With all the different cosmetics out there, it can be hard to find a foundation that is just right for your complexion and skin type. Changes in the seasons and your diet can give your skin a different glow or feel, so it’s important to know how to shop for foundation that will keep your skin healthy and your pores unclogged.

Know your skin type

If your skin is oily, you may want to try a foundation that is water-based or oil-free. For dry skin, try a cream or liquid foundation. Keep in mind that darker skin tends to be oilier because more light is reflected off of women of color. Fairer skin mostly has reddish pigments, and darker skin has yellowish undertones, so be sure to use this rule to shop for the right foundation. When you are testing foundation, put a small amount on your jaw line. This is the most accurate way to tell if the foundation will blend in with your skin color; testing the makeup on your cheeks is not always the best way to go, since your cheeks are usually darker than the rest of the face. Testing foundation on the back of the hand isn’t too reliable either, since your hand and your face are rarely the same color.

Application

Before you apply your foundation, use a hypo-allergenic moisturizer after cleansing so that your makeup will stay on top of the skin. You can apply makeup with a sponge or your fingertips; be sure to blend quickly and evenly. In especially hot weather, you can set your makeup with powder by using a blush brush.

If you want to use a concealer, you’ll need to select one that is best for your skin as well. It’s best to use a flat makeup brush to apply concealer, since it covers more area of the face and won’t cake up as quickly. Apply concealer to the under-eye area to hide dark circles and fine lines, and you can even use concealer to hide most blemishes and to give skin a more even tone. You should choose a concealer that is a little lighter than your foundation, so that your face won’t look shadowed when you apply your foundation. You can even use the dried out makeup in the cap of your foundation as a concealer. Since this makeup is a little drier, it will be thicker, and will match your foundation exactly.

Put on the right face for every season

Of course, for summer time, you’ll need a slightly darker or redder shade of foundation. Make sure that you go through the same procedure to find summer foundation as you do for your general shade, since your skin may change shade slightly several times during the summer. You may also want to use a bronzer or blush during the warmer months to give your skin a healthy glow. If you have oily skin, keep in mind that your skin will absorb color readily, which means your blush or bronzer may begin to look darker as the day goes on. So, keep a compact of translucent powder handy to absorb oil throughout the day.

During the winter, you’ll need to go cosmetic shopping again to find a shade of foundation that is slightly lighter. And, if you wear blush, be sure to select darker shades for the fall or winter.

When applying blush, be sure not to apply to the cheekbones; the apple of the cheeks is the correct place for blush. And, you can use a flat makeup sponge to blend in your blush after applying it to the face with a blush. It’s also a good idea to find different shades of eye shadow and lipstick to wear with the seasons; slightly darker and matte shades of lipstick and eye shadow for the winter and glossier, pink and gold shades for summer will help to complete your look and compliment your foundation extremely well.