I am going to give you a quick overview of some of my staples for foundation, bronzer, and blush.  I know foundation choices are made based on skin type, problem zones, and desired coverage, but if you have combination skin like I do, with an oily t-zone and rare small blemishes, you might want to try out one of the following.  For lighter coverage with a dewy glow, I really like Laura Mercier’s Candleglow Soft Luminous Foundation.  I wear the shade Cashew right now which is probably lighter than a shade I would use in my peak tan months of summer, but I can always layer on a little more bronzer to use it year round.  I like that Candleglow is buildable but starts out sheer and gives a more natural finish.  I typically blend a few pumps with my dampened beautyblender over my whole face (use it over a primer like Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer for extra staying power and seamless application) and add more if I need additional coverage.  Another favorite, which provides a little more coverage and also has the benefits of anti-aging and color correcting ingredients, is Smashbox’s Camera Ready CC Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Dark Spot Correcting foundation.  It’s sold as a CC Cream but has the creamy texture of a foundation.  I wear it in Light/Medium year round and like how it looks whether my skin is more oily or dry, depending on the weather.  I apply it either with my fingers or my beautyblender. 

With foundation, it’s important to be color matched in the store before buying (the one time I don’t recommend online shopping).  Sephora associates are happy to help match your foundation and they keep your skin tone on record in their system which helps recommend brands/shades when you want to pick out other face makeup.  I also am a strong believer in wearing your foundation outside to get the best idea of how the color looks in daylight.  Some foundations can oxidize (aka turn your face Oompa Loompa orange) after being worn for a few hours, so make sure to double check your color at the end of the day.  And if you don’t like it, don’t worry! Sephora, Nordstrom, and many other cosmetics retailers offer no questions asked free returns. 

Finally, for bronzer and blush I will always point you toward Tom Ford.  If spending your entire paycheck on makeup isn’t appealing to you, this might be a good brand to skip.  But if you’re looking to invest in high quality, extremely finely ground and pigmented powder bronzer and blush, no one beats Tom Ford.  I am a huge fan of Tom Ford Bronzing Powder in Gold Dust.  It has a teeny tiny hint of shimmer to give you a healthy glow but without the cheap look of other glittery bronzers.  He also carries a matte bronzer but I haven’t tried it (yet).  Benefit Cosmetics Hoola Matte Bronzer is another great go-to and a little more on the affordable side.  It is matte and has absolutely no orange undertones so you avoid looking like Snooki (where you at girl?).  Tom Ford Cheek Color Blush is absolutely beautiful and a little goes a long way (thank you high pigmentation).  I wear Frantic Pink year round over my bronzer for a pinky and pretty glow.