Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Learning more about your skin
• Part 2 of 3: Finding the perfect shade of foundation
• Part 3 of 3: Adjusting the foundation
• Tips

Foundation is the make-up base that you use to hide imperfections and even out your skin tone so that you have a uniform surface to apply the rest of your make-up on. It is important to use the right shade or else your make-up will look unnatural and you will not have the right surface to apply the rest of your cosmetics. There are a few factors to consider when choosing a shade of foundation, such as your skin type, skin tone, and complexion.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Learning more about your skin

1. Know what undertones are. Before you choose a foundation, you need to determine a few things about your skin, such as the undertone. While the surface of your skin can change due to, for example, the sun or acne, the undertone always remains the same. That is why you can better determine the right color foundation if you know what the undertone of your skin is. The skin can generally be divided into three undertones:
   • Cool, which means your skin has blue, red, or pink undertones.
   • Warm, which means your skin has golden, yellow or peach undertones.
   • Neutral, which means that your skin has a combination of cool and warm undertones.
2. Determine the undertone. There are a few tests you can take to determine if your undertones are warm, cool, or neutral. These tests involve looking at your hair and eye color, which colors suit you best, how your skin reacts to the sun and the color of your veins.
   • Black, brown or blonde hair in combination with green, gray or blue eyes often means that the skin has cool undertones. Brown or amber eyes in combination with black, red or honey blonde hair usually means warm undertones.
   • Silver jewelry suits you best if your skin has cool undertones; gold jewelry works best with warm undertones; for someone with neutral undertones, both gold and silver look good.
   • People with cool undertones often turn pink or burn easily in the sun, while people with warm undertones tend to tan.
   • Blue veins on the inside of the wrist indicate cool undertones; green veins indicate warm undertones; blue-green veins indicate neutral undertones.
3. Know the best foundation for your skin type. While you don't know what shade of foundation to take if you have dry or oily skin, you can choose the right kind of foundation. The skin can be oily, dry or combination, and you can have normal or sensitive skin.
   • Choose a matte or oil-free liquid or powder foundation if you have oily skin.
   • Choose a moisturizing cream foundation if you have dry skin.
   • Choose a hypo-allergenic and perfume-free foundation for sensitive skin.
   • Choose a powder foundation if you have combination skin.
   • Choose a foundation with full or almost full coverage if you have an uneven complexion or if you want to cover most of your skin. Otherwise, go for a foundation that provides partial or light coverage for a natural look.
   • It's always good to use sun protection factor foundation to protect your skin from damage from UVA and UVB rays.

Part 2 of 3: Finding the perfect shade of foundation

1. Look at your skin to narrow down the choice. If you already know what kind of foundation to take based on your skin type, and you know what undertone your skin has, you can now pick out some possible shades. Before you go to the makeup store, consider which shades will best suit your undertone.
   • For cool undertones, choose a foundation that has pink, red, or blue in it, and consider shades like cocoa, rose, sand, and porcelain.
   • For warm undertones, choose a foundation that has gold or yellow in it, and consider shades like caramel, gold, chestnut, and beige.
   • For neutral undertones, choose shades such as ocher, nude, ivory or praline.
2. Choose a makeup store, drug store, or department store. If you are going to buy foundation, go to a store where you can get help from makeup specialists who can recommend the right shade of foundation for you. If you can't, look for a store that has testers so you can determine the right shade for yourself before buying. In an emergency, you can go to a store where you can at least exchange the foundation if you bought the wrong one.
3. Try out a few shades. Use the information on the best shades for your undertone and pick a few foundations to try. Optically choose a few shades that are closest to your own skin tone. Test them by putting a few dots of foundation on your jawline. The skin near your jawline is closest to your natural undertone and also gives you an idea of ​​what the foundation looks like on your neck.
   • If there are no testers in the store, hold the bottles of foundation by your neck and jawline.
   • Whether you're using testers or holding the bottles up to your skin, it's best to stand by a door or window to see what the foundation looks like in natural light. This also allows the foundation to dry for a while, so that you know what it will look like in the end.
4. Choose the foundation. The best foundation is one that disappears into your skin. You shouldn't actually see the foundation: it should provide an even surface on which to continue working. Look at the dots on your jawline to see which foundation works best with your skin. This is the shade that best hides blemishes and redness while still looking natural.
   • Consider buying a few shades at a time so you can try and compare them all, especially if there are no testers in the store.

Part 3 of 3: Adjusting the foundation

1. Lighten foundation that is too dark. You can adjust the shade of the foundation to get a shade that matches your skin better, whether you bought the wrong shade and you can't swap it, or you are using up an old bottle. One way is to apply the foundation with a wet sponge instead of your fingers. You can also lighten the foundation by mixing it with:
   • Moisturizer
   • Primer
   • A lighter foundation
   • Concealer or powder
2. Darken foundation that is too light. Just as you can lighten foundation if it's too dark, you can darken it if it's too light for your skin. To darken foundation, try the following:
   • Add rouge or concealer
   • Mix the foundation with bronzer
   • Mix the foundation with darker foundation or tinted day cream
3. Change the color of the foundation. You can also change a foundation that doesn't match your undertones. To make foundation work better with yellow undertones, you can add some turmeric. Add some pinkish-brown blusher to the foundation if you want it to go better with pink or blue undertones. To make the foundation more brown you can add cocoa powder.

Tips

• Replace make-up sponges regularly when using them to apply foundation as they can harbor germs and bacteria.
• Remove makeup and moisturizer on your face before going to sleep.
• Consider using tinted day cream instead of foundation if you have fair skin and an even complexion.
• You can use a lighter foundation in the winter and a darker one in the summer if you have tanned skin.