong. To find the one for you, you’ll need to consider both your skin and the desired result.

Check out my five-point guide…

• Skin type – normal, dry, oily or combination.
• Skin tone – fair, light, medium or deep.
• Skin undertone – cool, warm or neutral.

If you have pink, red or bluish undertones and burn easily in the sun, your undertone is cool.
If you have golden, olive or yellow understones and tan easily, your undertone is warm.
If you're unsure, look at the veins on your wrist. If you have both blue/purple (cool) and blue/green (warm) veins, your undertone is most likely neutral.

• Foundation coverage – lightweight, medium, or full
• Foundation finish – matte (powdery), satin (between matte and dewy), or luminous (dewy) finish.

For oily skin, a matte finished is best.
For dry skin choose a luminous, dewy finish.
For normal/combination skin, a satin finish will look fabulous.
For mature skin, I always recommend a luminous finish as a matte foundation will accentuate any fine lines.

When you know where you stand with these five pointers, you’ll be able to approach the make-up counter with confidence.

Always aim to match a potential shade to your jawline, not the back of your hand. Take a small mirror with you and look at the swatch in natural daylight as well as under the shop lighting. If the colour stands out on your skin, it’s the wrong shade – it’ll be invisible if matched perfectly. You may even want to consider investing in a summer shade and a winter one, you can even mix them together to get the correct tone for the season. Finally, for the best finish, always choose a moisturiser or primer that suits your skin type.

For dry skin Elizabeth recommends:

• Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation
• It Cosmetics CC+ Cream Illumination SPF 50+
• Nars Sheer Glow Foundation
• Dior Face & Body Foundation

For oily skin Elizabeth recommends:

• It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC + Oil-Free Matte SPF 40
• Diorskin Forever Undercover Foundation
• Nars Soft Matte Complete Foundation

For normal/combination skin Elizabeth recommends:

• Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation
• Nars Radiant Longwear Foundation
• Pat McGrath Sublime Perfection Foundation

For further information on Elizabeth Joseph-Love Make-up Artist, head over to www.elizabethjosephlove.co.uk