First Posted: 7/29/2013

With fall fashion shows and collections popping up everywhere this time of year, you have to admit to yourself that summer is almost over. Be ahead of the curve and start your fall makeup and skincare shopping now!

Most people are accustomed to owning a spring/summer foundation, which is usually a deeper tone and something lighter like a sheer loose powder, such as bare minerals. In the fall/winter, foundations tend to be a lighter tone and people usually go with a fuller coverage, like a cream compact foundation.

What people don’t know is that your skin changes with each season. In the summer our skin tends to be a little oilier and more hydrated, so using a foundation like a tinted moisturizer would be beneficial. A tinted moisturizer with oil-controlling properties will stay on the skin longer, plus it will allow your skin to breathe and sweat through it without ruining your makeup. You can still achieve a decent amount of coverage by layering the tinted moisturizer and finishing it off with a sheer pressed powder, allowing for a more airbrushed look. Plus, 99 percent of the time, tinted moisturizers have an SPF to help protect the skin from sun damage.

In the fall/winter our skin can be very dry. Colder air and harsh winds will draw the dewiness right out of our skin, causing it to look dull and lifeless. This fall/winter try using liquid foundation, even though it seems many people are afraid of the old, traditional liquid foundations. (You know, the ones that are super thick and crease everywhere – not to mention the smell!) Now, liquid foundations are so much more advanced, most of which include some sort of skin care benefit in them as well as having a medium-to-full build-able coverage that doesn’t feel tight or thick on the skin, still allowing it to breathe while keeping it hydrated.

A fantastic group of liquid foundations I love include such items as Stila: Stay All Day Foundation ($44), Benefit: Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Foundation ($34), Urban Decay: Skin ($38), and The Sapphire Salon’s private label collection: Mineral liquid foundation ($14). Coverage without compromise, these weightless formulas diffuse most imperfections for a flawless finish that not only feels invisible, but looks professionally retouched/airbrushed. Another good thing about these foundations is they are infused with oxygen and minerals. This allows the skin to breathe, which will help to control oil and bacteria to minimize skin blemishes and impurities. These innovative formulas also help to slow down the onset of premature aging and promote healthy, hydrated and vibrant skin.

Lastly, when choosing a liquid foundation that is right for you, make sure to select a color that will last you from the start of fall all the way to the end of winter. There is no need to purchase multiple foundations for every single season. If you feel that the tone is a little pale in the beginning, add a little bit of bronzer to the areas the sun would hit your face (all the higher planes like the forehead, nose, cheekbones and chin). This will give a subtle glow and make your foundation a little more cohesive with the leftover bit of tan you may have.

For you guys out there that feel like your skin is lacking in the luster department, try a BB cream or CC Cream. The Sapphire Salon’s BB Cream ($16) will help all of your skin concerns, such as blotchiness, dryness, and uneven tone. The best part is that it doesn’t feel like you are wearing anything, so you still maintain that comfortable no makeup look with added UVA/UVB protection this season.

Tip: The fall complexion trend is a nice velvet finish, so go with a more matte/satin finish foundation and leave dewy for the summer! Add matte to your existing summer foundation with a matte-fying pressed powder.

Trick: Find a primer that has added skin care benefits to help boost the process of renewal and repair from your overexposed summer complexion. BB and CC creams used as primers, especially ones with hyaluronic acid, will do the trick.