How to choose the right foundation color ?
Photo: Harper Bazaar
The question I am asked the most
If I had to rank the questions that come up the most when talking about makeup, I think that the foundation color would be #1.
I can fully understand this question because I myself went through it when I started showing interest in makeup.
Is it that serious not to choose the right shade?
Nothing is that serious in makeup, we are not talking about an irreversible action.
You just have to remove your makeup and everything is resolved.
Choosing the wrong foundation color will however have some consequences which I think you will not really like:
your makeup will not look natural at all
dull, greyish complexion
looking older
looking tired
Know your undertone
Before selecting the ideal foundation color, you need to know your undertone.
The undertone is the color we have under the surface of our skin.
It is essential to know which one is yours as this influences the choice of your foundation.
You can find a foundation color that looks perfect to you, but if the undertone does not suit you, your complexion will be dull and again, it will look nothing but natural.
There are three undertones:
Warm
Your skin has shades of golden, orange or peach.
You tan easily and the gold goes for you.
Olive
You can see yellow and green on your skin.
As with people with a warm undertone, gold looks great on you.
Cold
You see shades of blue or pink on your skin.
You do not tan easily and might be prone to redness if your skin is fair.
Silver jewelry fits you perfectly.
Neutral
None of the above shades are clearly visible on your skin.
Whether gold or silver, both metals are great for you.
Be careful not to draw quick conclusions.
Very dark skin may very well have a cool undertone, just as very fair skin may have a warm undertone.
If you can't make up your mind about your undertone, ask a friend to look behind your ear.
The undertone is more easily visible here.
My advice for choosing the right color
Always try the color before buying your foundation
I strongly recommend not buying a foundation without having tried the color on you.
Our vision of color can be distorted, whether it is because of the light in the place where we are, or simply because of the packaging of the product itself.
It is therefore essential to always try the color before making the purchase.
If you want to buy your foundation online, try it in store first.
For your information, if you have the wrong color, you have the right to return to the store and change the product.
For hygienic reasons, prefer liquid foundations in bottles. You just need to pour a few drops on your hand, avoiding touching the rim of the bottle.
Always think about the person who will buy the product after you return it.
Choose three colors and test them on your face
If you are not sure of your choice, look for three colors that seem close to your skin color.
Put them on the bottom of your face from the cheek to the jawline.
Look for the color that melts into your skin to the point that it is no longer visible.
The color that you will no longer be able to see is the perfect shade.
If you are between two colors, you may need to buy both and mix them to create the ideal color.
Test it in natural light
The artificial lights used in stores do not give you a precise idea of the real color of a product.
Always check in natural light to see the real result.
After putting the three colors on your face, go outside and check the result.
Unless you plan to wear your foundation only in the store, testing it in daylight is essential.
A winter shade and a summer shade
Our skin color changes with the seasons.
The foundation color that you have bought at a certain moment will not necessarily be a perfect match a few months later.
For this reason, I recommend having a foundation for the months when your skin is lighter and changing it to a darker shade when your skin gets darker (spring, summer).
I am often told that "Francine, I don't wear foundation in summer, my skin is more tanned".
The foundation is not used to make you look more tanned ladies, if you use it as such it means that you are using a darker color ... and therefore the wrong color.
There are other techniques to look sun-kissed than applying a darker foundation. You can use a bronzer for example.
Do not test your foundation on your hand or your wrist
If you plan to make up your hands or your wrist, I advise you to test your foundation there but I do not think that it is the case, right ?
These body parts do not necessarily have the same color as your face.
This is very obvious on dark skin, for example. The inside of the wrist is generally much lighter than the face.
Trying your foundation there instead of your face will mislead you.
Do not rely on “swatches” or on the references of a friend
You can now find swatches of foundation all over the internet.
The objective is to help you see the rendering of hues on a skin color.
The idea is interesting at first but not necessarily effective in helping you choose the right foundation color.
First of all, swatches are usually done on the arms of models ... like I said, your arms don't always have the same color as your face.
Then the perception of color in relation to brightness arises again.
The lighting under which the photo was taken can give a rendering totally different from the real color.
Your phone or computer screen on which you view the photos will also affect the perception of color.
You will have the same issue if you want to base yourself on the shade chosen by one of your friends, for example, who you think has the same skin color.
According to L'Oréal, there are 66 different skin colors.
Your chances of getting it right can be quite limited, not impossible, but difficult anyway.
How to correct a shade mistake?
It is always possible to correct a makeup mishap.
Don't be too quick to and get rid of your foundation.
If your foundation is too dark, keep it for sunny days. You might use it again at that time.
If it is really too dark, buy a lighter foundation and mix the two colors to get the right one.
If your foundation is too light, on the contrary, look for a foundation with a few shades darker to make up for it all.
The ideal is still to have the color you need from the start.
Want to train with me?
During my make-up lessons, individual and private, I provide the huge range of foundations I have in my kit.
I suggest that participants choose the color that seems most suitable for their complexion.
Funny moment when they find themselves facing all these colors but following my advice, they always do very well.
Locked down now, I cannot offer face-to-face lessons, but will be back to it very soon.
If you live in Paris or plan to visit within the next months, take the chance to enjoy a makeup class with me.
Don’t hesitate to book you free discovery call so that you can ask me all the questions you have about foundation and other makeup subjects.
See you soon.
Yours in beauty,
Francine O.