How to Make Liquid Foundations
When I had a shop in Toronto, I had clients that came in on a regular basis and ask if I could create a foundation that would work for their skin tone. There was not much available on the general market for darker skin tones at that time and even now, is still a neglected market. I decided back then to make it a mission to find foundation that would work for all skin colours, tones and hues.
I was fortunate as I used to custom make liquid foundations for each of my darker skinned customers and, because Toronto in Canada is a melting pot of immigrants from African Africans to African Americans to Middle Eastern, India, Southeast Asians, Native Americans to Caucasian and so on. I had plenty of opportunity to hone my foundation matching skills to many different skin colours.
To obtain a dewy complexion that looks natural, the best foundations that work on darker skins are liquid foundations. The biggest problem is that in liquid and cream foundations, one of the main ingredients is titanium dioxide which can make darker skin look “ashy”.
In this article, I put together a couple of liquid foundation recipes for you.
One is for Lighter (Caucasian) skins and the other is for darker skins.
In my new book, “The Art of Making Foundation” there are many more recipes for base fillers and pigment concentrates, plus how to make pressed foundation and concealers.
To make a cream foundation you need three main products: A cream or lotion base, a base filler and pigment concentrate.
Base Filler
Base filler is one of the most important part of the foundation. What we expect from our filler is to have adhesion, to glide on smoothly, cover up any blemishes and above all be translucent.
After working long hours in my “mud” room (lab), I finally came up with base filler C. What started off as a base for using on ethnic skins has ended up being the base of choice for all my cream foundations.
Pigment concentrate
The pigment blend is mixed with the base filler, (usually but not always, ¼ teaspoon of pigment concentrate to 3 teaspoons of base filler).
This can be then used as is as a mineral foundation powder. Once mixed with cream it will be a darker tone.
Cream Base
We need a cream that when mixed with the various mineral powders and pigments, will glide on smoothly, have good coverage and cover any blemishes and open pores.
This foundation starts out silky smooth and dries to a radiant matte finish. Light coverage ensures a natural-looking result, yet the buildable formula evens tone where you need it, for a perfect, cake-free base.
With the addition of GMO free Oat Silk, this foundation is works well without needing the addition of a setting powder or veil. Oak Silk reduces shininess on the skin whilst maintaining a natural matte shimmer as found with a normal non-greasy skin. Oat Silk is soothing to the skin leaving a pleasant and silky-touch.
With this foundation, the best application is with the fingertips rather than with a foundation brush!
Base filler C
Foundation Good colour for medium to dark skin
Considered a warm toned foundation. Can be used for Mineral foundation powder, concealers and liquid foundation.
Good for Darker skinned (tanned) Caucasian and Ethnic skin types.
Place 3 teaspoons of the base filler powder (c) and add ¼ teaspoon of pigment concentrate (g) in a coffee grinder. Grind, stir, grind.
Foundation - Good colour for light to medium skin
Considered a neutral warm toned foundation. Can be used for Mineral foundation powder and concealers.
Good for light to medium Caucasian and fair to medium skinned Asian skin types.
Place 3 teaspoons of the base filler powder (c) and add ¼ teaspoon of pigment concentrate (d) in a coffee grinder. Grind, stir, grind.
Lotion/Cream Base
Ingredients:
Method:
Melt the Stearic acid, Ceteareth 20, Naturderm IL, Waxes and Butters in a small heat resistant glass jug in a bain-marie or microwave.
Heat the distilled water till just boiling.
When the wax is completely melted add the just boiled water and stir until cool. Add the preservative and stir. Put aside until needed.
Cream Base liquid foundation
Ingredients:
This makes a foundation that would be considered a BB Cream.
For a foundation with more coverage, would suggest a ratio of: 34% mineral foundation to 66% lotion/cream
Method:
Mix the cream base and pigment/base blend and stir well.
Pour into prepared sterilized jar or bottle.
Note: In previous books and articles, you may have noticed that my preferred preservative is grapefruit seed extract. Whilst I still use GFS extract in my creams and lotions, because of the added addition of oat silk powder in the liquid foundation, we need to use a stronger preservative, hence the use of Neopres PE9010!
I was fortunate as I used to custom make liquid foundations for each of my darker skinned customers and, because Toronto in Canada is a melting pot of immigrants from African Africans to African Americans to Middle Eastern, India, Southeast Asians, Native Americans to Caucasian and so on. I had plenty of opportunity to hone my foundation matching skills to many different skin colours.
To obtain a dewy complexion that looks natural, the best foundations that work on darker skins are liquid foundations. The biggest problem is that in liquid and cream foundations, one of the main ingredients is titanium dioxide which can make darker skin look “ashy”.
In this article, I put together a couple of liquid foundation recipes for you.
One is for Lighter (Caucasian) skins and the other is for darker skins.
In my new book, “The Art of Making Foundation” there are many more recipes for base fillers and pigment concentrates, plus how to make pressed foundation and concealers.
To make a cream foundation you need three main products: A cream or lotion base, a base filler and pigment concentrate.
Base Filler
Base filler is one of the most important part of the foundation. What we expect from our filler is to have adhesion, to glide on smoothly, cover up any blemishes and above all be translucent.
After working long hours in my “mud” room (lab), I finally came up with base filler C. What started off as a base for using on ethnic skins has ended up being the base of choice for all my cream foundations.
Pigment concentrate
The pigment blend is mixed with the base filler, (usually but not always, ¼ teaspoon of pigment concentrate to 3 teaspoons of base filler).
This can be then used as is as a mineral foundation powder. Once mixed with cream it will be a darker tone.
Cream Base
We need a cream that when mixed with the various mineral powders and pigments, will glide on smoothly, have good coverage and cover any blemishes and open pores.
This foundation starts out silky smooth and dries to a radiant matte finish. Light coverage ensures a natural-looking result, yet the buildable formula evens tone where you need it, for a perfect, cake-free base.
With the addition of GMO free Oat Silk, this foundation is works well without needing the addition of a setting powder or veil. Oak Silk reduces shininess on the skin whilst maintaining a natural matte shimmer as found with a normal non-greasy skin. Oat Silk is soothing to the skin leaving a pleasant and silky-touch.
With this foundation, the best application is with the fingertips rather than with a foundation brush!
Base filler C
- 4 teaspoons oat silk powder
- 2 teaspoons zinc oxide
- 1 teaspoon kaolin clay
- 1 teaspoon sericite mica
- 1 teaspoon satin pearl mica
- 1 teaspoon silica
- 1 teaspoon magnesium stearate
- 12g pearl nude mica
- 12g Imperial topaz mica
- 12g Imperial citrine mica
- 7g yellow oxide
- 2g dark brown oxide
- 2g red oxide
- 1g chromium green
- 4 x 0.15cc spoons black oxide
- 4 x 0.15cc spoons ultramarine blue
- 14g yellow oxide
- 8g pearl nude mica
- 8g Imperial topaz mica
- 8g Imperial citrine mica
- 4g dark brown oxide
- 4g red oxide
- ¼ teaspoon chromium green
- 4 x 0.15cc spoons black oxide
- 4 x 0.15cc spoons ultramarine blue
Foundation Good colour for medium to dark skin
Considered a warm toned foundation. Can be used for Mineral foundation powder, concealers and liquid foundation.
Good for Darker skinned (tanned) Caucasian and Ethnic skin types.
- 2 teaspoons base filler c
- ¼ teaspoon Pigment concentrate g
Place 3 teaspoons of the base filler powder (c) and add ¼ teaspoon of pigment concentrate (g) in a coffee grinder. Grind, stir, grind.
Foundation - Good colour for light to medium skin
Considered a neutral warm toned foundation. Can be used for Mineral foundation powder and concealers.
Good for light to medium Caucasian and fair to medium skinned Asian skin types.
- 3 teaspoons base filler c
- ¼ teaspoon Pigment concentrate d
Place 3 teaspoons of the base filler powder (c) and add ¼ teaspoon of pigment concentrate (d) in a coffee grinder. Grind, stir, grind.
Lotion/Cream Base
Ingredients:
- 50g Distilled Water
- 5g Shea Butter
- 15g Naturderm IL
- 10g Stearic acid
- 5g Ceteareth 20
- 1 tsp. Neopres PE9010 preservative
Method:
Melt the Stearic acid, Ceteareth 20, Naturderm IL, Waxes and Butters in a small heat resistant glass jug in a bain-marie or microwave.
Heat the distilled water till just boiling.
When the wax is completely melted add the just boiled water and stir until cool. Add the preservative and stir. Put aside until needed.
Cream Base liquid foundation
Ingredients:
- 50g (75%) prepared Lotion/Cream.
- 17g (25%) of the prepared mineral foundation made with base c
This makes a foundation that would be considered a BB Cream.
For a foundation with more coverage, would suggest a ratio of: 34% mineral foundation to 66% lotion/cream
Method:
Mix the cream base and pigment/base blend and stir well.
Pour into prepared sterilized jar or bottle.
Note: In previous books and articles, you may have noticed that my preferred preservative is grapefruit seed extract. Whilst I still use GFS extract in my creams and lotions, because of the added addition of oat silk powder in the liquid foundation, we need to use a stronger preservative, hence the use of Neopres PE9010!