Uncertain Foundation

Post by **DonnaT** » Thu Jan 13, 2011 2:07 pm

http://www.maccosmetics.co.uk/

Anthony Simon · Post by **Anthony Simon** » Thu Jan 13, 2011 2:30 pm

Donna, I think I may have silicone for skin

.What does that make me - A walking, talking fake boob? Thanks for the link.

Susan · Post by **Susan** » Thu Jan 13, 2011 2:42 pm

Anthony Simon wrote:Tara: Mac seems to come up quite a lot as brand of choice amongst CDs, but I don't seem to have managed to see it in shops.

There is a MAC cosmetics shop in Cavern Walks in Liverpool. I believe they are top notch in accepting our money for a 1st class service. I have not used them - yet (lack of pennies) but I will once I can afford to.

Davita · Post by **Davita** » Thu Jan 13, 2011 9:58 pm

okay, this old lady is going to weigh in with the heavy weight foundation. My fur is not the easiest to cover. Any lighter than plaster is not likely to hide my shadow. Concealers work sorta kinda but I have to use too much.

Okay, even with Dermablend, which is what I use, as others have said, you want to go lightly or minimally. Remember all the commercials talking about a natural looking makeup? Less is best as long as you cover where you need to. The question of flaking and peeling probably is exacerbated with quantity, so again less is best.

Folks have been saying get advice from the experts. Most definitely, but the trouble sometimes is that the expert will be pushing the make up of the counter they command. So part of your advice needs to include your skin type such as oily, dry, combination and where those conditions are on your face. Once you know your skin condition, then you can use the magazines to compare which foundations work best for your skin. The thought being the magazines are neutral. I think one thing not mention by us all is the weather. Have you been having your troubles in the summer heat or the freezing of winter? My Dermablend seems impervious to heat, sweat, cold, etc and it only ever looks poor when I over do it.

Anthony Simon · Post by **Anthony Simon** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 7:37 am

Just reading your post, Davita, you can see the enormous nuumber of variables involved. It's hard not to get overawed by that, in way.

I have a beard that needs mowing a couple of times a day if I really want to be neat, but I'm not a terribly neat person so I do it once unless I'm dressing. The sort of coverage you get with standard cosmetics seems like it would enough for me if I could get them to stay on. When I am somewhat successful I can't see evidence of beard - and so, if tidied up, would be kind of passable- although if I look closely my basic skin texture still shows through and this doesn't look, to me, like a woman's. So, from that point of view, maybe I need a thicker foundation. The problem I have with thick foundation (I've used Kryolan, which is basically theatrical makeup but gets recommended) is it seems to peel straight off - like I can't absorb enough of the moisture with the powder (or maybe that's wrong).

I do have problems in the summer with sweating through the pores just around the mouth (in particular the area between the chin and the mouth). But I just take that as one of those things - and actually it happned a bit last night (when it was humid and warm - for winter), but it went away with a bit of fiddling about with powder.

Davita · Post by **Davita** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 6:19 pm

So Anthony, it seems you should be changing foundations. My Dermablend has never peeled or "bled through" because of sweat or any other reason.

Hummmm.. skin texture... Myself, if I'm not having a texture, then the odds are good I have way to much foundation.

A different question.... have you thought about electrolysis? If nothing else to work on the hard spots to cover. If you aren't having to work so hard to cover the trouble fur spots maybe you could reduce the makeup and reduce the chance of peeling. Just wondering...

By the way, I just use my Dermablend and it's colored setting powder. I don't cover them with other cosmetics but my blush. I used to put on regular makeup over the Dermablend but that proved too much -- just plain old plastic looking.

Anthony Simon · Post by **Anthony Simon** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 10:32 pm

I think we may not be on entirely the same page, Davita. Or be reading from the same hymn sheet. Or book. Or something like that.

Kittie · Post by **Kittie** » Thu Feb 03, 2011 12:02 pm

Susan wrote:I went to Debenhams in Sheffield and asked them. I was sat down in a chair and the assistant tried several foundations on the inside of my forearm to get a colour match. In the end I got one that does a good job when I make up. I am fortunate in that I do not need a concealer.

Debenhams and John Lewis are fully aware of us and welcome us in their shops Don't be shy I had a great experience in their store. Good hunting.

I find this very helpful & will try it out

Kittie · Post by **Kittie** » Thu Feb 03, 2011 12:02 pm

Susan wrote:I went to Debenhams in Sheffield and asked them. I was sat down in a chair and the assistant tried several foundations on the inside of my forearm to get a colour match. In the end I got one that does a good job when I make up. I am fortunate in that I do not need a concealer.

Debenhams and John Lewis are fully aware of us and welcome us in their shops Don't be shy I had a great experience in their store. Good hunting.

VERY HELPFIL I WILL TRY

Caith · Post by **Caith** » Thu Feb 03, 2011 6:10 pm

Something that can NEVER be stressed enough (and DonnaT mentioned it earlier) is to apply a good moisturizer on your entire face after cleansing. Work it into your skin well with your fingertips and always allow it to dry before applying any other makeup. This will also make it MUCH easier to remove your makeup, later. The suggestion for electrolysis in some areas is also a good one. Unfortunately, I haven't read too many good experiences regarding London electrologists lately.

Anthony Simon · Post by **Anthony Simon** » Fri Apr 01, 2011 9:06 am

OK, this is an update of where I am on this. At the end of January I went up to the Debenhams in Oxford St (London) and asked about moisturizers/primers. The woman there (nice, Eastern European, mid 20s) said I probably only needed a primer rather than use both. I said how much? She said (?)£33. I blanched. Well, she said, you could always go across the road to Boots (the big store nr. Bond St) and try there.

There the SA sold me their No 7 primer (ca £13). I tried this at home and it did improve things in that I didn't feel that the whole foundation could just fall off at any moment. But I still had problem with peeling and flaking. So I went back to that Boots and spoke to a different sales assistant (this time a middle-aged woman rather than a young man) and said "well I have this problem, bought some makeup from you, but it didn't really work".

We had maybe a 10 minute conversation in the process of which she kind of looked at me (like she was weighing me up) and said "sometimes we (i.e. GGs) get hot (i.e presumably like when clubbing)and then the makeup starts to slide". The way she was looking at me made me think she's seen something there, so that stuck in my mind. I also mentioned that I had different problems than GGs in that I needed something to cover up the bearded area. So she recommended Dermablend (i.e what Davita uses) as a concealer. They have this downstairs in that store - not amongst the usual makeup. She also said that if I still had problems maybe I should come back and they could try working on me in store, if I didn't mind. By this time I was getting so fed up about not being able to get the foundation to stay on, that I agreed without much trouble.

I had a couple of days playing around (and thinking) before I fell down the stairs (beginning of Feb. Same day as Caith's post. I think electrolysis on some of the hairs round the corner of my mouth might be particularly useful. But it depends how far I'm going with this). I had to have a minor operation on my knee, but it generally put everything out of whack.

I came back to the CDing slowly, but have now more or less returned to full speed on the makeup front - and to digesting all the stuff in this thread and also what the SAs said.

I put primer on all over my face. Then apply the Dermablend in the bearded area in a pretty thin coat. The whole face then gets covered in a thinnish coat of Magic Mousse (as before I can't apply a lot without it starting to move about. Sorry Donna). On top of that I do the Boots powder foundation (which does most of the work) and then powder. But I have also noticed that I do get hot, even very hot, when I do my makeup (and particularly the foundation). So what I've ended up doing is making the room rather cool (much cooler than I would normally have it) and then stripping off as necessary. Last night I even ended up taking off my T-shirt. But it does seem to be working (touch wood) so far. I mean there is decent coverage, it has some durability and it doesn't seem to flake or peel (or at least in minor, disappearable ways.

I am still using way too many coats (probably). But, given that I've finally got something more or less bearable, I'm not complaining. I have a feeling that me getting hot is part of an unending battle I have within myself (i.e. conflict) about CDing.

Davita · Post by **Davita** » Fri Apr 01, 2011 6:17 pm

Golly. yes -- too much. With the Dermablend I only need the setting powder and my blush. BTW, Dermablend should be the first layer not that other stuff you said then put the Dermablend on it. However, if you prefer it..... Another thing with the Dermanblend is that if you don't have enough coverage, you can add layers. So you start light and let it set. Add another light coat and let that set. If you need a third layer, then you're on you're own. If you're thinking your Dermablend isn't the right shade for your foundation, they blend if you get two shades. You blend them on your hand before you dab onto your face. Did they show you how to apply it in the store? BTW, gosh forbid you use a sponge to absorb some of the product for how much it costs. A finger works just fine. One more sneaky thing. The setting powder is 90+% talc powder and talc sets the foundation just fine.

Hope this helps.

Anthony Simon · Post by **Anthony Simon** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 7:49 am

Yeah, it does kind of help Davita. Thanks.

Post by **KimberlyS** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 8:26 am

Anthony Simon wrote: She also said that if I still had problems maybe I should come back and they could try working on me in store, if I didn't mind.

I would take her up on her offer and have her go through the whole process of putting on makeup with you.

Anthony Simon · Post by **Anthony Simon** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 1:58 pm

KimberlyS wrote:
Anthony Simon wrote: She also said that if I still had problems maybe I should come back and they could try working on me in store, if I didn't mind.
I would take her up on her offer and have her go through the whole process of putting on makeup with you.

That's probably a good idea, although I'm not sure I'd necessarily get the same person as it's quite a big store. There are a whole load of questions I could ask, quite apart from whatever obvious things (to someone experienced - i.e. not me) they might come up with. I mean evidently it has a good effect if the person doing the advising can actually see me and how I'm reacting.

The problem is I need to get myself up for it - like feel I really want to do this, kind of need to do this in order to move forward. This is partly because sitting in front of people and have my face change from a man's into a woman's (or approximation thereof) is not something that easy for me. But, more than that, part of me always fights advances in my female presentation and I need to do my fighting away from SAs (whose problem it isn't).