Foundation - No idea!

[Mary]

Hi guys,
My name is Mary and I am an old school friend of Karen's. She came to visit me this past week in Germany and gave me a lot of gorgeous eye shadows and lippies, which I am having fun trying out. What I really need, though, is a decent foundation that doesn't make me feel like my skin is suffocating. I have no idea where to start! Karen told me that you guys are make-up experts and would be able to help me out!
I have (dyed) light red hair, green eyes, and rather light skin that is also a bit rosy. What color would you recommend. Also, I have never owned a makeup brush in my life, so what brushes are the "must-haves".

[tizzylou]

Hi Mary, welcome!!!

I'm not a good color estimator , so will leave that job up to Jen or one of the others, but I can anwer the brush question.
For foundation, get you self either a good Kabuki or a large flat top. The Kabuki will apply your foundation slightly lighter than the flat top, so which you end up is dependent upon how heavy you want you coverage to be.
For blush most of us prefer a small fiber optic brush.
The ultimate eye shadow brush is wonderful if you just want to invest in 1 brush for eyeshadows, is you can use the wide end to apply lid color and highlighter and the pointed end to apply liner, and turn the widest part so that you are only using the edge to apply crease color. If you want additional brushes, the wet dry brush is good, as is the smudge brush and the small flat blending brush,
I know that some of us use the crease brush to apply concealor.

All of these plus more can be found on Karen's silk natural's site, so have fun shopping, and enjoy playing with the many colors, If you are like all of us, you will find your favorite combination,and then next week you will fall in love with a totally different look with all different colors.

Hollis

[JenW]

Hi Mary,

If your skin is kind of rosy, I would start with Ebony as the color base. I am not really able to help much with the ratio, but with Ebony, if you are fair it will be in the 1 scoop Ebony to 9 or more Ivory. Light coloring will be in the 1:7-9. Medium Light 1:5-6. Medium 1:3-4. It can still vary around those numbers, but those should give you a starting point.

For brushes, it really is personal preference. If you want a heavier application, we recommend a flat top. If you want a little lighter application, we recommend a kabuki.