There are so many different types of beauty products on the market – and it can be confusing to determine which one is the best product for you! Robert Weir rounds up the three main categories:

Stick & Cream Foundations

First, is the stick and cream foundations. This product can be a little confusing. Just because it’s a cream or stick doesn’t mean it has high coverage on the skin. Read the description of the package to find out if it has the coverage you are looking for.

The slightly drier consistency of stick makeup makes it great for normal and somewhat oily skin. If you wish to avoid highlighting dry patches or having your foundation sink into your mature skin, the cream formula is most desirable. They are easy to transport, you can throw them in your purse and carry them around for a quick touch up. One of my favourites is the Canadian Brand Nude Stix. They have this product that offers beautiful sheer coverage.

Tip: When you apply a stick or cream foundation, I suggest picking up the product on a foundation brush and applying it where needed.

Moisturizers

The second category I would like to talk about is your BB cream, CC cream, and Tinted moisturizers.

Most BB creams contain SPF, as well as smoothing your complexion and evening out the tone, and providing hydration while protecting your skin against sun damage.

CC creams will illuminate, enhance, and even skin tone and tend to provide lighter coverage than BB Creams. They are all fairly similar products. Imagine if your regular foundation and your moisturizer had a baby. They offer some skincare ingredients and sometimes a primer with sheer coverage to give a more natural-looking finish.

Do these foundations work on their own or should we use a moisturizer?

Personally, I think good skincare products are still required under the foundations for healthy skin. One of my favourites is the Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer. It corrects tone, hydrates, and looks natural with buildable coverage, and is great for dry and mature skin types. I suggest applying these products with a brush. I find sponges suck up way too much product. They can also be applied with fingers.

Liquid foundation

The last category is our classic liquid foundation. They come in a range of coverage from sheer, to medium, to full. They also come in different finishes like luminous and matte. Liquid foundations range widely in consistency, wear time, and levels of hydration, so this category is wider as far as choices go. Picking one comes down to the condition of your skin and personal style preference:

• If you have great skin go sheer
• If the skin is okay but has some problem areas then a medium coverage will do
• If you have skin issues and discolouration try full coverage

Keep in mind the foundation can only correct colour, not texture.

My favourite medium coverage is the Laura Mercier Luminous Silk. For full coverage try the Ester Lauder Double wear foundation. These products are best applied with a sponge or sometimes with a brush. Since we are at home, this is the best time to experiment with your makeup at home and find out what works for you.