Finding your perfect foundation shade

Finding your perfect foundation match

Fresh to the makeup game or just trying to get the perfect match? No worries there are so many ways to determine your ideal foundation to match your skin tone. Read on to discover the many resources that can help you.

Method 1- Undertone

Determining your undertone is the first essential step in discovering your foundation match. Tools such as an educational article or a quiz to narrow it down.

Ultimately there are 3 different undertones- cool, warm and neutral. These can be determined by looking at the colour of your veins on your inner wrist,

• Cool = Veins on the underside of your wrist appear blue/purple.
• Warm = Veins on the underside of your wrist appear green.
• Neutral = Veins on the underside of your wrist appear blue/green.

This is a great base to start off with as you’ll find that pretty much every foundation on the market has a defined undertone.

Method 2- Swatching

Foundation swatches are one of the most efficient ways to spot your undertone, so long as you know your product’s undertone. Give this method a shot the next time you’re browsing a makeup store.

Swatching on your jawline works best for spotting a colour match, since it doesn’t get as much sun exposure as other parts of our face and body. Don’t match foundation to your arms (which tend to be tanner) or your neck (which tends to be paler).

Method 3- Talking to an expert.

Mecca or Farmers are both excellent places to get matched with your favorite brand, from budget friendly brands such as Makeup Revolution to higher end brands like MAC. Mecca can provide you with samples of foundation after they test out some shades on you.

This means that you can go home and test them out, then buy the full-size product if you wish.

This method is also great if you haven't discovered a brand that you love just yet. Both Farmers & Mecca stock many great brands, you can also buy some of them cheaper from us ;)

Method 4- Foundation Mixing

If all else fails or you have skin that changes frequently with seasons, a good option is looking into mixing foundation shades.

If your favorite foundation is a little too dark at times, try mixing it with a moisturiser to even out the tone to match your skin. This can make your foundation slightly more sheer depending on if the moisturiser you use is white or clear.

Another factor in mixing foundation and moisturiser is matching the base ingredients.

Water based foundation + Water based moisturiser

Silicone based foundation + Silicone based moisturiser

If the base ingredients aren't matched, you’ll end up with an uneven textured foundation. Bit like water and oil being mixed together!