How To Choose The Right Hydrating Foundation For Your Skin Type

Before you go out and buy the foundation your favourite YouTuber loves, take a few steps back and understand your skin type. There are three major skin types: oily, dry and combination.  

Oily skin has excess sebum seeping through and accumulating on the surface. This makes the skin look greasy and may have acne issues. This skin type should look for foundations for oily and acne-prone skin as they are usually formulated with no additional oil.  

Dry skin, on the other hand, lacks oil and tends to look parched and flakey. There’s not enough sebum production to provide healthy moisture in the skin or let it reach the surface. Best foundations for dry skin generally come packed with lots of skincare ingredients so the skin gets enough moisture even with makeup.  

Combination skin is a blend of both. It’s dry in some areas and oily in the remaining. Usually, the T-zone tends to get oily, and the outer perimeters of the face feel dry or normal. These people can benefit from either category of foundation by customising a little with powders and primers. A great hydrating foundation for combination skin is the Lakmé Absolute Skin Dew Serum Foundation. It’s enriched with hyaluronic acid and niacinamide which help keep skin hydrated and regulate oil production. It keeps skin hydrated for up to 24 hours and works for all skin types. You can always use a mattifying primer on oily bits before makeup, but this will take care of the rest throughout the day. 

Assess Your Skin's Needs

While there are three main types of skin types, there are many skin conditions and one of the most common ones is dehydrated skin. Whether you have oily or dry skin, you can still have dehydrated skin. Dehydration occurs due to lack of water in skin cells while dryness occurs due to lack of moisture. Hydration relates to water and moisture relates to oil.  

The simplest giveaway of dehydrated skin is prominent hyperpigmentation. If you notice your skin is looking extra dull with your dark spots standing out, this is a result of dehydration. Hence, a hydrating foundation can work for every skin type. On the other hand, dry skin feels tight, looks flakey and feels irritated all the time. If you have super dry skin, the Lakmé Absolute Argan Oil Serum Foundation. It is enriched with the goodness of argan oil that keeps skin moisturised all day long. It also provides the most gorgeous dewy finish! You can even go for a dewy primer for that added glow. This foundation offers 10 shades, ranging from cool to warm undertones with shades perfect for Indian skin tones.  

Consider Coverage and Finish

When it comes to coverage with a hydrating foundation, you can go light or heavy as per your liking. A lot of foundations tend to look dry and patchy when layered and add a cakey look. But because hydrating foundations have a skin-like finish and radiance, they can be layered to full coverage as well. However, using it as a sheer veil of coverage will give you the most beautiful natural look that’s perfect for daily wear.  

If you have oily skin and find the shine excessive, we recommend our favourite foundation for oily skin is the Lakmé 9 To 5 Primer + Matte Perfect Cover Foundation. This matte foundation keeps skin shine-free without making it feel dry. It’s long-lasting and does not feel heavy or thick on the skin, despite having a matte finish. It comes in 20 fabulous shades that are perfect for Indian skin tones. The spatula packaging makes it extremely easy to dot it across the face and control the amount of product that comes out of the bottle. 

Match Your Undertone

Your undertone matters as much as the shade of your foundation. Having the wrong undertone will completely overthrow your entire look and make your base look like a mask. Let’s go over the basics to nail the base. 

There are three main undertones in base makeup: warm, neutral and cool. Warm undertones include warm tones like yellow, orange etc. Similarly, cool undertones have blues. And right in the middle is neutral which contains equal portions of both. The easiest way to check your undertone is by donning a yellow t-shirt and a blue t-shirt and determining which one looks the best on you. If you look better in yellow, you have a warm undertone and if blue is the winner, you have a cool undertone. And if both look equally fab, you have a neutral undertone.  

You can also try this with jewellery. If gold looks better on you, warm is your palette. If silver jewellery is your jam, you lean towards cool. But if a blend of both is what you like, neutral it is! 

Test and Swatch

And finally, try out the foundation before making a purchase. A common mistake that people tend to make is swatching the foundation on their wrists. This is absolutely wrong! Your wrist and face are never the same shade so why test a colour there? Always swatch a foundation on your decolletage or jaw. Swatching it in these spots will require less blending on your neck and chest. 

Another tip from our side: always wait a few minutes before making your decision. Whenever you swatch a foundation on your skin, chances are that there is a blood rush to the spot from rubbing and tapping. This may alter the colour slightly and make the foundation look pinker. To avoid this, blend the swatch properly and wait for a few minutes. Even better if you get the chance to step out of the store to check it out in natural lighting. Store lighting tends to be bright and yellow, which might make the foundation look warmer than it is.  

FAQs about How to Choose the Right Hydrating Foundation for your Skin Type … 

Q1: Can I use foundation as a concealer? 

Yes, you can use your foundation as a concealer. You can also use different shades of foundations to highlight and contour to give your face a chiselled look! 

Q2: How do I cover blemishes and acne with foundation? 

To cover blemishes and acne with foundation, choose a full-coverage formula or use a concealer on top of your foundation to camouflage imperfections. Apply a small amount directly on the blemish, and gently blend the edges into the surrounding skin for a seamless finish. Make sure to lock in the products with a powder that is close to your skin tone. Using a lighter powder might draw more attention to it.  

Q3: Can I wear foundation every day to work?

Yes, you can wear it daily. Just make sure you cleanse your skin well and get rid of every last bit at the end of the day.