We all know how to get eyebrows that look amazing. Lips that look plump and amazing. But the one thing we all still struggle with is finding a shade match for a foundation. Our colour matching on our foundation isn’t as bad as in 2008, and dream matte mousse was the only thing we used. We still struggle knowing what to do and how to tell what our undertones are. No matter how many tutorials we watch.
So today, I’m providing you with some advice that will help you shade match. And never need another tutorial again.
Multiple light sources
We all like to try to match our foundation in-store. Usually, we find the shade that matches our face, pay and leave. But next time you can shade match in-store, try looking at the foundation swatch in different lighting styles. Go into the bathroom and then outside. This will show how the foundation looks on your skin in a different light and whether it is an actual match. We do this as natural light is different from the lights in a beauty store. And can distort how the pigment looks on the skin. Yes, I know it sounds silly and may look it but trust me and try it!
How blue are your veins
To work out what kind of undertone you have, look at the back of your wrist and look at your veins. Depending on how blue they are, you can work out what kind of undertone fits your skin. It will help you work out which one will suit your foundation better.
If your veins look blue or purple, foundation and other types of makeup with a cool undertone will suit you.
If your veins are green, then makeup or foundation with a warm undertone will suit you best.
Have you got blue or green veins? Then get shades that have a neutral undertone. Yes, I realise that blue also appears in the cool undertone section. But remember, if it also seems purple or green, it’s either cool or neutral.
Alternative if you are not white
If you are black, the vein trick won’t work because of hyperpigmentation. (Which you already know, but I didn’t want to leave you out.) The best tip I’ve heard is that you should stand in front of a white background and see what undertones you notice the most!
Different areas of the skin
Another way to check if your foundation is the right match for your skin tone try putting the makeup on different areas of the face. For example, don’t just put it on your cheek. Put it on your forehead. You want to do this because an undertone of foundation can fit one area of your face/neck but then not fit another. If you are white, your forehead can be one colour, and your cheeks could be pinker. If you are black, your cheeks could be more of a red undertone than other facial areas.
And so double-check for most areas of the face to get a more accurate match.
Test for a few hours
Another good tip to try and shade match better is testing out a new shade for a couple of hours. Now I know the idea of having a shade that possibly doesn’t match your neck is filling you with the horror of being stuck in secondary school again. Try this tip out when you are having a day indoors. It’ll make you worry less! But if you test it out for a few hours, you can figure out several things.
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- How the foundation looks in different lighting
- How long the foundation stays on the skin and how it handles sweat and other things
- What the foundation feels like on the skin and whether you like it.
It can also help you figure out how the colour changes throughout the day, how it oxidises. And how it reacts to your PH level and body chemistry. Figuring out these three things can help you shade match and work out your favourite finish of the foundation.
Account for the finish of the foundation
Everyone knows that different foundations have different finishes and types. For example, you have hydrating formulas which are thinner and less opaque. Or you have matte ones which are smooth and are heavy on the skin and can be drying. You want to take the finish into account. As if it finishes full coverage, you have less margin of error. And your shade matching has to be more accurate because we see its full saturation on the face. If the formula was sheerer, you could get away with it matching less as it doesn’t appear as highly saturated on the front.
Ultimately there are a ton of ways to figure out your correct foundation shade. You, too, will get it as perfect as a beauty influencer one day!
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