how to pick the right foundation shade: a quick guide

How to pick the right foundation shade - the foolproof way

For a product most of us wear every day, finding the perfect foundation shade can be tricky. It’s always too dark or too light, or worse, too orange. So what’s the trick to nailing it every time? And what the hell do you do if you’re buying foundation makeup online and can’t physically test it out?

Don’t panic! We’ve got a few tricks up our sleeves that’ll make picking a foundation that little bit easier. Keep reading to learn how to pick the right foundation shade!

Overview:

Find your true match by asking for a tester
How to match foundation to your skin tone
Where to test foundation

How to pick the right foundation shade in 3 steps

1. Ask for a tester

This is an obvious one, but it’s so important when it comes to knowing how to pick the right foundation shade. If you’re buying high-end foundations, makeup counters should be more than happy either to apply some to your face or give you a sample to take home. This way you can see how the foundation actually looks in natural lighting. With samples, you can also see how the foundation works with your existing primer or setting spray!

If you’re buying drugstore options, there’s usually a tester on display you can swatch. Since you can often get better deals online, it doesn’t hurt to identify your perfect shade through testers in-store and then purchase online.

Not an option? Check out Findation - a super helpful foundation makeup database that recommends the right shade match for you based on the foundations you’ve used previously. So, say you know what colour you are in a Rimmel foundation. Findation will recommend the equivalent shade of Napoleon Perdis Sheer Genius Liquid Foundation. Clever, right?

2. Know your undertone

You might know the colour of your skin (whether that’s light, tan or dark) but do you know your undertone? When you’re learning how to pick the right foundation shade for your skintone, your undertone can mean the difference between your foundation blending perfectly and looking like a Halloween mask.

The undertones are:

Cool (pink, red or blue)
Warm (golden, yellow or peach)
Neutral (a mix of warm and cool)

So, how do you find your skin’s undertone? Look at the veins on your wrist! If your veins appear green, then you have a warm undertone. If they are blue or purple, then you have a cool undertone. But if you’re struggling to figure out which colour your veins are, you’ve probably got a neutral undertone.

If your skin is cool toned, try going for foundation names with beige or cream, while warm toned skin will likely suit ivory or tan.

Can’t find the perfect mix or in-between colours? Try mixing and matching your own with the RCMA Makeup 18p VK10 Palette.

3. Where to test

Knowing how to pick the right foundation shade is all about knowing where to test it.

While most people swatch on their hand or their jaw, the best place is actually on your neck. This is because it typically has a more standard colour than your face - which can vary. You’ll also avoid awkward jaw/face lines because it will look perfectly natural and blended.

The Best foundations

So now you know how to pick the right foundation shade, it’s time to pick the perfect foundation! There’s a lot to think about when it comes to choosing your foundation, so we’ve listed out a few of our faves to get you started!

Mineral: INIKA Baked Mineral Foundation 8ml

For oily skin: Inglot Playinn YSM Smoothing Face Foundation

Full coverage foundation: Napoleon Perdis Foundation Stick Porcelain

Tinted moisturiser: asap CC Correcting Cream SPF15 75ml

So, what are you waiting for? You can shop foundation, setting powders, and more makeup at Oz Hair & Beauty today!

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