Firstly, decide if you actually need foundation. It sounds silly, but the amount of girls out there who use foundation when they already have gorgeous, flawless skin is unreal! Of course it's personal choice and whatnot, but it does amaze me. You might want to consider a tinted moisturizer or BB cream as opposed to foundation, if you feel like you can do that, since they're lighter on the skin, because once you start wearing foundation, it's pretty much a slippery slope from there. I first put foundation on when I was 14, and I haven't taken it off since - figuratively, of course!

You're going to need to find out your skin type if you don't already know it. Why? Because you need a foundation that works with you, not against you. If your skin is normal, you're very lucky, and can pretty much have a pick at any foundation you want (and for this we're insanely jealous). If you have oily skin, you're going to want to stay away from any foundation that has 'luminous' - or any word pertaining to it - in the name or claim. The last thing oily skin needs is added shine. Instead, you need to opt for a matte foundation. If you have dry skin, on the other hand, matte foundations won't be your friend, since dry skin can already look dull and a little bit lifeless. You're best off looking for a foundation with illuminating properties. If you get this first step wrong, it's all downhill from here. Believe me, I've been there. Researching the best foundations for a particular skin type can be a big help, so before you venture out to get your new foundation, turn to places like Google and Youtube. It's not cheating, just a head start.

Please remember, foundation is not a miracle worker. You won't find a foundation that does everything, so if that's what's in your head, lower your expectations right now. You need to work out what it is you really want the most from your foundation, whether it's staying power, coverage, shine control... whatever. Once you've decided, focus on that, and again research to find the best foundations for that. Head start!

When looking for a foundation, go bare-faced (so no makeup already on) and find somewhere that stocks various brands and types, and generally has a good range of makeup, so there's plenty to choose from. I know this sounds intimidating, but it really is your best bet for finding a foundation that works for you. Online is not a good place to buy your foundation, unless you're just reordering an old faithful. That's pretty much the only exception. Foundation needs to be tested on your skin, otherwise you could end up with a nasty surprise when you try that new foundation you just spent however many pounds on. 

Undertones are important. Annoyingly so, because it's not always easy to find out what your undertone is. From the lightest to the darkest of skintones, undertones can affect how a foundation looks on you, because just as skin has undertones, foundations do to. There are three undertones that your skin could have: either warm, cool, or neutral, and finding yours is key. It's all starting to seem a bit confusing now isn't it? Fear not. There's an easy-ish, though not foolproof way, of finding your undertone - or the easiest I've come across anyway - and that is by looking at your wrist, or anywhere where your veins are visible through your skin. If your veins look purple or blue, you're probably a cool undertone. If they seem more green, you probably have a warm undertone. Neutral undertones give veins a blue-green colour, since neutral is the middle ground. Foundations with warm undertones tend to have a more pinky colour to them, and cool toned foundations are slightly more yellow. It can be hit and miss at first, but eventually, with practise, you'll find it easier to tell. 

In terms of testing your foundation, there's a lot of conflicting guidelines about where to test it. The most popular is on the jawline, since it's between your face and your neck, which are the two areas your foundation should match. Another is the inside of your wrist, not a technique I've tried. For me, personally, I test it on my cheeks, where my dry patches are, so I can see whether it cakes on the area, as well as testing the colour match. It's a personal thing, in my opinion. You test where you need to, but for starting out, the jawline is your best option.

When you're testing a foundation, my personal top tip is to test three shades from your chosen line. Yes, three: the shade you feel is probably closest matching, and then one either side of it, so one lighter and one darker, where possible. Many a time I've been surprised by this method. Honestly, give it a go.

Once you've applied the tester shades, walk away. Yep, that's right. Walk away. For one, the artificial lighting inside stores can give a false match, so natural lighting is your best option (although bear in mind that direct sunlight can be a pesky little deceiver too). For two, you need to give the foundation some time to oxidize. Sounds a little freaky, but it literally just means to react with the air around us. Not all foundations oxidize, although in my experience the majority do, especially paler ones, so for us fair-skinned ladies, this step is especially important, because a foundation that glides on as a perfect match can end up looking orange, which is never a good look. So walk away, go for a coffee or have a look around another shop. Give the foundation a good ten minutes, and then check. If it's still a match, then you're good to go. If it's not, heave a big old sigh, pick yourself up and start again. Foundation shopping can take a long while, believe me. Empty your morning. Hell, empty your whole day! 

There are probably other tips out there, but right now these are the best I can think of. I feel like I'm missing something, but I can't for the life of me decide what it is. Blogger problems.

I hope this has helped someone! 

Do you have any tips for buying foundation? What's the best piece of advice you'd give someone for buying a foundation? xo