Foundation is a very important make-up item that many of us use every day, but it has become quite a minefield choosing what is right for our individual skin type and skin tone. Fifty shades is probably a conservative estimate as to what cosmetic companies have on offer nowadays!

New and more high tech foundations seem to appear so regularly, all promising new and improved benefits, that it is hard to keep up. Cost ranges from reasonable to designer price tags, which you need to have deep pockets to afford, but this does not mean the more you pay the better the product will suit you.

Writing from experience after trying more products than I care to mention, I have found a foundation under £10 from Revlon which suits my skin perfectly. Trial and error is the name of the game, and fortunately most cosmetic firms are more than happy to dispense a sample in the hope you will become a regular customer. It’s important to take advantage of these samples, as very often how it looks in store under their lights is not how it will look in true daylight.

Know your skin type

It is essential you know your skin type, which of course can change with age, health and the seasons. I know in the winter my skin type gets a lot drier than in the warm summer months. Once you decide what your skin type is, it is far easier to select a foundation which will be perfect for your individual needs.

The usual skin types are normal, dry, oily, combination, sensitive or mature. When you are purchasing for your specific skin type, companies offer a wide choice specifically formulated to suit your skin’s needs. As all foundations are formulated differently, it can be helpful to discuss this with the sales person so they can point you in the right direction.

• Dry skin often suits a richer texture, more balm-based so that the skin stays moist throughout the day.

• Oily skin benefits from a water-based, oil-free texture.

• Normal is perhaps the easiest and can use a full coverage or even a lighter CBB.

• Combination skin likes hydration, which will suit both types of dry and oilier areas. For the latter you can pop a little primer on to the oily areas first to prevent shine and roll off.

Foundations of course can always be sheer and light, or you can build up on your favourite coverage.

Skin undertone

Again, if you are familiar with the undertone of your skin, this will assist you in which foundation colour to choose. Pink, neutral, yellow, red and olive are the most common skin undertones. A simple way to check yours is to look at the underside of your wrist and check what colour your veins are. I know we always think they are just blue, but if you look hard you will see perhaps a slight shade of another colour. Mine for example have a very pale green tinge which means I probably suit a foundation with a warmer yellow undertone, while blue veins suit a cooler pink undertone. If you think you have a combination of the two, that suggests neutral or olive undertones.

Once you know your skin type and skin undertone it will really help you find the illusive perfect foundation, which makes for a great confidence booster. Enjoy sampling all the great foundations out there, and celebrate when you find the perfect one for you.