The main benefit of wearing a foundation is that it gives your skin an even-toned texture and a healthy glow.

The trick to wearing foundation is to wear a tinted moisturiser to start. This is the lightest form of foundation. It will feel like you are wearing no makeup, but any blemishes will be subtly covered. For fuller cover, foundations come in liquid and powder forms. This month, I want to guide you in the right direction to find the perfect foundation to suit you.

People shy away from wearing foundation because they think that it clogs up the pores, accentuates wrinkles and suffocates the skin. However, foundation can be moisturising, offer great protection against harmful UV rays as well as conceal scars, blemishes, rosacea and broken veins.

When choosing the right foundation colour to suit your face, always test it on your jaw line not your hand as your hand colour is not the same as your face colour. Always blend in your foundation well with a blending brush or a sponge. Invest in a brush set like the No7 Core Collection from Boots at €31.99. If you have facial hair, keep away from liquid foundations because they will accentuate it. Liquid foundation coats every teeny hair on your face and has the effect of building them up. If you add a powder into the mix then you get a fluffy 3D version of your normal facial hair.

Mineral foundations/powder foundations are the way to go if this is your problem.

Make sure that the foundation is well buffed into the skin and always end on a downward stroke when applying. Penneys sells a super bright-pink buffer sponge the size and shape of an egg for around €1.50 – this works wonders for blending, especially around the eyes and nose.

I’m not a fan of contouring or camouflaging, but you can bring a more subtle sense of contouring to the face by just using a highlighter. This brings luminosity without sparkle.

Less is more when applying highlighter and it is so important to blend it well. My absolute favourite at the moment is the MAC Soft and Gentle highlighter (€31).

Simply dab a tiny amount of it with your middle finger along the top of your cheekbone, out towards your eye and just under the outer edge of your brow. You’ll love the effect.

L’Oreal Paris Skin Perfecting BB 5 in 1 Perfection Balm

Special offer €11.33 from www.boots.ie, usual €16.99

Ideal for teens who want to wear a dab of foundation for school to cover spots. This foundation has a flawless, light cover, making your pores look virtually undetectable and your skin texture feeling silky smooth. L’Oreal True Match Foundation (€15.39) is also a very natural looking, skin-true colour without tide-marks and gives outstanding coverage over pimples and blackheads.

Bare Minerals powder foundation

€39 from Debenhams

This product melts into your face, leaving your skin flawless and with super coverage, while the minerals are kind to your skin. The powder must be applied with a brush and can be a little messy to put on until you get used to it. Best to apply a primer or moisturiser first before applying the powder. Suitable for all ages.

Elizabeth Arden flawless

finish sponge on cream makeup

€33 from www.boots.ie

For those 20 plus, this makeup is a best seller and really does leave your skin with a wonderful, radiant glow. Not only does it moisturise the skin, it gives it a natural, luminous finish. It goes on effortlessly and is very long-lasting.

Clinique almost powder

makeup foundation

€32

For those of you with sensitive skin or rosacea, this powder makeup foundation covers up blemishes beautifully and does not look cakey.

Mac Studio Fix

€31.50

MAC makes a great compact powder foundation that’s quick and easy to apply. I always have a Studio Fix in my handbag to dab over my chin and nose when I am on the go. It resets your foundation and takes away any shine.

Estée Lauder’s Double Wear Light

€34.50

My personal favourite is this marvellous Estée Lauder foundation. It’s silky smooth, light as air, long-wearing makeup that offers great coverage, feels lightweight on the skin and does not accentuate wrinkles. Suitable for all skin types from ages 20 plus, with a fantastic colour range for all skin shades. They even make a 0.5 shade, which is perfect on the palest of skin tones.

Do you have any beauty or makeup questions you would like me to answer? Please do write to me at dollybuckley1@gmail.com or Dolly Buckley, Irish Country Living, Irish Farmers Journal, Irish Farm Centre, Bluebell, Dublin 12. I really would love to hear from readers.