Attack of the Orange Foundation

Here is (I hope) an amusing tale of TOO MUCH MAKEUP.

First, let me set the scene:

Last Sunday, my family and I attended a local church. To be completely honest with you, I really dread dragging my five children to church. Sunday is never a “Day of Rest” for me. Being a mother of five girls, we have quite a bit of drama most mornings, and Sunday’s stress is compounded by the fact that I have to get ready as well.

We usually arrive at our chapel either seconds before or minutes after it starts. Once we arrive, the girls and I find a spot in the back rows and then the games begin! Naomi, who is four, starts clamoring for something to draw with. Becca, the baby, crawls over everyone. It’s anything but a time of peace and worship for me. I usually leave with a splitting headache.

This morning we were 15 minutes early. My girls and I were all in fairly decent moods and we had our pick of where to sit. The early arrival time gave me a moment to sit and contemplate higher, more spiritual things. The peace was too brief, and was interrupted by the sight of the most alarmingly orange looking foundation on a dear sweet woman’s face who took her seat in front of us!

What is it that makes women think this kind of makeup is better than nothing at all? Did she have any idea how strange the shade of her face really appeared? Do I commit similar fashion crimes that make people look at me and think “Look at that poor woman! She thinks that ___ makes her look better!”

Why do we keep putting more and more crap on our faces in hopes of covering up or being more beautiful, to the detriment of our skin and anything what looks remotely natural on us?

The more I learn, the more I believe that less is better when it comes to cosmetics. Less of it in quantity and less matte in it’s appearance. Especially for us women 35+. I realize we all want to look beautiful and young again. We must be lying to ourselves and refuse to see ourselves honestly in the mirror. What possesses us to spread a thick orange paste foundation or a overly dense coat of loose mineral makeup? Honestly, this dear woman would have looked 100% better if she would have worn NOTHING on her face that morning to church.

It is truly horrifying.

In the quest for the most natural, best feeling, best coverage (if needed), I beg you, all of you, try the following advice:

1. Go to the cosmetics counter and work with someone trained to match cosmetics to your exact skin tone. This is not foolproof, but should increase your chances at getting the right shade. If you burn in the sun and turn pink you are probably a “cool” tone, and need a foundation with the words “porcelain” or “ivory.” If you freckle, tan or don’t change color with sun exposure, you need yellow based “warm” shades, usually named “golden” or “honey.”

2. If you do buy the wrong shade, and you will know if you do by the “broad daylight car mirror” test, either return it or toss it. Fast!

3. Opt for a less matte finish. Dewy complexions with some shine are much more becoming, natural and youthful on most faces. Matte foundations cake and give a fake powdered and dry looking face and has no natural resemblance to human skin.  There are wonderful oil-free foundations that provide buildable coverage and don’t cause breakouts like: Tarte’s Smooth Operator, Model Co 3 in 1, and The Balm’s Tinted Moisturizer.

4. Give your skin a chance to breathe! Be kind to it, use smart skincare and sunscreen and lay off on the extreme makeup. When your skin is healthy, you don’t need much makeup, and in my opinion, less is more beautiful anyway.

5. To combat the oilies, there are several great products that can help reduce excess oil/sebum production and won’t make the problem worse (like harsh cleansers and alcohol based toners) that over-strip your skin. To avoid caking, try using blotting papers, not more powder for mid day touch ups.   A very light dusting of translucent powder is fine to set your makeup, but too much powder will make you look like a corpse!
6. Find a friend who will be honest with you. Get real, honest feedback on what looks good on you.

Break away from your current ways and re-examine your beauty routine. Every single one of us has different skin issues, so spend some time to figure out what you need. I am very sad seeing a woman wasting their money and energy on beauty products and abusing them. My fellow church sister desired a much different result from her makeup, and yet, she failed miserably. There are some much deeper and darker issues lurking with this subject, and it warrants some future discussion.

We need to share our knowledge so that we do not fall victim to what cosmetic marketers throw our way. We need to esteem ourselves for who we are, the age we are, and that although we want to look our best, we are way more than just a pretty face.

Love and accept yourself. You are beautiful!