AIBU to be pissed off with the entire experience of shopping for foundation?

[Nicebucket]

I love makeup, but I hate shopping for it! I don't want to me harsh because I know the people at makeup counters are just doing their job, but they really upset me sometimes and it kills the whole experience.

For starters, they ALWAYS try to match me to a shade that's wayyyyy too dark for my skin. I'm a MAC NC 25/30, so I'm definitely not pale, but I'm not exactly dark either. But for some reason, the foundation shades they match me to at counters such as Bobbi Brown, Nars, Clarins etc. are proper dark.

I don't understand why this is? Is it an assumption that everyone wants to look tanned and slightly orange? Or is it because I'm of Indian origin and Indian skins are generally a bit darker so they assume I must be too?

I genuinely don't understand. Could I be blind and unable to understand my own skin tone?!

[MitzyLeFrouf]

I hear ya!

I'm very pale and I've lost count of the amount of times a sales assistant has tried to flog me a too dark foundation because it will 'warm my skin up'.

Ummm no thanks. I don't want to be 'warmed up' i.e painted orange, I just want a foundation that matches my skin.

[ghostyslovesheep]

try Bare Minerals - much better shade options

[Nicebucket]

So approximately my complexion-

[Nicebucket]

And an example of the foundation they tried to match me to-

[Nicebucket]

I've tried bare minerals, it breaks me out (very strange, I know)

Besides, the trouble is not finding shades, I love the range in Bobbi brown, NARS etc. the trouble is the sales people always trying to give me the wrong one.

[Scarydinosaurs]

I feel you. I have olive skin and constantly given shades that are too dark.

Mac are good about giving testers.

I tried SUQQU in selfridges and it was a fantastic match for my skin tone. I highly reccomend it. I just need to sell a kidney and I'm buying it.

[SirChenjin]

I'm with you OP. How on earth am I supposed to know which foundation to choose? There are eleventy billion makes, brands and types of foundation - am I supposed to give up an entire day to go from one counter to another while I'm 'matched' and then go outside to make sure I don't look like an oompa loompa in natural light?

[FifteenFortyNine]

YANBU, I hate shopping for make up and the make up counters are the worst, the people working on them usually have even less of an idea of what suits me. Always going for shades that are too dark for me. And also, the counters are rarely in a good lighting so it's hard to see what the make up actually looks like. The horror is only revealed outside the shop in plain daylight

[ExasperatedAlmostAlways]

As someone who has worked on cosmetics counters for six years now and managed one for two years I'm really surprised to hear this. I say to all customers, do you like an exact match or a cooler or warmer tone? What sort of coverage do you like? Do you prefer a matte or laminating finish? Select the appropriate foundation. Then I will put the exact match and one above and below it on their jawline in stripes and ask their opinion. Then try their favoured shade all over one side whilst talking them through the products benefits etc and then show them and get feed back before applying all over or changing depending on what they think of it.

I can 100% say no one has ever left unhappy with the shade they were matched too. I also encourage them to go out the store with a mirror to look in natural daylight if they wish.

Op, what shades that you were matched too?

[ExasperatedAlmostAlways]

Luminating haha

[hollinhurst84]

Sometimes I'm glad that my skin is always the palest shade
I look for "Ivory/porcelain/ghost" and job done

[EponasWildDaughter]

Pick a brand you fancy for whatever reason (just as you would when you choose a clothes shop) and then ask which of their foundation ranges suits your skin type - dry, oily, combination, ect.

Then take the 2, 3, 4, 5 testers in that range which you think might be the ones for you, and put a nice stripe of each one (in no. order, so you can remember which is which) across your wrist/inner arm. Make the stripe long enough for it to go into the slightly darker 'outside' skin of your arm. 3 inches or so.

Then go outside. Look carefully at the colours in daylight and you'll see which is for you. A good make up assistant will ask you to look at the colours outside. The lighting in-store is no good for anyone to make a guess at the colour match. You or them!

Good luck :)

[hefzi]

Nice, I'm the same shade as you: and have the same experience, no matter whether it's Boots or a department store. Mind you, up here in the North West, the darker look is quite in - young girls (by which I mean, women in their 20s...) really favour a foundation shade that's darker than their natural skin. I want to look like me, only better in foundation - not like me after an inadvertant Tangoing...

[NothingNewUnderTheSun]

I'm also porcelain/ivory/ghost/deceased - and like the OP I'm always offered 'Essex Tan' or that ghastly colour that calls itself 'beige' but is, in fact, post nuclear orange glow. I don't know why they do this but it's certainly why I never go to make up counters any more.

[MooMinCow]

I'm Asian too and I find (apart from BB or MAC) a lot of counters struggle to match me up as I have a lot of yellow undertones in my skin. Also a lot of Asians tend to have darker skin on the chin, forehead and neck with lighter cheeks. If I try and match up to my cheeks the rest looks ashy and weird against my neck. They are probably trying to match against the darker areas to create a blank canvas.

You can go with that or buy two shades and use the countouring method (lighter shade in middle) darker round edges and under cheekbones/jawline.

EX1 foundation is a good brand too (for olive tones) it's not expensive, I use F300 & F400 shades and mix together for perfect shade or do the above if I have more time.

[expatinscotland]

I'm Latina and though my skin is fair, it has yellow undertones. I stick to MAC or BB.

[Utterlyclueless]

I've personally only every been correctly matched by illamasqua but I know a lot of people don't like the feel of their foundations

[MrsJuice]

Just had a drink come out of my nose from 'laminating finish'.
That would be stupendous!!

[TheSpottedZebra]

Don't try foundation on your arm, unless it's arm makeup you're after. Try it in your face of course.

But yes, agree it's a faff.

[GrimDamnFanjo]

Why not pop over to the Style and Beauty board? I'm sure there'll be some help over there?

[Savagebeauty]

It's a nightmare. I wasted £80 on BB and Clinique recently .
I find the calibre of make up counter assistants varies greatly.... The BB one I had was shocking.
I break out on Bare Minerals too!

I ended up with a Clarins one which is OK but I still think it's a shade too dark.

[wowfudge]

I have colouring I think comes from Irish heritage - pale skin and dark hair. I swear sometimes assistants on make up counters equate dark hair with darker skin.

My advice would be to wear a sample of foundation all day before deciding what to buy - by the time it's warmed up on your skin and you've worn it for several hours it can look darker.

[WhoTheFuckIsSimon]

I'd like a laminating finish some days.

[abanico]

I'm mixed raced and struggled for years and then discovered Sleek at Superdrug - matches my skin perfectly, making me look neither orange nor ashen. It's about a quarter the price of MAC and I don't need to bother with bitchy/ hopeless assistants. Might be worth a shot if you haven't tried it before. I like the cream to powder compact foundation the most. Sleek is 3 for 2 in both Boots and Superdrug at the moment - might be worth trying both the liquid and cream ones. At £8 it's cheap enough to not sting if you hate it.

I'd be so upset if it's ever discontinued! Their eyeshadow pallets and blushers are also brilliant.

[queenoftheworld93]

They don't even make foundation pale enough for me (with some exceptions). If they just made a shade called 'at death's door' I'd be thrilled!