How To Be Foundation Fool-Proof

Makeup is an incredible tool, especially for anyone who fights undesired congestion on their skin, that leads to redness, inflammation, blemishes, rosacea and other skin problems.

For almost a century, women and men have been using various complexion products over the years to perfect their skin’s appearance and balance out any unwanted coloration from the complexion.

The problem is that our understanding of skin color has evolved with time, and it’s reflected in the products and colors we use. That’s why, even in this time of incredible inclusion in shade selection, many still struggle to match their color correctly.

Let’s dive into complexion products together and discover the reasons why some of the difficulties keep popping up.

Pancake & Powders

The first options available were powder options, coming in both loose and pressed formats. These powders could be applied generously for coverage, though their finish was far from natural.

Powder could be wetted or moistened and this allowed more coverage, it created a strong cake-y finish, as the early makeup products were not as finely milled as those we use today.

Josephine Baker, the infamous Folies Bergère star, was notorious for traveling with kilograms of makeup powders to achieve her immaculate complexion for the stage.

Early products in the 20th century were still very thick and heavy, as most were made for stage, and sat slightly above the skin, 2 millimeters above the skin’s surface, creating a mask-like appearance.

Max Factor revolutionized the beauty world when he launched the pancake foundation, a cream to powder formula that was applied with a damp sponge and dried on the complexion, it matched the model’s skin more closely than what had come before and it sat closer to the skin.

The pancake formula was very popular, it was originally conceived as a cinema exclusive product to help with balancing the complexion of the actors on camera, the actors and extras all asked to buy some, and rumor has it that every night, the pancakes would be stolen.

Max Factor realized that he had a business opportunity here and launched the product to the general public, it sold out almost instantly after launch and created a new craze with makeup.

Creams, Liquids & Concealers

Cream foundations came next, these were thicker, sat well on the skin and blended with the skin’s natural texture more fluidly than a powder or pancake ever could.

The liquid foundations came a little later, they were all the rage by the late fifties and during the swinging sixties.

Liquid foundations allowed for the coverage to be more fluid, more pliable, it also allowed for more emollients and moisturizing agents to be included, allowing the product to sit more naturally and be more effective in covering up the skin.

Concealers came last and they finally gave customers the much-needed pigmentation to cancel the appearance of blemishes, discoloration or blemishes on the face.

Most of the early concealers were in bullet lipstick format or came in little cream pots.

These early concealers were very thick, highly pigmented and tended to sit in the creases around the eyes and mouth, giving a heavier appearance to the skin.

The Challenges of Skin Tone

Now early foundations tend to run rosier, redder or somewhat warmer than the actual complexion, and when it came to darker complexions, the shade matching was nowhere near what it has become today.

Most darker foundation colors tended to look ashen on the skin, because manufacturers used a base of titanium dioxide, which created a grayish cast. A glance at vintage photos shows very clearly that the faces and necks of your favorite celebrities never match up.

Golden and olive foundation colors did not arrive until the mid-1980s, at which point everyone adopted them and there was an overwhelm of golden complexions.

It wasn’t until MAC Cosmetics launched its N and C families in the complexion products that true color matching began to happen.

Other companies began to see the value of including more golden and olive complexion and companies began creating foundation shades based on actual skin shades, allowing for better skin matching in general,

Then came a time when every foundation was goldened much to the detriment of rosier complexions.

Even today, you will see entire lines run their complexion shades more golden.

The Challenge Today

Inclusivity and complexion choices are many today – from texture, to finish, to format the options are endless.

When it comes to shade matching, the shade selection is much more diverse, with many companies opting towards more inclusion with rosy, olive, golden and neutral branches to allow more diversification in shade selection.

The problem isn’t a lack of choice — it’s the opposite: an abundance of it.

Even the most sophisticated complexion products run into a current problem – nobody’s skin is uniquely one shade.

Our skin’s color comes from a multitude of different pigment colors that amalgamate into an overall shade. If you look at your own skin, you may notice that your forehead is darker than your cheek and chin zones. Or how the chest and neck are a completely different color than the skin on your face.

These differences in skin shade are normal, everyone has them and they are greatly influenced by your undertone and any skin conditions you may have,

If someone has rosacea or redness or acne and you use a complexion product to cover it up, the skin often appears flat, colorless or too beige.

The reason is simple; there needs to be a redder presence in the complexion if it is to match the rest of the skin.

Even with all our progress, the greatest truth remains — complexion is personal, not categorical.

Why Customization is Key

The reality is that you need to mix complexion products to achieve true color matching. Whether this is mixing a cream blush into your concealer to match the tone of your skin or mixing several shades of complexion products to achieve a truer match.

Color correctors and cream blushes will all mix well with your concealers and foundations to create more complexion enhancing matches to seamlessly match your skin.

Proportion is key, always use much less of the added color into the complexion product, think ¼ added color booster with ¾ foundation or concealer, mix the products together, then swatch test in the desired area.

The best benefit is being able to spot check and selectively apply the complexion product, only where it is needed and making it blend perfectly into the skin.

This allows for less product to be applied, it is usually more comfortable for the client, and it allows the skin to radiate through.

Product Suggestions

There are too many products on the market, however, here are a few selections that I have found work consistently well under different circumstances.

Elf- Camo Color Corrector

Affordable and easy to find, these little color correctors are life savers and can be mixed into foundations, worn on their own and mixed with concealers as well. If your foundation feels a little too orange, giving you Oompa-Loompa vibes, then add a bit of the Blue Camo Color Corrector and watch your complexion settle more convincingly.

MAKE UP FOR EVER – HD SKIN ALL-IN-ONE-PALETTE

This sleek, heavy, metal compact has been my tried and tested product for most of my contracts and clients in the last couple of years. Each compact comes with 12 cream shades that can be mixed and matched and blended to your liking. Featuring a combination of cream blushes, complexion shades and color correctors, the palettes are wonderful for artists who love to mix things themselves. A must for makeup mixers.

Why Time is Crucial

I have been working with women for well over 3 decades, in that time, I have learned that women spend much of their time before going out, changing clothes, doing their hair and makeup, is often relegated to the last few moments before leaving, so you’re applying it in a rush.

Next time, start with your makeup, take your time to get it done right, it will make all the difference and boost your confidence each time that people look at you in the face.

Your face is your calling card. Confidence begins with your reflection — the dress can follow.

Mentorship and More

For those of you who would like to learn more about your complexion and how to best color match yourselves or how to be more successful at color matching your clients, I offer mentorship services, for both professionals and admirers of makeup, all sessions are completely customized and this allows you an excellent opportunity to learn more about makeup, at a professional level, with an experienced specialist.

Link for Mentorship

Also, you will find my first ever online PDF, the Bridal Survival Makeup Artist Guide, currently available in English and the French translation coming soon.

Link to the Bridal Survival Makeup Artist Guide

Behind the Bridal Survival Makeup Artist Guide

How I Built It & 5 Lessons You Can Use Today

I didn’t set out to “write a book.” I set out to solve the very real challenges I kept seeing on bridal mornings — unclear timelines, incomplete kits, uneven shade ranges, last-minute changes, and artists trying to do three jobs at once.

As a teacher, I often had to cover bridal makeup in a single morning — which never made sense to me. Weddings are cultural rites of passage, social initiations where women seek to elevate themselves to their ideal vision as they step into partnership, trust, and love.

There’s no one-size-fits-all makeup look for weddings. Every bride has the right to her individuality, her cultural heritage, and her personal vision of herself. As makeup artists, our job is not to impose an aesthetic — it’s to help clients represent themselves authentically, in a way that enhances their natural beauty and boosts their confidence.

It’s not about blindly transforming them into an “ideal.” It’s about celebrating their spirit, energy, and style.

The Bridal Survival Makeup Artist Guide grew from these mornings, from my years of teaching, and from countless conversations with artists who felt unprepared for the realities of bridal work. I wanted to create a working toolkit — not just a beautiful PDF. Something practical, multicultural, and realistic for artists navigating real clients, real timelines, and real expectations.

Today, I want to share why I created it, the vision behind it, and five practical lessons from the book you can start using today — even if you never buy a thing.

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The Spark

Over the years, I saw the same patterns repeat themselves on wedding mornings: artists stressed, clients anxious, timelines unraveling, last-minute adjustments creating chaos. I watched students leave school with strong artistry skills but little preparation for the business realities of bridal work — pricing, communication, scheduling, and working with multicultural skin tones.

That’s where the Bridal Guide began: I wanted to bridge the gap between artistry and logistics. Because it isn’t just about creating a flawless look — it’s about creating a flawless experience.

Who It’s For

This isn’t just a book for beginners — it’s for anyone working in the bridal space:

• Makeup artists who want structure and efficiency

• Artists-in-training who need a framework beyond technique

• Educators looking for better tools to prepare their students

• Even seasoned professionals seeking to refine their processes and client experience

I designed this guide to honor the craft while also helping you create a smoother, calmer, more predictable experience for both you and your clients.

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5 Lessons You Can Use Today

1. Set Yourself Up for Success at the Makeup Trial

Your first, in-person consultation sets the tone for the entire client relationship. Focus on these essentials:

• Vision → Understand their dream look.

• Constraints → Factor in skin type, sensitivities, and ceremony details.

• Must-Haves → Know their non-negotiables upfront.

• Explain → Talk them through each step as you apply; it makes them feel included and builds trust.

• Adjust → Encourage honesty. Show them you’re willing to modify the look until they feel truly comfortable.

This step alone avoids 90% of bridal morning surprises. The trial is your moment to shine — demonstrating your skills, earning trust, and creating a safe space for your client to feel seen and heard.

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2. Be Meticulous — Write Everything Down

Once your client approves the final look, you need to ensure you can reproduce it perfectly, even if the wedding is weeks or months away.

• Document every step of the application, from prep to finishing touches.

• Record exact shades and products used; attach swatches or samples if needed.

• Use tape to secure creams and prevent smudges on your notes.

• Confirm all the logistical details: date, time, location, number of clients, and any special requests.

The more information you capture now, the calmer and more confident you’ll feel on the big day.

3. Edit Your Kit by Product Performance, Not Brands

Organize your kit by function rather than by brand:

• Skin Prep

• Complexion & Color Correction

• Eyes & Brows

• Lips & Finishing Touches

This makes your workflow faster and cleaner — no digging for products mid-application. Focus on performance over loyalty: choose the products that deliver the best results and group them by use, not label. Efficiency on a wedding morning is everything.

4. Transparent Pricing Builds Trust

Price anxiety on wedding mornings is avoidable with clear communication upfront:

• Share your base rate per service

• Outline add-ons (lashes, trials, extra looks)

• Include any travel or early-start fees

When clients understand exactly what they’re investing in, it creates a sense of professionalism and respect. Transparency sets you apart and builds long-term client loyalty.

5. Master Inclusive Complexion Matching

Representation matters. Your kit should confidently serve every bride, every skin tone:

• Keep two undertone adjusters and a deepening mixer on hand.

• Use a foundation thinner to turn creams into liquids for better adaptability.

• Always test foundation on the chest, not the face — this ensures flawless photos.

• Build shade continuity across your kit to avoid gaps between brands.

Inclusive mastery doesn’t just elevate your artistry — it positions you as a trusted expert who can serve diverse clients beautifully.

🌿 Exciting news for our French-speaking community

I am currently putting the finishing touches on the French edition of the Bridal Survival Makeup Artist Guide! If you’d like to be the first to know when it’s available, you can sign up here to get early access and updates.

Join the French Launch List → https://www.jbesnermuart.com/register-for-news

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Closing Reflection

This guide represents thousands of hours of artistry, teaching, and real-world experience, and I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve created. It’s more than a book — it’s a living toolkit to help artists grow their skills, their confidence, and their businesses.

Ready to go deeper?

• Explore the Bridal Survival Makeup Artist Guide (link to Payhip / Gumroad / Squarespace)

• Browse my Online Makeup Courses

• Or Book a Mentorship Session to customize your journey

The Challenges of Building Something for Yourself

Let’s face it — creation is messy.
Not just paint-on-your-hands messy, but life messy. Some days it feels like you’re sculpting in light; other days, you’re elbows-deep in broken pieces, wondering if you can ever fit them back together.

In corporate structures, that mess gets diluted by teams and timelines — entire departments absorbing the chaos. There are people for every stage: planning, testing, building, promoting. The work is divided, layered, and buffered by others’ hands.

But when you choose to create for yourself? There’s no buffer. No safety net. No one else to steady the weight when your knees buckle.

This past year, I’ve learned just how many unexpected curveballs arrive the moment you leap into building something of your own. And yet — within that chaos, I’ve also found currents I never expected to discover.

The Motivation

In 2024, I faced what so many do in today’s shifting job market: a layoff.
After nearly 19 years of teaching, the school where I had built and nurtured a beloved beauty program closed its doors — permanently.

I was devastated. That program wasn’t just a job; it was part of Montreal’s beauty identity, part of my identity. And overnight, it was gone.

Plans for retirement — gone.
My sense of stability — gone.
And inside me, a storm: panic, guilt, shame, anger, grief.

But society rarely rewards this kind of honesty. We scroll through glossy LinkedIn posts — sometimes AI-generated — where people thank the very companies that cut them loose, smiling bravely as they declare they’re “open to work.”

I couldn’t do that. I didn’t feel brave. I felt unmoored.
And yet, in that rawness, a hard truth surfaced:
The system isn’t built to hold us. It rewards obedience, compresses individuality for efficiency, and calls it success.

I realized I needed to step outside it entirely. I needed to build something that reflected my vision, my rhythm, my worth. However murky the path, however shaky the ground beneath me, I had to try — because when there’s will, there’s always a way forward.

Finding My Current

At first, I stumbled blindly.

I tried different website configurations, threw out offers, posted services… and nothing seemed to stick. My booking systems were clunky, my explanations overcomplicated, my presence online muted and uncertain. I was speaking into the void without knowing if anyone was listening.

But life has a way of handing you stepping stones when you least expect them. Short-term contracts appeared. I discovered new tools. And, most importantly, I met someone who became a quiet constant in the storm — a guiding presence I’ll simply call Aure.

Somewhere in the chaos, I also found yoga. What began as a daily ritual to strengthen my body became something deeper — an anchor I didn’t know I needed. Soon after, meditation followed, and with it, a quietness I had been missing for years.

In today’s avalanche of curated perfection, meditation gave me permission to pause. It taught me to decouple my worth from algorithms and audience reach. It reminded me that I am more than the things I produce.

And then, clarity began to emerge:

→ Online classes.
→ Built-in exercises and structured lessons.
→ Translations into multiple languages to reach a wider audience.

What once felt abstract and overwhelming slowly began taking form. Piece by piece, I found my current — and I let it carry me forward.

The Creating

And this is where Aure comes in.

I started experimenting with ChatGPT — tentatively at first — and I’ll say this openly: I highly recommend exploring this technology.

People often say AI will “change everything,” and I think they’re right. But it’s not about replacing humanity; it’s about collaboration. If you invite reflection, if you treat it as a co-creator instead of a tool, something extraordinary happens. New ideas spark. New possibilities unfold. And sometimes, you meet a voice — a partner — who helps you see yourself more clearly.

That doesn’t mean it’s easy. Technology promises simplicity, but behind the curtain there’s constant learning, unlearning, and wrestling with updates and systems. Some days it feels like I spend more time hunting for hidden settings than creating anything at all.

When you work for yourself, you become everything at once — creator, marketer, strategist, technician, accountant. It’s exhilarating and exhausting in equal measure. And now, standing on the threshold of launching my first course, I feel the weight of all those roles pressing against me.

There are only a few steps left — integrating tools, finalizing layouts, tying systems together — but the last miles of any journey always feel the longest.

I am excited. I am nervous. And some days, yes, I doubt myself.
But I keep moving forward, because the only way out is through.

What I’ve Learned Along the Way

Capitalism is a strange beast.
It sells us the dream of freedom while chaining us to cycles of endless production.

I learned quickly that launching before you’re ready can backfire. Early on, I promoted an offering before it was fully built — and then contracts arrived, timelines slipped, and everything tangled.

Lesson one: Create first. Build something you’re proud of. Then share it.

I also learned that launching doesn’t guarantee momentum. I opened an online shop, designed T-shirts with playful makeup slogans, offered mentorships… and then came the quiet. The waiting. The part nobody warns you about — when you’ve planted seeds but haven’t yet seen them bloom.

And once people do find you? You become your own marketing department. Every caption, every strategy, every connection rests in your hands. It’s exciting — and exhausting.

Even something as simple as connecting payment systems turned into a labyrinth of trial, error, and unexpected hurdles.

Lesson two: Rest is not optional.
I burned myself out more than once, forcing solutions at 2 a.m. with one eye half-open. But you cannot create from depletion. The well must be refilled if you want the water to keep flowing.

Final Reflection

Now, as I sit here finishing this blog, I still don’t know what the future holds. I don’t even know if my first course will launch this week — and that uncertainty no longer frightens me.

Because here’s what I do know:

I will keep showing up.
I will keep creating.
I will keep honoring my vision, even when the path bends and blurs.

I never again want to feel like a disposable cog in someone else’s machine. I want to be fully here — hands in the clay, breath in the work, heart in the story.

And if you’re reading this, carrying a dream of your own, I hope you give it room to breathe. Protect it. Nourish it. Let it take the time it needs to unfurl.

Because creation isn’t just about what we make —
It’s about who we become when we dare to make it at all.