How to get your foundation shade right

Yes, there will be times when you will need a little help when you want you skin to look its best. Foundation is the secret weapon to get you the perfect look especially when your skin needs it the most. But finding the right shade of foundation can be a challenge.

 

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I have mistakenly bought the wrong shade of foundation a few times. I choose a darker shade or a shade several tones lighter than my real colour, leaving my makeup looking a HOT MESS! Which was so embarrassingly.

The right shade gives that natural look and helps the makeup stay on, looking beautiful all day. Here are some handy tips to help you get the right shade of foundation.

 

Swatch 3 shades of foundation on your face

This is one of the oldest tricks in the book. Where you’re allowed to test the foundation apply 3 shades on foundation starting from your cheek to your jaw line. The idea is to see how well the different shades blends with your natural skin colour. The one closest to your skin colour is your match.

When you are applying the 3 shades of foundation, take care not to blend them into your skin. You need to see how well the foundation suits your skin colour.

 

Test the foundation in natural light

What most people do when choosing their foundation is to make choices based on the lighting in the store. But the truth is that you will not be indoors all the time and so making your choice of foundation based on indoor lighting is the wrong way to go.

If you’re in a store and you’re testing foundation, get close to a window to know exactly how well the foundation works on your skin.

 

Foundation shades image

 

Place the bottle next to your face

Now, it’s not in all cases when you’ll be allowed to apply the foundation directly on your face before buying it. Many shops will not allow you to open the foundation bottle and apply the product directly on your skin. Foundation is usually kept in clear see-through containers. This makes it easy for you to know the exact shade of the foundation.

Where you’re unable to apply the foundation directly on your skin, bring the bottle of foundation close to your face in natural light. This will give you an idea of whether the foundation is a good fit for you.

 

Make use of foundation shade finder apps

Thank goodness for technology! Major cosmetic companies have developed their own nifty apps that will help you know the exact shade of foundation that matches your skin. All you have to do is download the app, take a picture of yourself under natural light and you automatically get the shade that works for you. Cosmetic companies like IMAN have a similar app to this.

Maybelline’s foundation shade finder is on their website and all you need to do is answer a couple of questions and they immediately produce the results that are a perfect match to your skin.

 

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How did you find the right foundation shade? Please share your tried and tested tips in the comments section below.

Thank you.

 

20 responses

  1. Swatching three different colours is such a good idea – I am usually the fairest, but when there are a variety of tones I’m never sure which to go for!

    • It can be tricky to get their attention. Especially during peak times but worth trying so you get the right shade.

  2. This is a really useful post – I wear Estee Lauder and have done for about 10 years but sometimes I wonder if it is the right shade for me or whether it’s because I dont blend it very well!

  3. Pingback: 3 Foundation Makeup Rules - fashionandstylepolice fashionandstylepolice

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