What Foundation/concealer/powder Do You Use?

Updated on August 02, 2012
J.H. asks from San Jose, CA
22 answers

Hi Mamas,

Currently, I use Bare Essentials powder only. I have pretty good skin (can be dry). I rarely wear make-up but I am looking for something heavier to wear on my wedding day (concealer for under my eyes and foundation to keep things even). Any recommendations? Where would you go to try new make-up - Sephora, Macy's...? I really don't know much about make-up!

TIA!

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So What Happened?

Thanks everyone! I will be checking some of these products - probably starting with a trip to Sephora.

And Riley, you're right - I'm going to check out a makeup artist this week *sigh*. I really don't want to spend money on this!

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B..

answers from Dallas on

I use Mac Studio Sculpt foundation and Mac Studio Fix powder foundation to set it. (I find it's very smooth and works better then powder. I only need a tiny amount. I like it, because it lasts all day!) I don't actually use concealer, as the foundation is enough coverage for me. However, their foundation is amazing!

3 moms found this helpful
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K.K.

answers from Washington DC on

Origins is great! Love that store! They will help you find whatever you need. I use to buy the liquid foundation and it was perfect. You don't need a powder or concealer with that! I don't wear make-up anymore. I love Ulta though! Macy's always have great items too. You want a great coverage, which means you may be paying a little bit more! Sephora has plenty of products too. I don't find the Sephora here where I live to be all that good. Clinique is a great line as well--you can get at Macys!

Good luck!!!!!

2 moms found this helpful

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T.H.

answers from Kansas City on

I'm not a big make-up person either but I do wear a lot of Mac although I've never tried their foundation. For that I use Smashbox. They sell it at Nordstrom's and Sephora I think. I know they sell it at Beauty Brands but if it's for your wedding I would at least make sure you do a consultation with an actual person and I'd go to a department store or Sephora because they are more specialized in that area. But you can always pick up extras at BB, not sure how much cheaper they are though.

Smashbox also has a super awesome primer that you put on before your foundation and i really like that a lot too.

3 moms found this helpful

K.M.

answers from Chicago on

I use a colour supplement from Lush www.lushusa.com, Benefit's concealer and I use the bare essentials mineral veil.

For you wedding day DO NOT use a HD powder. You know those pictures of Nicole Kidmon with white powder on her face ... that is from using HD powder, with the flash it often does not photograph correctly. I suggest you go to Ulta tell them your issue and go from there.

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D.P.

answers from Sacramento on

Mac would be great for a wedding. You can even have them do your makeup for the wedding. Good luck and congratulations!

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T.A.

answers from Seattle on

I like stila, Mac, and nars! And second on the benefit ooh la lift!

3 moms found this helpful

C.C.

answers from San Francisco on

Go to Sephora and have them work with you. They're so good there, and they work with many different brands, so it's easier to find one that will work well for you (vs at Macy's, where each person works for an individual makeup line, so they're only going to recommend their own). I found my latest foundation, which I love, upon the recommendation of a Sephora employee. It's Hourglass foundation. A trick I learned (also at Sephora) is that liquid foundation is best applied with a synthetic brush (not natural bristle, which will allow makeup to seep into the bristles). You will get a beautiful application that way, and will have to use very little makeup, actually.

For under eye concealer, I like Benefit Ooh La Lift. It's actually a pink color, which may seem weird, but it counteracts the bluish color of under-eye circles, and doesn't crease. It works very well for me.

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding!

2 moms found this helpful

T.F.

answers from Dallas on

I love Clinique. Can't answer to concealers.

Sephora is a great place to get good advice!

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R.M.

answers from Sacramento on

Go to Ulta and get a free consultation.

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K.R.

answers from Minneapolis on

I like Aveda dual...

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R.M.

answers from Cumberland on

NARS Sheer Glow foundation, Lancome waterproof concealer Sue deVitt pressed powder or Chanel loose powder-all at Macy's

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J.M.

answers from San Francisco on

I used to shop for makeup at department stores and hated it because each brand has its own counter, and you have to know which brand you want before you could get any help. Sephora is a great place to go to try new stuff, because they carry lots of brands, and you can literally try anything. I have found their staff to be very helpful and knowledgeable - because they're not working for one brand, they are free to show you everything based on what you tell them you are looking for.

ETA: As for hiring a professional make up artist for your wedding, I found in my case that it was money well spent. The woman who did mine was really good.

And congratulations on your wedding!

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R.J.

answers from Seattle on

PROFESSIONAL!!!!

I can do my own makeup. Heck, I can even do special occasion and theatrical makeup.

But photographic makeup is an entirely different creature. ESP if you want to look normal AND photograph well (a whole 3rd creature!)

You'd have to buy very specialized makeup for this, and would actually save money having it professionally done.

SIMILARLY : MAKE TWO APPTS.

Any good photography makeup artist will insist on a dry run BEFORE your wedding. That way they can work out palette and details with you (and erase, try different "looks" without needing the end result to be flawless) in advance, so that your wedding day you will look... Perfect.

((Ahem, "stars without their makeup"? They're usually WEARING makeo!!! They're just wearing normal life Clinique/Mac/BareMinerals/etc. aka GOOD makep, instead of photography makeup!!!))

These things are usually billed as a single service, even though its over two appointments. Make sure, again, that the makeup artist has quite z bit of training in this. It really takes quite a lot of skill

Have fun! So exciting!!

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J.K.

answers from Kansas City on

I use Mary Kay and I love it. Feels clean on your face.

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R.P.

answers from Sacramento on

Macy's has a nice selection of makeups. Lancome has mineral and liquid makeup too. All the name brands at Macy will have what you are looking for.

1 mom found this helpful
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J.B.

answers from Rochester on

I use Almay. The foundation covers well and doesn't feel heavy. They also tailor their makeup for your eye and skin color...so picking colors is easy:)

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L.L.

answers from Topeka on

I bought the new Garnier BB cream wonderful you don't need concelar just a light powder it comes in 2 shades light to medium medium to dark

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M.P.

answers from Raleigh on

I second Almay. Their Smart Shade foundation doesn't streak or leave marks, and is very light with good coverage. I use the Maybelline concealer in the lipstick tube. Good stuff.

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N.P.

answers from Stockton on

Congrats!! I just got married 2 weeks ago and also only use the bare minerals powder and have dry skin! i went to sephora also and they helped so much. I tried a foundation then went outside with the sales girl, looked totally different out side. Make sure they go out with you so you can both see what it looks like and make the corrections. I ended up buying make up fporever professional paris. it is an HD foundation and looked great! it covers so well and really was a great match to my skin. My make up artist used the mineral veil over the make up. It gave it the airbrush look and didn't do the Nicole Kidman thing. Good Luck!!!

1 mom found this helpful

G.K.

answers from San Francisco on

If it's only for one day, I would try to find someone to do your makeup, maybe the artist at your hair place if you're getting your hair done :) Regardless of what you choose, you'll probably have to touch up during the day.

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M.D.

answers from San Francisco on

At Sephora: Make up Forever liquid foundation and YSL Touche Eclat for under eyes. You will love both of these products!

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R.P.

answers from Sacramento on

I didn't have time to read what others wrote, but I have a huge tip...HUGE! I was a wedding photographer for years, and so many of the makeups looks great in person and wonderful on film (okay, digital now). But, here's the big thing...so many of them have fancy 'light reflecting' properties. Like I said, they looked great in person and with natural light photography (window light only or outside with no fill-flash used). But then it's pictures of the wedding party and family at the alter (if it's a church wedding) and in the reception room and the photographer pops a little flash in. It is necessary to fill in stay shadows and light up the eyes (really, I went to school for this and did it for about 12 years as my full time career). Because of this 'light reflecting' what looks soft and healthy and dewy in person looks like a teenage grease pit on your face. The forehead, apples of the cheeks and chin are the big problem areas not because they are in the T-zone, but because of the angle to the flash and the flash bouncing off of them back into the lens. Ask your photographer about this (may or may not know, esp. if a guy) and do some trial runs with putting on the make up and taking indoor pictures with flash. And just because someone is a make-up artist does not mean they will know about this...unless they have been trained to work specifically for print. They are looking with their eyes and often have no clue what the Bride looked like 6 hours later in the photos of the cake cutting and dancing. And some of those 'photo finish' makeups can be the worse...so test, test, and test some more! Good luck--you will find something that works.

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