There are many options when it comes to buying a makeup product for face coverage. This is great news for beauty buyers because it means that, with a bit of research, you can find the foundation option that works best for your skin type and lifestyle. It can be a bit tricky to keep track of all the options, though. Luckily, we’ve done your homework for you, and come up with this guide to applying all types of face makeup:

Liquid Foundation

Liquid foundation generally provides maximum coverage, so it’s ideal for covering up blemished skin and other forms of skin damage. Liquid foundations come in a range of prices, and there are many natural options available: for instance, Burt’s Bees’ Goodness Glows Liquid Foundation ($14.99) and Juice Beauty’s PHYTO-PIGMENTS Flawless Serum Foundation ($44).

For the best possible results, moisturize and prime your skin before applying foundation. This will help to prevent the foundation from sinking into your pores and creating oiliness, or from becoming flaky throughout the day.

Pair liquid foundation with a makeup sponge, or with a wide, flat brush like Inika Organics’ Vegan Kabuki Brush ($45). Using your tool of choice, swipe a small amount of foundation across your skin in light strokes, and buff it into the skin in circular motions to blend. If you’re using a makeup sponge, you can also gently dab the foundation into your skin to help it blend.

B.B. Cream, C.C. Cream, or Tinted Moisturizer

B.B. cream, C.C. cream, and tinted moisturizers are all formulated to lightly cover up skin imperfections. B.B. creams are designed specifically to cover up blemishes, while C.C. creams or designed for color correction (thus the acronym). Tinted moisturizers are a particularly good option for dry skin that needs a bit of tone adjustment.

Pair one of these lightweight makeup options with a makeup sponge or a wide, flat brush, and apply it to the skin as you would a foundation, making sure to blend as you go. Most B.B. creams and C.C. creams are buildable, so you can start with a small amount and then add additional layers as desired. As with a foundation, we recommend using a moisturizer and/or primer on your skin before applying a color-correcting product. This will help the makeup to glide on smoothly and evenly, and keep it in place during the day.

Try our favorite CC cream here.

Pressed Powder or Mineral Powder

Pressed powders and mineral powders are good options for oily skin. When used correctly, they can provide a similar level of coverage to a liquid foundation, while looking much more natural. A powder can also be used on the skin as a follow-up to liquid foundation, in order to mattify the skin and touch up problem areas.

We recommend using a kabuki brush or other wide brush when applying a powder foundation, although many powder products come with their own applicator. Swipe the brush across the surface of a pressed powder, or dab it gently into a loose mineral powder. Tap the brush gently to let any loose powder fall back into the container (this way, you’ll avoid wasting any product). Stroke the brush across your skin in gentle, short swipes, and blend it into your skin in circular motions if desired.

Stick Foundation

Stick foundation has a creamy texture, almost like that of concealer (and it actually can be used as a concealer). This makes it an excellent option for covering up blemishes, wrinkles, and skin damage while correcting the tone of your skin. Like liquid foundation, we recommend stick foundation to anyone in search of heavy skin coverage.

Stick foundation can be rubbed directly into your skin and then blended with fingers, a sponge, or a brush. Just glide it gently of your skin, focusing on problem areas, and then blend in to achieve a seamless look. If this process seems weird to you, you can also apply stick foundation using a makeup sponge or brush: Just dab it into the surface of the foundation, then apply to your skin and blend as usual.

What’s your favorite type of foundation?

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