Nicola Chapman’sfoundation fixes

Are you looking for the best foundation for your skin type? You’re in the right place, for makeup artist Nicola Chapman knows great foundation. She also knows how to apply makeup like a pro (naturally) – oh, and she holds the secret to genuinely gorgeous-looking skin. 

Nicola spills her best beauty tips and insider tricks, debunks some foundation myths and reveals her best dewy-inducing, non-clogging, crease-free, pore-blurring, long-lasting, soft-focus and easy-blend formulations…

What’s the best applicator to use – sponge, brush or fingers? Holly, 34

‘They are all brilliant and give a different payoff. With fingers you can really melt the product into the skin, whereas with a sponge you can use it damp to get a very light coverage that’s buildable and natural. With a brush you can get a flawless, seamless finish with slightly more coverage.’

How do I achieve that ‘flawless skin’ look? Amelie, 23

‘Spend a bit of time applying thin layers of base on top of each other, and allow the product to settle into the skin before applying the next layer. I personally wouldn’t go for a full-coverage foundation and just put one layer of it on, because I think it looks quite flat and too heavy. By taking your time and adding fine layers, you can build a beautiful, flawless yet natural-looking base.’ 

Would you recommend a matt or a glowing finish for ageing skin? Liz, 63

‘I would normally go for a slightly more glowing finish – however, it really does depend on the person and what they want from their final look. Makeup that has more of a glow to it – as in, it’s less powdery – doesn’t tend to show as many fine lines.’

How do you mix different foundations to get the right shade? Clara, 43

‘I often mix different tones of foundation to create the perfect base. If we look at ourselves in the mirror, none of us have a completely even skin tone. I feel it’s really important to make the base look as natural as possible, especially on darker skin. You can either do this with foundations or with a foundation and concealer, or even with a different powder to finish the make-up.’

What one main makeup tip do you swear by? Charlie, 40

‘Make sure your skin is well prepped before you even think about putting on makeup – makeup will always look better on cared-for skin.’

What’s a common makeup mistake that people always make? Amal, 37

‘Trying to follow trends! Trends pass, and they’re not for everyone. Take contouring, for example, which only looks good on the 1% of the population who can actually do it well, and that 1% would mostly be people in their twenties.’

What do you look for when purchasing a foundation? Laura, 17

‘I like foundation to be lightweight, but have enough pigment to cover any uneven pigment in my skin. And I like it to have a glow – but not a glitter – so my skin still looks dewy, healthy and youthful.’