The Beautiful Cheap Girl: Foundation & Concealer

Foundation and Concealer, two words that probably many of you hear,

but wonder the difference between the two and if both are really necessary.

For starters the difference between foundation and concealer is simple:

Foundation is a product that is typically applied throughout the whole face to achieve a unified base. Concealer is usually used as a target product, meaning you usually would only use it on problem areas like dark circles and blemishes.

It is easy to remember what both of these products are used for because when you hear the word foundation you might often relate it to a house. A house's foundation is the first layer of the house set in order to build the rest. This is the role foundation plays as well with your face. It is used to even out your skin and create a, once again, unified base for the rest of your make-up to be applied on.

When one hears the word conceal they relate it to hiding or covering something. This is the same when it comes to concealer. It is used, like stated before, to target and hide flaws throughout the face whether it be under eye circles, acne, or any problem area.

Concealer tends to be a little thicker than foundation as well. Since you apply foundation to your entire face it tends to be of a lighter consistency than a concealer.

Choosing The Right Foundation and Concealer

A common thing to remember when picking both of these products out is skin tone. Many people make the mistake of buying a foundation that is too dark for their skin just because they want to look tanner. NOTE: DO NOT DO THIS!! You will look like a mess! Instead, get a foundation that matches your skin tone and then use the proper bronzer to achieve your sun kissed glow.

When it comes to picking out a color of concealer I usually tend to pick out two shades, one to match my skin tone and one a few shades lighter. I like to use the skin toned one for any blemishes on my face and then use the lighter one to brighten my under eyes and right below my eyebrow on my brow bone.

With a concealer it does not tend to matter what type of a complexion ("the natural color color, texture, and appearance of the skin, especially the face (Wiki)") you have, but when looking for a foundation it definitely does. If your complexion is usually on the oily side you want to make sure that you purchase an oil free foundation. If your skin is on the dryer side then it is best to get a minimal oil level foundation. Remember though to not over apply either way. You don't want to over clog or dry out your pores.

Last, it is always important to look for a foundation that is actually helping your skin while it is on your face. One of my favorites is Superbalanced Foundation by Clinique. This is great for both oily and dry complexions because it adds moisture where it is needed and absorbs oil wherever there is an excess.