try and match it to the shade of your neck!

I always go to a Sephora or Ulta because they have those samples to try as well as lighting and mirrors everywhere. It also helps if you ask an associate to also check and see if the foundation is a good match. Skin tone usually changes between winter and summer so I like to check as much as possible. Another trick I’ve used before if you can’t or don’t feel like asking someone is to take a selfie and see how the foundation looks on you.

Noone has just one shade, it's not standardised. But i have an advice: swatch on your jawline and on your neck, instead of your hand. You will have better chances to find a matching shade like that

I never get my shade. I’m pale olive from being half Italian but I’m very olive skinned. But NOWHERE does the right side. It’s either for tanned olive girls, or the foundation is too orange in lighter colours, or not olive enough. Fenty beauty is the closest I’ve ever come to my skin tone, it’s a pretty good match but still just doesn’t quite perfectly match me. No advice really just solidarity, makeup is so frustrating sometimes. 

The lighting in hotel bathrooms is terrible so get a portable ring light with adjustable color temp to test your makeup in natural light.

And focusing on your undertones (cool, warm, neutral) is more important than just the shade. Mixing foundations is also a really good (makeup artists always do that too) and test shades on your jawline, not your cheek.

It took me so long to find a good shade match. I went to Sephora several times to get them to match me, and then I asked for samples to take home to try how they looked in different lighting and wore throughout the day

Maybe consult a professional mua? Like how you would consult with a hairdresser to get your hair done. Also, some of the people behind the makeup counters of these high end department stores actually know how to do their jobs and aren’t just there to look pretty. You could ask them as well.

I could never find a shade match bc I assumed my undertone was cool/pink since foundation was consistently orange on me. I was so wrong. It turns out I’m more neutral/warm with olive undertones. I have a light-medium complexion, so when I’m not tan, I kinda look green. I figured out that adding green corrector into my neutral-toned foundations made the perfect color match. I suggest looking at your undertone and then adding a mixing pigment into existing foundations until you find the right match!

Darker foundation is always better than lighter overall but maybe just blend the foundation down your neck into your chest. Like a light blend on the neck and chest so the foundation doesn’t just stop at your jawline and look like a harsh color change. Regardless of what shade you decide to get.

If you can't find your exact shade match, it won't look 100% natural. However, I do find that going darker typically looks way better than going lighter. Use a minimal amount of product and blend it into your neck.

Thank you for contributing to MUA! If this is your first post, please be sure to check out our rules in the subreddit sidebar. If you are on mobile, they can be viewed by tapping the "See more" button under the subreddit description

A few quick reminders:

• Don't forget your product list in the comments, complete with shade names within 20 minutes of posting.

• No photo editing.

• Google it first!

• Lastly, our Helpful Guides for Navigating MUA in the sidebar explains some of the basics of the community as well as commonly misinterpreted rules.

r/MakeupAddiction is looking for new moderators! If you're interested, fill out this form or message the moderators!

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

go lighter and then just use contour/bronzer to help mellow it out

Have you tried mixing two shades to get a more-custom match? Some people buy their lightest shade and their darkest shade in a formula they like (that suits their undertones) and then combine them as needed to get a match.

I'll be honest I've spent a lot of money until I figured out the right one. But the ones I bought haven't gone to waste either. Like if it turned out darker than my skin tone. I use it to do my full face and then use the foundations which turned out light on the highlighting parts of my face. In this way it naturally becomes the contour and concealer and gives me good result.

One suggestion for you is to go to a nykaa store and try out the Kay beauty foundations. They usually have the right shade and based on that you can approach other brands

What I will suggest to you is to try out testers! You know how some businesses sell testers of different shades so you can find the perfect match? That way. You’ll end up spending 200-250 on each tested for high end foundations like Mac (I did that) and it helped immensely to make the right choice.

If this is your first buy you need to go to a Sephora or Bobbi brown store.

The first question is what do you want the foundation to do? Are you covering up hyperpigmentation? Dark circles or acne? Do you have an uneven tone or discolouration?

Second question: what is your a skin type? This will help determine whether you need a stick foundation or a liquid foundation. Oily skin should go for dryer application like stick or you can try a compact pressed foundation. Dry skin needs good priming and a liquid foundation.

Third question: How much time will you have? Is this an everyday wear? Do you have time to carefully do full coverage with different shades and concealer for under eyes. Or are you looking at a tinted sunscreen or a bb cream that has low coverage?

I’d also consider budget but the reality is that as foundation is usually your base and as such this is where good money is worth the investment. A 4k bottle is fairly standard for the good brands but again you can buy minis if you want.

Now onto the actual purchase. Go to a store in the day time and test out a few foundations once you have answers to the above. You want to test it generally against the area between your chin and skin. U typically make a few lines there of difference shades and the one that is a good skin match (don’t go lighter just go for something that actually exactly matches your skin- you’ll know because you won’t see it once it’s on). Usually once I’ve figured put the right shade I borrow the store mirror and go out into the sun and check it in the light. Once it’s a confirmed match in daylight that isn’t making any acne or skin issues like pores worse then I ask them to do a full face with it. Also if you have your own concealers or any other primer you use best to bring it with you and do a full face with it. Do a full day of shopping with it and if it looks great at the end of the day (no touch ups or creasing) then go ahead and purchase. Also check for oxidation and any change in shade or patches.

I personally use Estée Lauder stay in place double wear. Have used Makeup forever and avene compact for different weather/ uses.

If it is cooler, you can use an orange colour corrector along with your foundation and you'll be able to match it with your skin tone.

If you're purchasing a foundation for the first time, then it's better you go to a nearby store and buy one rather than trying to get yourself shade-matched online.

Regarding concealer, I tried this newish brand concealer called House of Makeup. They're just awesome!

https://findation.com/

This has been accurate for me so far! But you need to have some reference shade.

My suggestion: go check out the store for free tests

Sephora has a tool that will match you in store

And my mom fell for the ilmakiage scam. She hated the formula at first she now mixes with my Becca liquid highlight BUT I was genuinely surprised how perfect the color match was for the foundation - basically perfect. She is light fair skin, combo.

Estee Lauder will do color match for you in-store and send you home with 10 day sample of your color for free so you can try at home.

Please include a complete Product List in the comments (Rule #3) and ensure that your selfie(s) observe the following rules for Appropriate and Useful Photos (Rule #2): (a) Mouth and nose are fully visible; (b) Makeup must be visible; (c) No filters; (d) Skin texture must be visible (high res); (e) Brightly lit; and (f) No weird angles.

These guidelines allow our community remain focused on learning and sharing our creativity. Your post will be removed if it violates these rules, but we hope you will revise your photos and post again.

If you used the caption feature to add more info, please reproduce the information in a comment. Captions are not visible to all users.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

Definitely .5N (4). 1 and 2 are way too light. 3 is closer to your skin tone but totally the wrong undertone. Are you sure 3 is .5C? It looks SO orange, which is odd for a cool tone .5N is the closest but still a liiiittle too fair. You can probably make it work with some neutral bronzing drops. You have really beautiful skin with just a little redness. I’d think about a skin tint + light concealer instead of a heavy foundation like these ❤️

So what I do is do a Google search of the shade and number, majority of the times the brand and shade will come up

Then I go to findation.com to find my closest match in my own foundation shade in that brand’s own

For me, I’m going to be one of the first two lightest shades and if they have a naming system that connotes undertone I go with whatever the neutral one is. Warm will always be too orange for me and cool can often swing too pink.

This is Estée Lauder. I’d look up swatches online!

These are Estée Lauder colors so I would use the virtual try on 😉

I google the name to try and find the brand online. These are Estée Lauder double wear. And then try and make my best shade guess from the description or if there’s a color match to my current foundation.