Motoko’s Q&A
Motoko Answers your Fabulous Makeup questions!!!!
Foundation questions
Dear Motoko,
I am Caucasian with fair skin. I have yellow undertones in my arms but my cheeks and hands have a bit of pink undertones. So I am not sure if I am a cool or warm person. I have combination skin. I would like to know if I should be using a matte finish foundation or a natural one? Also I usually buy drugstore brands like Neutrogena and L’Oreal. How can I tell by the bottle if they are going to give me a natural finish or a matte finish? I am clueless as to which finish is best for my skin type and how to know by the bottle what it is.
Melody Tagliere
Hi Melody,
Even though you have pink undertones on your cheeks and hands, I recommend using yellow based foundation to avoid the pink tones from overpowering your face. Yellow is a corrective color on the opposite side of the color wheel that evens any extremes. A cool tone works best on fair skin- just add warm color with a pink blush.
Moreover, if your arms, shoulders and legs are darker than your face, foundation can end up looking like a mask if the wrong color is applied. The foundation color needs to match your neck and shoulders.
Both matte and natural finish work, depending on your personal preference. If you want to avoid a shiny finish- choose a matte foundation. You can get rid of the shiny look- dab your face with rice paper or a powder puff. I prefer sheer foundation on fair skin. Anytime you see the words, “sheer”, “healthy skin” or “enhancing” it means that the foundation will give you a natural and sheer finish. However, when you see the words, “oil-free”, “mattique” or combination foundation powder products, it will result in a matte finish.
I hope these hints help you find the perfect foundation!
Make nose look straighter and rid shadows from ball on tip.
Hello Motoko,
My name is Richard and I have don’t really like the shape of my nose. The bridge is very crooked and at the bottom there it looks like there’s a ball on it. You can see a rounded shadow on both sides off the tip of my nose. Do you have any tips that I could use concerning makeup? Thank you very much. I appreciate anything written back to me.
Ricardo
Hi Ricardo,
For a quick camouflage technique, apply “highlight” straight down from the bridge of your nose to the tip, just above nostrils. Use your finger or a thin, flat brush to apply the foundation. This highlight will help your nose look thinner and straighter. I prefer “Highlight” cream rather than powder, making it easy to blend. You can also try a foundation or concealer that is 2-3 tones lighter than your natural skin color. For darker skin, use a golden colored highlight, for lighter skin; use a cream/pearl tone.
The best way for you to make the tip of your nose look less round is to create a shadow around the sides of your nose. This contour will take the attention away from the bridge of your nose because of the “highlight” already applied. Use the dark areas of your face as a category_ide to determine what color to use when creating contour or shadows around the sides of your nose. Taupe is a common shade used to contour the face, but not perfect for all skin tones, best to choose a foundation that is 2-3 shades darker than your natural skin tone when contouring. For application, use your finger tip or a brush to apply. Always remember when creating contour, the best way to make your skin look as natural as possible is by blending colors little by little.
Leave your questions for Motoko in the comments section and she’ll be glad to answer each and every one.