I am going to respectfully disagree with you on a few points, Persephone.
Unless you are going to be
on camera or
on stage, Pancake Foundation is
WAY too hard on your skin. It's very heavy and wreaks havoc on your pores.
As a former Make-Up Artist, I only used Pancake foundation for Photo or Television Shoots.
It's also harder to work with if you aren't experienced with the proper application technique. If you are too heavy handed with the application, it ends up clumping in a way that is not flattering in the slightest.
I reccomend a Water Base Foundation in almost all cases. It is much more gentle on your skin, feels nicer when it is applied, and is much easier to work with than Pancake.
Always apply your moisturizer before you apply your foundation. This will allow for a much more even application and is healthier for your skin. It also will make your foundation application last
MUCH longer.
Which brings me to my next point of disagreement.
Unless you are going to be on camera, there should
NEVER be a reason to apply foundation to your neck or your ears.
Here's why:
Unless you are going for a very Pale look, Foundation should
ALWAYS be matched to your natural skin pigment. If you select a foundation that is the right shade for you, your neck and your ears will naturally match your face,
WITHOUT applying foundation to these areas. A good way to test and match, is too apply a tiny bit to the underside of your wrist. That particular patch of skin is usually very close to the pigment of your face. You know you have the right shade, when the foundation '
disapears' upon blending. You shouldn't be able to
see it, only the '
effects' of it.
Also be sure to select a foundation that is 'cool' or 'warm' based depending on your particular skin tone. A cool based '
Beige' for example, is
VERY different from a warm-based '
Beige'. Again, you should be able to tell the difference when testing it.
Unless you are a Mole like me, you should also plan to use a different foundation shade for summer and winter. If you get any color at all on your face during the summer, a base a few shades darker than your winter shade will work much better and keep you from looking like you are wearing a '
mask'.
When applying base, it should be applied to the Inner 3/4 of your face, and only feathered out to your jawline and hairline for blending. Don't apply the base all the way out. Simply blend what you have applied to the middle. This also ensures there is no
tell-tale mask-like effect. But matching the
proper shade with your skin tone, reduces the chances of that happening.
A GOOD quality wedge shaped Latex Sponge is also key for application purposes. A pack of decent Latex sponges should last you quite a while. They can be tossed into a Lingerie Bag and thrown into the washing machine when they need to be cleaned. Wash them fairly often to prevent breakouts.
When buying Latex Sponges, you can tell good quality from bad by the number of 'Pores' visible in the Sponge. The better quality the sponge, the fewer pores it will have. This is important because you don't want your sponge to suck up all of your foundation before you even get it on your face. It also allows for a smoother, more natural application.
Most good Theatrical supply companies, sell quality Latex Sponges.
The kind you can get at the drug store will do in a pinch, but they really aren't ideal.
Last but not least, if you don't
NEED Foundation, or really want that '
look', don't wear it.
Younger women, with pretty skin, really don't need to wear make-up base.
If your skin is gorgeous to begin with, don't bother with the base.
Xnguela for example, has beautiful skin and doesn't need to apply foundation unless she really wants to for a special occasion. It is much better for your skin to go without, and it certainly isn't a requirement.
If you don't
need it, don't
wear it.
