eBay Guides - Foundation Buying Guide
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Foundation Buying Guide


Foundation makeup is designed to even out your skintone and conceal flaws. When you shop for foundation on eBay Canada, you have a wide selection of brands and colours available at your fingertips and you won't even need to visit the department store!

Explore Your Foundation Options


Explore Your Foundation Options

Foundation comes in several different forms, each of which has a different impact on the final look of your skin.

  • Cream/Crème foundation : Cream foundations typically provide the most coverage and help you create a flawless look. Actors and other TV personalities often use creams, which tend to be heavy and may look slightly unnatural in person. People with normal to dry skin often choose cream foundation, as it can moisturize skin.

  • Compact foundation: Compact foundations combine liquid foundation and powder in one product. Ideal for many women on-the-go, compact foundations provide coverage similar to liquid foundation and feel like powder when they dry. You can customize the amount of coverage you get from a compact foundation. Apply it with a dry sponge for lighter, sheerer coverage. For a heavier matte coverage, apply with a wet sponge.    

  • Liquid foundation: Liquid foundation can give you light to medium coverage, depending on the formula. Foundation users usually choose liquid foundation because it provides a natural look and feel and still provides some coverage of flaws and imperfections.    

  • Sheer foundation: Sheer foundation formulas typically give you the lightest coverage and allow your natural skintone to show through, providing a natural look. Many teens or people with great skin choose to use a sheer foundation.    

  • Matte foundation : Matte foundations provide flat, even coverage and can work for people with all types of skin.

  • Stick foundation: Stick foundations are often 2-in-1 products with a built-in concealer. Stick foundations are convenient to use and apply but require skillful blending because of their heavier texture.    

  • Illuminating foundation: Illuminating foundation, designed to create a "natural glow," often contain crushed pearl or other minerals to give skin a subtle shimmer.    

  • Primer : Primers, part of the foundation family, are resurging in popularity. Often colourless and applied with a sponge, primer can be used to prep the skin for foundation or worn alone to even out skintone, minimize the appearance of pores, and provide a smooth complexion.    

  • Tinted moisturizer: Offering the lightest coverage available, tinted moisturizers deliver a sheer, healthy glow to skin. Like liquid foundations, they work for a full range of skin types. Moisturizing properties can help protect against drying and tinted moisturizers often come with SPF protection.

When you find an item you like on eBay, read the item description carefully to learn as much information about the foundation as possible, including shade, size, benefits, and expiration date. Most sellers will include several pictures of the item, taken from different angles and distances. Take the time to look at these pictures to get a good visual of the condition and shades. More than 90 percent of the products sold on eBay are new and unused often brand new and in box so you can feel assured that you're receiving the same product sold in retail stores.


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Find Foundation on eBay


Find Foundation on eBay

Once you know what type of foundation you want, go to the Health & Beauty portal, click the Foundation link under Makeup, and start searching for items on eBay.

  • Categories: The Categories list on the left side of each page will help you narrow down your listings by brand.

  • Keyword search: Search eBay listing titles for specific words. For example, if you want to find compact foundation, type "compact" (without quotation marks) into the Search box. Click "Search title and description" to expand your results. Visit eBay's Search Tips page for more tips on searching with keywords.

If you can't find exactly what you want, try shopping eBay Stores, tell the eBay Community what you want by creating a post on Want It Now, or save a search on My eBay and eBay will email you when a match becomes available.


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Buy Foundation With Confidence


Buy Foundation With Confidence

Before making your purchase, make sure you know exactly what you're buying, research your seller, and understand how eBay and PayPal protect you.

Know your purchase

Carefully read the details in item listings.

  • Figure delivery costs into your final price. If you spend a lot of money, make sure the seller will insure the item when it ships.

  • If you want more information, ask by clicking the "Ask seller a question" link under the seller's profile.

  • Always make sure to complete your transaction on eBay (with a bid, Buy It Now, or Best Offer). Transactions conducted outside of eBay are not covered by eBay protection programs.

  • Never pay for your eBay item using instant cash wire transfer services through Western Union or MoneyGram. These payment methods are unsafe when paying someone you do not know.

Know your seller

Research your seller so you feel positive and secure about every transaction.

  • What is the seller's Feedback rating? How many transactions have they completed? What percentage of positive responses do they have?

  • What do buyers say in their Feedback? Did the seller receive praise?

  • Most top eBay sellers operate like retail stores and have return policies. Do they offer a money-back guarantee? What are the terms and conditions?

Buyer protection

In the unlikely event that a problem arises during your transaction, eBay and PayPal are there for you.

  • Pay safely with PayPal: PayPal enables you to pay without the seller ever seeing your bank account or credit card numbers. In fact, PayPal protects buyers 100% against unauthorized payments from their accounts. Plus, with PayPal Buyer Protection, your purchase can be covered up to C$1,250.

  • eBay Security & Resolution Centre: Visit the Security & Resolution Centre to learn how to protect your account and use eBay's quick and efficient resolution tools.


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