While gorgeous smoky eyes and highlighter on fleek may be all the rage right now, there's one element of a gorgeous face that can sometimes be forgotten about: foundation. Sure, everyone wants gorgeous brows, a matte red lip, or perfect winged liner, but foundation is the real key to a flawless face. However, you likely forget about the one thing to never do when using foundation: match the product to your jaw line. You've probably seem people dab a bit of foundation onto their jawline in order to get the best color match, but it's definitely not the most effective method. While blending, priming, and setting are all important steps, the — ahem — foundational step is to be sure you have the right color match.
Maybe it's because of the popularity of contouring and highlighting, but it seems as though foundation has become an overlooked component of a gorgeous look. I think that foundation definitely needs its time in the spotlight. We've all seen or fallen victim to that dreaded line of demarcation caused by having a foundation that's too deep for your skin tone or looked back in photos and been totally washed out when rocking a color too light. Basically, your face depends on your base (if you wear it). That's why knowing how to match your foundation to your skin tone is so important.
Matching to the jaw is common practice just because it seems logical. If you're blending your foundation into your neck — and you should be — why not match your color along your jaw? Here's where the problem comes in: Your face and jaw can often be a different color than your neck and chest. Personally, I'm red as a tomato and have slight discoloration. Matching foundation to my jaw almost ensures a color too dark for my neck and chest. While blending can be a miracle worker, it can't change the shade of your foundation.
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By matching your foundation to your neck, you're ensuring that your body will match your face without you needing to blend your base into oblivion.
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Don't be afraid to mix shades either. Brands like CoverFX and Make Up Forever have awesome ranges from ivory to deep, and even if one of their diverse shades doesn't work, mix and match to create your shade. That's the great thing about makeup. There are no rules. As long as your foundation matches your skin, that is.
So next time you're out shopping, just remember that the one thing to never do is when using foundation is match it to you jaw. Get the perfect shade by paying closer attention to your body, and you'll have a gorgeous seamless look.
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