I've realy just started with makeup in earnest. I still have to find what colours look best on me. But at the makeup sections in the stores there are about a million & a half choises. Can someone give me a brand I might start with for foundation. I can't shave close enough to hide this thick beard.

I know my icon looks a little tacky. But it's still the best I've done so far. Only took 50 pix to get 1 I was willing to use.

Hi Karen.
Your average foundation isn’t going to adequately cover shadow. I use Kryolan panstick (cheaper than, but similar to Dermablend) which I bought online, with a standard foundation over the top. Most brands seem to blend ok with the panstick, some will need a powder over the top too, but go easy on that. Bourjois is good stuff - I’ve just found one that doesn’t need powder (which can get into fine lines, cracks up and makes them more obvious) and contains collagen, great for my old wrinkly skin. Other brands I like are Avon, L’Oreal, Max Factor and Revlon. I’m still experimenting really, but I think this new Bourjois stuff may be the best I have come across yet.
Good luck
xx

Hi Karen-

As I've mentioned in other places, one thing to do before you splurge on some product you may wind up not liking is to buy the least expensive brand you can find to expirement with, then when you find a look that works you can get more expensive versions which, usually (though not always), do a better job of coverage, go on nicer, are kinder to your skin and just generally look better.

Like Lucy, I'm a fan of Avon (inserting disclaimer here: my wife and I are both Avon reps), also. They have a four color concealer kit that I use pretty regularly and that does a good job. If you'd like to know more about it, just drop me a line off list. Please, I hope no one misunderstands, I'm not trying to sell anything here, I really do use it and it really does a good job, at least for me.

Another brand I like and one I used before I started peddling Avon was Colortration, just do a search and their website will come up. (For some reason the girl on their homepage is extremely intriguing to me, don't know why.) You can get a sample batch of 6 small tubes for about $14US or so. A little goes a long way. I bought the sample set in a range of colors that I thought might work and while the colors that were the best match are all used up, I stll have a couple of tubes that I blend with other concealers/foundations to get the right tone.

And, as I've mentioned before, I think playing with makeup is totally fun, it all washes off, so if you f*ck it up all it takes is a washrag and some nice soap that's good for your skin and you're ready to play some more.

And finally (thought I'd never shutup, didn't you) you can always just ask the staff at the cosmetics counter. Believe me, the ones in larger stores have seen lots and lots of girls like us, it won't faze them a bit. I have asked for advice on products lots of times and gotten makeovers and never had anyone be less than courteous, helpful and professional.

Good luck, Karen, have fun.

Hugs...Joni

Can't beat Factors Face Finity. Rimmel 2000 Caresses is good too.