Foundation was made to create the illusion of the perfect the tone, texture, and color of the skin. There are endless types of foundation formulas which can be so overwhelming to any client. Most clients use a liquid foundation, but the majority of clients do not know the vast differences between foundation formulas by just looking at the bottle or by reading a few key words on the front of the bottle. So how do they know which makeup is best to use for their skin, especially when it comes to foundation?
Why Foundation Won’t Last All Day
As a skin care practitioner, we should ask our clients what type of makeup they are using given that these products sit on their skin for 8+ hours a day. One of the things I hear often is their makeup doesn’t last all day and by lunchtime, they feel like their makeup is barely noticeable. Once I explained that the reason they notice “barely there makeup” is that as the day progresses, their skin may be too dry and has absorbed the water out of their foundation. When that happens, the other makeup products applied on top of the foundation will quickly fade away. I am sure you know clients that have this makeup challenge as well.
Now that winter is here drying up our skin, having makeup that lasts all day will be a common frustration to your clients. So, what do you do? Educate them!
NuFree Nudesse
Plant-Based Soy Alternative To Wax
One of the most popular wax alternatives out there is Nufree Nudesse! Jenni has been using it for years. It is carried by thousands of professional salons throughout the world. It was developed over 25 years ago to help plastic surgeons remove hair from a patient before surgery. It doesn’t stick to the skin, it’s self-preserving antibacterial/antimicrobial so it’s safe, clean, and germ-free. It’s completely BOTANICAL and safe for the entire body! It doesn’t dry and can be erased at any time! Finally, Nufree Nudesse is scientifically tested and uses no animal products.
Makeup’s Makeover
Makeup products have been getting a makeover and many formulas have been upgraded with skin-added benefits such as hydration. These new hydrating formulas are like magic when treating skin dryness, dullness, flaky or red skin, and getting their makeup to last all day.
Clients Who Sweat Need A BB or CC
Before you make any recommendations, you first need to make sure you understand your client’s needs, problems, and lifestyle. For example, many of my clients are very physically active and they are playing pickleball, tennis, or golf almost every day. These epic sweaters will need a makeup base with a lighter weight and SPF. Therefore, I would recommend this client try a BB or CC Cream. Let’s dive into what benefits BB and CC creams have so you can understand the best candidate for this multi-tasking product.
These alphabet makeup creams have become popular over the years but still remain confusing to most clients. A couple of things BB Creams and CC Creams have in common is that they are multipurpose products because they combine makeup and skincare in each formulation. For those clients who are very active or on the go and like simple routines, this type of product is ideal as it delivers skin-benefiting ingredients, SPF protection, and light makeup coverage. Now the most common question I get from clients is what is the difference between a BB Cream and a CC Cream?
Contribution by Jaclyn Peresetsky
Jaclyn Peresetsky began her career as an esthetician in 2003 and created Colore Me Perfect in 2010. During her day to day interaction with clients, she learned that her clients desperately desired to know their perfect colors and were tired of wasting money on the wrong colors. Her expertise in color from the Columbus College of Art and Design along with her knowledge of skin science from Ohio State Plastic Surgery gave her the know how to begin the journey of creating a color analysis system to define one’s perfect makeup colors, hair color, nail color, and clothing color for all complexions. Being a born entrepreneur, she opened a small color studio followed by opening Skin Perfect Spas and Identity Retail Store.
The additional experience made her realize she needed to define the color analysis system and color palettes even more so she created the patent pending 16 global city palette that encompasses all color characteristics and intricacies of all global complexions. Colore Me Perfect is now sold in spas and salons across the country so more people can discover the power of their colors. Skin Perfect spas continue to thrive and be the research and development headquarters for Colore Me Perfect. Jaclyn’s book, “Discover the Power of Your Colors” is sold on Amazon to color seekers across the world. She is a noted speaker and travels all over the country teaching advanced makeup and skincare techniques. She is opening an advanced esthetic and color school, Skin Perfect University to continue elevating the expertise of the skincare industry.
BB Creams Defined
First, let’s go in alphabetical order. BB stands for beauty balm. Some formulas may be advertised for concealing blemishes and are referred to as a blemish balm. I find most BB Cream formulas do not provide enough coverage for those suffering with chronic breakouts and they have a bit too much hydration for oilier, acne-prone complexions. Also, BB Creams widely vary when it comes to formulas and specific brands so it’s important to understand the formula’s benefits and choose it for the correct skin type.
The original BB Cream formula was created to hydrate dry skin and it has a very emollient texture. BB Creams may contain ingredients like vitamins, antioxidants, hyaluronic acid, glycerin, panthenol, ceramides, SPF, peptides, and brighteners such as niacinamide. It is important to know the ingredients of the brand you recommend, or it can derail the progress you are making with your client’s skin.
CC Creams Defined
Next, we have the CC cream which stands for color control, complexion corrector, or color corrector. CC Cream is formulated with more coverage and does well at balancing the oil-to-water ratio in the skin. CC Cream also varies in formula with different brands so be sure to understand the ingredients and what skin types are ideal for the specific formula. Overall, CC Creams are anti-aging focused and include ingredients that can soften the appearance of age spots, redness, and blur visible fine lines. CC Creams feel less rich and are a lighter texture with oil absorbers to mattify the t-zone. My preference is CC Creams because they have ingredients that conceal and treat skin ailments such as redness, dullness, under-eye circles, uneven skin tone, hyperpigmentation, and acne scarring. Some ingredients found in CC Creams are vitamins, antioxidants, SPF, peptides, hydrolyzed collagen, and brighteners such as niacinamide and licorice root extract.
Choosing A BB or A CC
Here are a few suggestions I have when trying to decide between B or C. If your client is oily, stick with a CC Cream that can be mattifying, and if your client is acne-prone choose CC Cream since it is a lighter texture. Dry skin tends to love the emollient properties of BB creams. If your client has truly combination skin (oily t-zone and drier cheeks), I would go with CC Cream to start and then if they need more hydration, they can apply BB Cream on the cheeks and apply CC Cream in their t-zone. This may be complicated but it solves the unbalance in the skin.
If your client wants more coverage and they like to look a bit more polished, suggest a hydrating foundation formula. Consider offering a custom foundation option at your spa in which you can coach them on the type of formula that would be best for their skin. You can add hydrating ingredients when their skin feels dehydrated, barrier-repairing ingredients for post-treatment skin, or emollient ingredients for winter-dry skin. Clients love custom options and they also love to alter the shade when desired. Some clients like getting a foundation to match their skin exactly and with a customized shade, this is easy to achieve. Other clients like having a lighter shade made for the winter months and a darker shade created for the summer months. Custom foundations give you the ability to add nourishing antioxidants, barrier protectors, sunscreen, humectants, calming agents, and oil balancers, or even tweak how the product glides on uneven textured skin or reflects light to soften the appearance of fine lines.
The most important takeaway from all of the ideas is that makeup can be hydrating for the skin and solve chronic barrier issues. Makeup is no longer the product that is detrimental in the quest for beautiful skin. Instead, it is a useful tool and can be an asset to conger up confidence, glowing skin, and a healthy complexion. I encourage skincare professionals to consider adding skincare-driven makeup to their repertoire.
