Foundation Recipes :-)

[moonleo]

Hi, I'm trying to get a closer mix to my skin but it always turn muddy on me. I am currently using Lumiere Cashmere Lt med gold: med gold 1:1. I bought SN's foundation kit a long time ago, so it should be the original formula (lightest coverage) and I have tried using warm gold: ivory 1:8. The shade seems fine but it turns dark on me after some time. I was wondering if I need to get other shades, like yellow adjuster or olive to get a closer match to my skin.

Thanks.

[JenW]

Hi, I'm trying to get a closer mix to my skin but it always turn muddy on me. I am currently using Lumiere Cashmere Lt med gold: med gold 1:1. I bought SN's foundation kit a long time ago, so it should be the original formula (lightest coverage) and I have tried using warm gold: ivory 1:8. The shade seems fine but it turns dark on me after some time. I was wondering if I need to get other shades, like yellow adjuster or olive to get a closer match to my skin.

Thanks.

If it matches at first and then turns dark, I have to wonder if it is too dark to start, or if you have oily skin.

I generally mix mine slightly lighter than my skintone, because it does darken just a bit when it blends with the oils in my skin.

If your skin is oily, have you tried anything to help with that? Oil Control Primers, Oil Control Blur, and paying close attention to your skin's hydration (not to be confused with using a moisturizer) may help.

Also, without seeing how your mix looks on, it is really hard for me to tell you if a color adjustment will help. I am not very familiar with Lumiere, but from the color description, Buttery Gold might be a better match at about the same ratio. Olive might work, too, but it lacks yellow. A close Olive ratio would be 1:12.

[moonleo]

Hi, I'm trying to get a closer mix to my skin but it always turn muddy on me. I am currently using Lumiere Cashmere Lt med gold: med gold 1:1. I bought SN's foundation kit a long time ago, so it should be the original formula (lightest coverage) and I have tried using warm gold: ivory 1:8. The shade seems fine but it turns dark on me after some time. I was wondering if I need to get other shades, like yellow adjuster or olive to get a closer match to my skin.

Thanks.

If it matches at first and then turns dark, I have to wonder if it is too dark to start, or if you have oily skin.

I generally mix mine slightly lighter than my skintone, because it does darken just a bit when it blends with the oils in my skin.

If your skin is oily, have you tried anything to help with that? Oil Control Primers, Oil Control Blur, and paying close attention to your skin's hydration (not to be confused with using a moisturizer) may help.

Also, without seeing how your mix looks on, it is really hard for me to tell you if a color adjustment will help. I am not very familiar with Lumiere, but from the color description, Buttery Gold might be a better match at about the same ratio. Olive might work, too, but it lacks yellow. A close Olive ratio would be 1:12.

Hi Jen, i have combination skin but i'm living in australia which has really dry air so my skin is not so oily now. I'm also using HA serums from GoW at the moment. i'm looking at SN serums and moisturisers too. Going for a big samples order since i'm ordering the foundation. any suggestions for 30 years old combination skin? Each time I think my skin is towards normal and a little to the dry skin, my clay mask shows me that my t-zone is still a little oily, esp my nose while my cheeks, though very congested, is more to the dry side.

if i currently still have the warm gold mixture, i was wondering if i should get a sample of the yellow correct to tweak it a little.. so i need a full face photo with the foundation on? or just half face?

[JenW]

moonleo,
I think the first thing I would try is to lighten the Warm Gold Mix you have if you have more white on hand. It just makes sense to try what is there first before putting in an order. Also, when your foundation goes muddy....does it go too brown or too orange? If it just goes too brown, Warm Gold is probably the right color base for you and it just needs to be lighter. If it goes kind of orange, you might be better off with Buttery Gold for a color base. If you are looking to tweak the mix you have and you think it needs more yellow, the Yellow Booster will help, but it will need a little more white, too. A half Warm Gold mix with half no makeup picture in as close to natural light as you can get will help me know better, if you can post or pm me one.

It sounds like you are working toword more hydrated skin which is good. I think you are on a fine track for that, as awareness is often most of the battle. The serums from GoW that you have will help. Samples that we have for your skintype would be Green Tea and Aloe Serum, or since you are on the dry side, the Oatmeal Serum. If you are interested in more of a treatment serum, you might want to try the Vitamin C Peptide. Do you use a hydrating mist? Our Pore Refining Toner has HA in it. In the moisturizers, really anything of interest other than Hemp. I think it is a little too soon for Firming or Intensive. If you have issues with smells, the Raspberry might not be for you. It can be a little strong initially.

[maverickldr]

I'm new to this whole mineral makeup bandwagon. I've tried BE, L'oreal, and a few others with no luck. The color turned orange, or it settled in my lines and pores, or it wore off so I need your help with the transition. I currently wear Revlon CS in Buff or BB Oil Free Compact MU in Warm Sand; the latter is a PERFECT match. I like Revlon because it has the TD/ZO sunscreen (I can't wear chemical sunscreens). On this first order, I chose the Ultimate Luxury powder, the Perfect Harmony Foundation Kit, a synthetic kabuki brush, and Tempt Tryst powder. I'm thinking the silk powder may be finer and not settle or turn as much as the others I've tried. What is the most economical way to find my shade given the dark color bases? I'm dark brunette with light olive skin (mother German, father Italian) and hazel eyes with extremely dehydrated skin/rosacea.

Any guidance is very much appreciated for this newbie.

[JenW]

I'm new to this whole mineral makeup bandwagon. I've tried BE, L'oreal, and a few others with no luck. The color turned orange, or it settled in my lines and pores, or it wore off so I need your help with the transition. I currently wear Revlon CS in Buff or BB Oil Free Compact MU in Warm Sand; the latter is a PERFECT match. I like Revlon because it has the TD/ZO sunscreen (I can't wear chemical sunscreens). On this first order, I chose the Ultimate Luxury powder, the Perfect Harmony Foundation Kit, a synthetic kabuki brush, and Tempt Tryst powder. I'm thinking the silk powder may be finer and not settle or turn as much as the others I've tried. What is the most economical way to find my shade given the dark color bases? I'm dark brunette with light olive skin (mother German, father Italian) and hazel eyes with extremely dehydrated skin/rosacea.

Any guidance is very much appreciated for this newbie.

Based on your description, my guess is Olive will be the closest match. However, the most economical way to be sure is to try the Perfect Harmony sample kit. It will have all of the colored bases. I can't really narrow it down to less than three for the colored bases, so it still works out to be the same price (you need to try at least Olive, Warm Gold, and may need a little Ebony in the mix.) Since I am unfamiliar with the makeup you currently use, I can probably give you a closer starting point if you can get a picture to me. If you don't want it posted here, you can pm one to me. Otherwise, upload one to an email on the main website, and I will get it from the email box.

[maverickldr]

Jen, I just received my Perfect Harmony kit and I feel like the mad scientist mixing my base! I used 10 scoops of white to 2 scoops of Olive. Pretty darn close!! I am truly amazed how near exact the color is to my base skintone (the red from rosacea makes my skin pink and MUA all want to give me pink tinted foundation). The blushes are fabulous too - I sampled Poppy, Satisfied, Devoted and Forever. The first two seem to be the best but Poppy turns a little red on me. Tempt Tryst sample is an amazing match for me as well!

Ok, a few more questions:

What can I cut the powder blushes with since they are so rich in pigment? Ultimate Luxury Powder?
What kind of brush do you recommend for applying the blush powder?
When do I use Ultimate Luxury Powder? What's its purpose?
When do I use Tempt Tryst? What's its purpose?
I like having a pressed powder in my purse for quick touch ups. What do you suggest to replace that?

[JenW]

Ok, a few more questions:

What can I cut the powder blushes with since they are so rich in pigment? Ultimate Luxury Powder?
What kind of brush do you recommend for applying the blush powder?
When do I use Ultimate Luxury Powder? What's its purpose?
When do I use Tempt Tryst? What's its purpose?
I like having a pressed powder in my purse for quick touch ups. What do you suggest to replace that?

First of all, don't be surprised if you need to lighten your foundation with a little more white. Your ratio seems a little dark, but it may work just fine.
Powder blushes can be thinned with just about anything white.....like Zinc Powder or Origial Ivory Foundation. The sheerer the better (the Zinc would be my first choice). That being said, the right brush will make all the difference for blush and chances are you will not need to dilute the color. Try our Fiber Optic Blush Brush. It is designed for light application. I usually dab it on my hand before I touch a loaded brush to my face. It helps immensely when dealing with the more pigmented blushes.
The Ultimate Luxury Powder is more of a treatment. I use mine at night, but some use it as a foundation primer...and some mix it into their foundation.
Tempt Tryst is generally a finishing powder for all over. It goes on after your foundation.....some use the Perfecting Powder products without foundation for a non-full makeup day.
Pressed Powder is a tough one. If you don't have issue with the pressed powder you have, I'd keep using it. For some (like me) I can't really do most of the pressed products out there due to sensitivities. I usually take a small kabuki and a small jar of foundation in a baggie in my purse if I need touchups. Not the coolest, but it works. I have found most dispensing type brushes to be more trouble than they are worth for keeping the brush clean.

[maverickldr]

Many thanks Jen for your advice.

I added a half scoop of warm gold and it turned a tad dark on me. I added a little Temp Tryst but didn't like the effect so I guess I'll add some ULP to lighten it up a bit. I really love that ULP texture. The 2:10 ratio seemed so perfect!

What is the benefit of using Zinc Powder over the Original foundation for the blush?
What is the best way to clean the kabuki brush (5.99 one)? I usually use soap and water for real bristles on a weekly basis.
Will the foundation ratio change if I switch to the medium coverage?

[JenW]

What is the benefit of using Zinc Powder over the Original foundation for the blush?
What is the best way to clean the kabuki brush (5.99 one)? I usually use soap and water for real bristles on a weekly basis.

Zinc Powder is a little more sheer than the Original Foundation. It will disperse the blush pigment without making the color lighter with white. You just clean the brush like your others.....Soap and water is fine.