Look fresh without a face full of foundation

FOUNDATION has got to be one of our biggest beauty kit must-haves, but it does not mean that we need to apply a face full of it every day.

Last week, I had a bad flare-up, which meant red, angry and blotchy skin. Foundation only made it look worse.

What I found worked best for me in that situation was the selective application of base make-up and the use of multipurpose skincare products to cut down the amount of stuff I was putting on my face.

This actually worked better on my sensitive skin and no one could tell that I was hiding angry skin underneath.

Here is how you can look good without having to cover your face with foundation.

1. USE A COLOUR CORRECTING SUNSCREEN

The easiest way to cut down on the amount of make-up you are wearing is to apply a sunscreen that doubles as a base and colour corrector. It will help to blur imperfections and brighten the skin.

Some brands of sunscreen also have dry to a smooth matte finish, so you do not have to worry about oily sunscreen shine, especially if you tend to wear primer every day.

One that I find boasts superb oil control and lasting power is Clarins UV Plus Anti-Pollution SPF50/PA++++, which comes in three shades.

Opt for the pink if you want a subtle brightening effect, but I chose blue to colour-correct acne scarring and other dark spots.

As with all colour correctors, be careful of the amount you apply.

I managed to get away with using a 50-cent-size amount of the blue shade, but any more would have turned my complexion grey.

2. SPOT APPLY

Use a full-coverage foundation, but apply it only where you need it.

Usually, it is more than enough to apply it on the under-eye area, around the nose and on dark spots. You will look instantly brighter.

Bobbi Brown's Skin Foundation Stick works perfectly for this - it is creamy and non-drying, giving you maximum coverage without the cakey finish.

3. MIX WITH HIGHLIGHTER AND MOISTURISER

Turn it into a BB cream by mixing your foundation, highlighter and moisturiser.

It should follow the ratio of 2:1:2. This will help to sheer out the formula, so it will feel a lot lighter on the skin.

Want radiant K-idol skin? Choose a pink-based highlighter like Benefit's High Beam. If the sun-kissed look is what you are going for, opt for a gold highlighter instead, like Benefit's Sun Beam - perfect beach holiday make-up!

Now follow No. 4's application method for maximum glow.

4. APPLY IN THE "DIAMOND ZONE"

This is a K-beauty trick I swear by. Locate these spots on your face: the centre of your forehead, the highest point of your cheeks and the chin.

See the diamond? Apply your foundation mixture within this portion and keep it sheer.

This will instantly brighten your complexion and give more "volume" to the centre of your face.

A slimmer face without the bronzer? Yes, please!

5. POWDER SELECTIVELY

Apply powder only to the T-zone and spots to "set" the foundation in these areas.

You do not want a complexion that is too matte, or your features will look flat.

You can even skip the powder if you find the right sunscreen that effectively controls sebum production.

Try these tricks whenever you feel that your skin needs a little time to "breathe", or if you are just out running a few errands over the weekend. It will not take longer than 10 minutes to do your make-up, too!

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