How to Choose the Right Foundation for Your Complexion

Choosing the perfect foundation shade can be tricky. If you’ve ever accidentally ended up with foundation darker than your tone, you know how hard it is to pick the right shade for your skin. Too dark of it makes your face darker than your neck while a shade too light ends up giving you that ghostly look.

The best foundation shouldn’t be noticeable at all. So how do you find the perfect foundation shade that lets your foundation skin look more natural and flawless? Keep reading to learn a few tips on how to find your best foundation match!

Identify Your Skin Type

It is the most crucial step that helps you choose the perfect foundation formula. You must first understand what type of skin you have to know what formula works best for you. There are four skin types, namely oily, dry, combination and sensitive skin.

If you have oily skin, pick a powder foundation or an oil-free liquid one; these contain powders that absorb oil, leaving you with a matte finish. If your skin is dry type, choose a hydrating powder foundation, a liquid, or a stick one; these have a creamy consistency that brings moisture to your skin, offering exceptional coverage.

Combination skin, on the other hand, tends to be oily in some places and dry in others; try to strategically mix and match formulas to achieve a more seamless look. Choose a hypoallergenic and scent-free foundation if your skin is sensitive type.

Understand Your Undertone

Undertone is the underlying shade of your skin. While the surface of your skin changes upon exfoliating or using retinol products, your undertone stays the same; that’s why you don’t want to match the surface tone. Knowing your undertone aids you in choosing the right foundation color. There are three types of undertones, namely cool, warm, and neutral undertones. You can run a few tests to determine your undertone.

These tests involve assessing your eye and hair color, the color of your veins and colors that accentuate how you look. Naturally black, brown, or blonde hair combined with blue, green, or grey eyes is an indication of a cool undertone. Brown, hazel or amber eyes combined with naturally black, auburn or strawberry blonde hair indicate warm undertone.

Silver jewelry looks good on a cool undertone; gold jewelry complements warm undertone; neutral undertone, on the other hand, looks equally good in both silver and gold.

Determine your Desired Coverage

The best foundation makeup also depends on the coverage needed. Understanding the different types of coverages guides you in selecting your ideal foundation. With thousands of them in the market, it might be challenging to know what to work with to achieve a flawless look.

Sheer coverage is the most transparent and contains the least amount of pigment. Although it doesn’t hide blemishes, it’s ideal for minimizing the contrast between discoloration and the rest of the skin tone.

Light coverage has a level of transparency that only covers unevenness and slight blemishes. To cover freckles, discolorations, and red marks, opt for medium coverage. Contrarily, a scarred face needs a full coverage foundation to cover very dark blemishes.

Swatch Test

Now that you’ve already figured out your undertone, prepare to shade-match by applying foundation samples to your skin to demonstrate its color and finish. The best place to test your foundation is on your face and jawline, sweeping down towards your neck, not on your wrist or the back of your hand. Doing this helps you see if the product matches your neck and face, as you’ll want your base product to match both areas.

Synthetic lighting can be deceiving, so use natural lighting to see how the foundation pigments appear. If it’s too light, then you’ll end up looking too ashy, and if the formula is too dark, then it’ll make your complexion look muddy. The shade that disappears into your skin is the right match for you.

How to Apply Foundation

Once you choose your foundation color match, here’s how to use it:

Step #1: Prime

Skipping this step is the biggest mistake you can make when applying your makeup. A facial primer makes all the difference in how your makeup looks. It smoothens lines, hides pores, and banishes imperfections. It not only creates a smooth base for your makeup but also helps it last longer.

Step #2: Apply Foundation

The next step is to take your foundation and pour a small amount onto a makeup blender. Use a makeup sponge to blend it out, working from the center of your face outward.

Step #3: Conceal

Makeup brushes are one of the essential tools in your beauty arsenal. However, using the wrong type can make it difficult to blend your makeup. For a perfect look, apply your concealer in a patting motion, then press it in with a concealer brush to cover blemishes.

Step #4: Set with Powder

This step is optional, but if you want a long-lasting, crease-free makeup, then you should use a setting powder to hold your foundation and concealer in place.

Step #5: Add Blush

The final step is to add blush to your cheeks to bring back a natural-looking flush. Start by applying blush onto the center of your cheeks, moving the brush back towards your ear. For a finishing touch, sweep blush across your forehead, nose, and chin for a contouring effect.

Eye Makeup

For your eye makeup, always go in with an eyeshadow primer before applying your eyeshadow. It helps your shadow stay on for a longer time. Proceed to apply your favorite eyeshadow color; if you use multiple colors, always make sure to blend them perfectly.

To provide the illusion of a fuller lash line, use an eyeliner similar to your natural hair color. Lastly, apply mascara to complete your eye makeup. If you have short lashes, opt for a mascara that adds length. Volumizing mascara, on the other hand, is ideal for thin lashes.

Now that you know your skin type, undertone, and the various types of coverages, get to that drugstore and confidently pick a foundation that’s your match, then use the given tips to up your makeup game.

Resources: In Style, Beauty Blender