Tips to help you find the right foundation colour match

This is probably one of the most commonly asked makeup related questions all around the world on a daily basis....

"How do I find the right foundation colour match?"

This question is almost as old as the pyramids in Egypt. 

So here are some tips to make it easier for you. 

First of all, know your undertone. 

I know that most of us don't have a clue what our undertone is so I am going to share some tips with you to make it easier for you find out. 

There are three key undertones:

WARM (golden, red, and yellow undertones)

COOL (beige and pink undertones), 

NEUTRAL (a balance of gold and pink undertones).

To determine your undertone, look at the veins on the inside of your wrist;

If they’re GREEN you have a warm undertone (the yellow in your skin acts as a filter and makes your blue veins look green)

If they look BLUE, you have a cool undertone

If you see a combo of GREEN and BLUE then you have a neutral undertone. 

Another good way to determine if you have a neutral undertone is if both Gold and Silver Jewellery suit you. 

OK so this is how that information helps you pick the right shade for you. 

All foundations have an undertone to them either warm, cool or neutral so obviously you want to select a colour with the right undertone for you. 

Here is an example of Revlon's foundation colour chart. 

As you can see it is broken down into Cool, Neutral and Warm undertones so you can then choose the right shade from the right undertone group for your skin.

Here is another example of how some brands detail the undertones:

As you can see from the Estee Lauder chart below their shades consist of numbers and letters.

The first number represent the intensity range fair, medium, dark and deep skin tones so number 1 being  the fairest range and number 8 being deepest range.

The letter then stands for Cool (C), Warm (W) and Neutral (N)

The final number is the depth of the shade. So 0 would be the lightest shade in warm, netural or cool ranges and 3 would be the deepest shade in that range.

So for instance if you tried 1C1 and it was almost perfect but in summer you had a slight tan and needed to go for something slightly deeper you could go for 1C2

So if you see a brand uses codes containing these letters this is what they stand for and how you figure out which ones are for you and which ones aren't. 

So hopefully now you can see why knowing your undertone is so important to find the right foundation match. 

The incorrect undertone is the number1 reason people find the foundation doesn't look right on them so if you can crack that part you are pretty much there. 

Oxidisation

If you have ever applied your foundation and it looks the PERFECT shade for you but a couple of hours later it looks darker or more orange on you then this is why....

This is what is known as Oxidisation and it is a chemical reaction the ingredients in the foundation have to the oils in your skin and the open air. Some foundations oxidise more than others and some oxidise more on certain people because it can be based off the oils and acidity in your skin. 

I always recommend you get a sample of the foundation if possible. A lot of brands, especially the more expensive ones will give you a 2 or 3 day sample pot of foundation in the shade you want to try so you can give it a good test drive before spending your money.

Alternatively a lot of the high street foundations, Loreal, Maybelline etc. you can swatch them in the shop to see if the colour is ok on you. I recommend putting some along your jawline (make sure you aren't applying it on top of any other makeup) 

Now here is the key.

Go and do the rest of your shopping or browsing and give the foundation 20-30 minutes if possible. Take a small compact mirror and go out into natural daylight to see how it looks on you. If it looks the right shade still then you are good to go. If it has gone darker or orange then you know it will oxidise and you might need a shade lighter to allow for that. 

Don't make a foundation decision in the shop. The reason I mentioned going outside to check the foundation out is because shop lights can be very sneaky and deceiving, they will alter the appearance of the foundation so you won't get a true picture of how it will look on you in natural day light. This is why I recommend taking a small compact mirror with you when you go foundation shopping so you can look at it outside. 

Findation

And my final tip is for anyone that has found the perfect shade match in a previous foundation but didn't like the finish of that particular foundation or it got discontinued or something...

There is a website called findation.com and if you select the brand you previously used and the shade that was perfect for you and then select the brand foundation you want, it will tell you the closest match to that shade in the new foundation. It's literally that simple! 

Well beautifuls, I hope this has helped you feel more confident about choosing the right foundation shade for you.

Much Love & Speak Soon