I started wearing foundation full-time when I was in university. Tinted moisturisers, B.B. creams, foundations... I have tried them all. B.B. creams were prolly the most fun to use because they came with a gazillion other skincare benefits and also, they give you the much-envied, flawlessly dewy Korean skin. Unfortunately, for me, they gave me a bunch of blackheads too. My facial therapist explained that because they are so good at being resistant to sebum and perspiration, it becomes really difficult to clean them off completely. Hence, the clogged pores.
So, in my later years (Lol.), I stuck to Bourjois' Healthy Mix Serum, VMV Hypoallergenics' Illuminants Brilliance Finish 25 Powder Foundation (Which I still love very much and have a spare each in my stash.). However, two Septembers ago, my skin got really sensitive. It was dry, irritated and peeling everywhere. The more I tried to cover it with foundation, the worse it looked. And that was when I decided to go foundation-free.
The first day was pretty 'scary'. I mean, of all the times to decide to go barefaced, I did it when my skin was at its crappiest?? Lol. But it was okay. Just like pimples, no one really bothered. And I felt like my skin could breathe! With the help of some Chinese meds, my skin eventually healed and I didn't go back to foundation. Of course I use a concealer every now and then to hide pesky spots but, I quite enjoy the feeling of not having a layer covering my skin. Also, I find my skin a lot healthier now. :D
Here are my top 5 tips on going foundation-free.
- Exercise and drink lots of water.
Skin is a reflection of what's going on in our body so do take care of it! I think it's virtually impossible to have sufficient rest (Hahaha.), so I try to accomplish other things instead like exercising at least once a week and drinking about 2 litres of water every day. - Invest in good skincare.
Knowing what goes into the skincare products we apply on our face is important. I research and read online reviews before buying new products and I always do a patch test. - Apply sunscreen.
I cannot stress the importance of sunscreen enough. As I get older, I find myself getting more freckles and moles. And after long hours under the sun, my skin just looks battered. I carry an umbrella everywhere I go. - Don't pick your skin. That pimple will go away.
Again, as I age, my skin takes longer to heal. But it will heal. So don't delay recovery by tampering with pimples because breaking the skin might just cause more infection. - Pamper your skin.
Every week, I give my skin a good scrub and a nice mask-ing session at least 2-3 times. Scrubs remove dead skin so that skincare can sink in better and masks contain an intense concentration of ingredients to treat and repair our skin.
