Find your flawless face base. (The Cosmo Beauty Awards).(foundation)(Brief Article)(Buyers Guide)

Selecting a foundation can be mind boggling. You have to consider your skin type, how much coverage you need, and finally, what kind of finish you want--dewy for a casual look or matte for a polished effect. Dizzy already? Don't worry--just use our no-brainer chart to figure out your best makeup matchup?

 
              IF YOU NEED TO HAVE ... 
 
OILY          FULL COVERAGE: A cream- 
              to-powder foundation will 
              give you a noncakey finish that 
              won't slip off. We love MAC 
              Studio Tech Foundation, $26. 
 
OILY          LIGHT COVERAGE: A liquid 
              makeup for acne-prone skin is 
              sheer, beats shine, and keeps 
              pores clean. Try Neutrogena 
              SkinClearing Makeup, $12. 
 
COMBINATION   FULL COVERAGE: Go for 
              a "smart" base that controls 
              shine and moisturizes drier 
              areas. We like L'Oreal Ideal 
              Balancing Foundation, $13. 
 
COMBINATION   LIGHT COVERAGE: Try one 
              of the new oil-free, water-based 
              foundations like Cover 
              Girl CG Smoothers Aqua-Smooth, 
              $8.50. 
 
DRY           FULL COVERAGE: Look for 
              moisturizing creams and liq- 
              uids. We like Lancome 
              Photogenic Ultra Comfort Skin- 
              Illuminating Makeup, $32.50. 
 
DRY           LIGHT COVERAGE: Try a 
              foundation stick, like 
              Maybelline Express Makeup 
              3 in 1, $9, that's easy to 
              spot-apply. 
 
              AND YOU WANT YOUR FACE TO LOOK ... 
 
OILY          DEWY: Apply using a damp sponge (the 
              moisture will make skin look glowly), 
              and skip powdering afterward (powder 
              foundations are long-wearing anyway 
              and don't require powder to set them). 
 
OILY          DEWY: Apply all over face with a damp 
              sponge. You can layer this lightweight 
              formula until you get the amount and 
              type of coverage you need. 
 
COMBINATION   DEWY: Just powder your forehead--the 
              one place where shine looks the most 
              greasy and gross--and leave the rest of 
           ...