Finding the right foundation shade for your skin tone can drive you to a state of utter confusion during a tour into your local beauty store. To a layperson, almost every shade out there just seems like a true match. But as past experience of countless women has shown, the wrong foundation shade can prove disastrous! With innumerable shades and crazy blends available, discovering the proper drugstore foundation can be quite an undertaking.
So, before we begin, remember that your mission is to look for something that feels light, easily buildable, and covers your skin uniformly. The point of using a foundation is to make your skin look naturally flawless, not one that’s cakey or turns you into a ghost! What we try to achieve with a foundation is to trick people to believe that you have no makeup on. Yes, it’s an art, and with practice, you’ll soon get the hang of it.
So, what’s the best foundation for your skin type? Which shade will blend into your skin like a dream? It’s not rocket science, trust us. Just a little bit of research can help you pick the correct shade, one that feels and looks like your “second skin”. Still, wondering how to pick the perfect foundation for your skin tone? Here are things you need to bear in mind while choosing your best fit:
Analyze your skin tone
While skin tones are varied, the three basic categories are light, medium, and deep. Good knowledge of your skin color will help you determine the perfect foundation shade for yourself. Look for the undertones: cool, warm, and neutral. Check your veins to find your natural undertone. Cool undertone for those whose veins look purple or blue, warm undertone for green or olive-hued veins, and neutral undertone if you don’t clearly identify with either of the cool or warm undertones. Go for a yellow-tinged foundation for warm undertones and a pink one for cool undertones. If your skin tone varies from light to medium or medium to deep, choosing transition shades is your safest bet.
Understand your skin type
Your skin type matters too. Oily skinned beauties should go for matte, powdery, or oil-free foundation, while those with dry skin need to opt for a hydrating foundation with a creamy consistency. Beauties with combination skin can try mixing the above formulations to achieve the right blend for their skin. If your skin is sensitive and acne-prone, it is best to avoid foundations that contain alcohol or are heavily fragranced.
Do a swatch test along your jawline
Often your skin may not be uniformly toned. It’s best to do a wear test on your neck or close to your jawline. Pick three shades that you have short-listed that you think are the closest match to your skin tone and swatch them side by side. If either of those perfectly blends into your skin, you’ve found the right one for yourself. Congrats, mission accomplished!
Check for oxidation of the foundation
To avoid looking ashy or ghastly, leave the foundation on your skin for some time after wearing it. You can detect some discoloration of the foundation shade as a result of exposure to the air. This one is perhaps the most overlooked but essential step to finding the right foundation shade that suits your skin tone.
Choose the right finish of your foundation
To find the most skin-identical option, pick the most suitable coverage depending on your skin concerns. The idea is to allow your skin to breathe without clogging it too much. A light-coverage or dewy foundation will leave a sheer finish (great for daywear). The medium one can help you build a more even canvas as you can layer it, and a full-coverage heavy foundation completely evens out all imperfections and is well-suited for evening wear or a special occasion.
Invest in two or three shades
Since our skin’s needs vary across seasons, it’s a good idea to invest in two slightly different formulations and shades: one shade lighter or darker than your actual skin tone. So, adjusting your foundation shade is crucial to achieving a flawless look. Summers can cause your skin to tan and darken your complexion. So, buy one shade that’s darker than the one you usually need. Winters can cause dry skin woes. So, a hydrating or oil-infused foundation formula may add a layer of nourishment and prevent the extra-dryness that leads to a flaky finish or uneven layering of the foundation on your skin.
This guide should help you ease out your foundation shopping experience. Knowing these nuances and some trials and errors on the way can help you arrive at your final destination, i.e., finding the right foundation for your skin tone. Most importantly, you’ll save your bucks! If choosing the right foundation shade still seems like a daunting task, you may consult a makeup expert to help you select one that’s your most appropriate fit.
