Matching your skin to the correct foundation for you can be a difficult task especially when browsing beauty products online. It can be tricky to tell just through the bottle if a foundation is the right colour match.
Many components can often lead to a good matching colour on the surface but when you try it on your skin it isn’t quite the right tone for you. Maybe it oxidises to a slightly different shade, or it looked slightly different concentrated in the bottle. Whatever the cause it can be a mine field.
Unfortunately, getting the perfect colour can sometimes take a little trial and error but I’m here to guide you through the best way to find you correct foundation colour match without having to waste money on testing too many products!
Find your skin tone and undertone
Every skin tone falls into one of three categories. Cool, Neutral and Warm. These three tones can relate to any shade of skin and refer to the type of under tone your skin shade has.
These tones can apply to all skin tones whether you have fair, medium or deep skin tone. Fair skin tones are the lightest of the skin tones, medium refers to more tan skin tones and deep skin tones apply to darker skin tones.
For example, if you are in the deep category this does not mean you have a warm skin tone. Cool tones aren’t only found in light skin tones.
Cool tones
Your skin will have a more pinkish skin undertone with more blue looking veins. If you find your skin is more prone to burning rather than tanning, you most likely have cool undertones.
Neutral tones
An even blend of both cool and warm tones. Both pinkish and yellow undertones can be visible in your skin tone.
Warm tones
More golden and olive undertones to the skin. If you are someone who tans easily it is likely you have a warm undertone.
How to find your foundation shade
Now you know how to identify you skin shade and undertone it’s time to get testing.
If you are able to swatch tester shades on your skin, then this can be the most helpful method to find your correct shade. When testing the foundation shade against your skin the jawline for the most accurate colour match. If the shade camouflages into your skin colour then you know you have the correct shade.
However, with COVID measures being put in place and online shopping on the rise you may not have access to foundation testers.
Do your research
If you are unable to try before you buy research the foundation shades. Brands will often display shade matching charts to help you distinguish which colour is right for you. Read reviews and other purchaser review images of the products to get a better understanding of the shades.
Foundations will often be named with the undertones. If they are labelled with a C this will stand for cool, N for neutral and W for warm.
Looking for a new foundation
You may already have a foundation that is the perfect shade for you but your wanting to branch out and try a different formula or brand. The good news is you can use the information from that foundation colour to find the right tone in other products.
Mixing foundations
Sometimes one foundation just isn’t enough. Whether you’re like me and use faketan or (unlike me) you naturally tan easily your skin can slightly differ in shade and one foundation shade won’t always be enough.
Finding two shades that suit you well when tanned and natural can be very beneficial. You can often then mix these foundation colours to create a transitional colour that may suit you between shades. This also stops you from having to buy too many foundations to match.
Foundation drops are also a product on the market that are designed to slightly alter the tone of your foundation should you buy a product that is nearly there but not quite right.
Foundations with the largest shade ranges
Fenty Beauty PRO FILT’R Soft Matte Longwear Foundation
50 shades
Anastasia Beverly Hills Luminous Foundation
50 shades
Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Foundation
54 shades
Nyx Professional Makeup Can’t Stop Won’t Stop Full Coverage Foundation
45 shades
