Have you ever seen someone with a slightly lighter or darker shade of foundation or powder on their face? I guess you were startled by the look of a light face and a contrasting shade on their neck, ear and palm?
First things first, do you know your skin tone? If you are not sure of your skin tone, it is impossible to nail your foundation colour match. No one wants to walk around with make up that is not their skin tone, and much less one that doesn’t flatter their look.
While many beauty stores will do a free colour match for you, there are some that will not, leaving the decision entirely on you.
Before you set aside a budget for your make-up, keep this in mind. Below are steps to help you find make-up that suits you best.
1. Identify your skin tone
If you have a fair skin tone…you have probably been described as having porcelain skin a time or two in your life.
If you have a light skin tone, you are still pale, just not quite as much as fair-skinned women.
If you have a medium skin tone, your skin tone is not super-dark or super-light but somewhere in between. Some people call this brown.
If you have a deep skin tone, your complexion is dark.
2. Determine your undertone
Your undertone is the color that comes through your skin and affects its overall hue. This colour plays a part in which products will work with your coloring too.
A great way to know your undertone is to look at the inside of your arm by simply flipping your wrist and taking a look at your veins. If they appear blue or purple, you’re cool-toned, while green veins indicate warm-toned skin.
3. Find your foundation match
Now that you know your tone and undertone, you are ready to find a foundation that matches your skin tone and undertone.
4. Choose a coordinating concealer
For the best outcome, your concealer should be as close of a match to your skin as possible, not slightly lighter or darker. Preferably matching your undertone. To make things easier, stick with a concealer from the same line as your foundation.
5. Opt for either a colorless or a matching powder
You can search for a powder that coordinates with the color of your foundation and concealer, or you can use a translucent powder that can be used to set makeup of any shade.
6. Select shades for your cheeks and lips
To enhance your appearance and give your face a fuller appearance, add a touch of colour to your cheeks and lips. But what will work for your skin tone? While your blush and lip color do not need to match your skin tone exactly, they do need to complement one another.
Choose a powder formula for your cheeks that has shades of warm, cool, or neutral undertones. Most products have the undertone printed on the packaging.
For your pout, pick a shade that is universal. While most lipsticks will not suit everyone, there are some shades that can, especially mid-toned neutrals.
Taking your skin tone into consideration when buying make up is key to looking good. It gives you a good foundation for making purchasing decisions.
