Foundation problems. How to get it just right?

[treaclesoda]

All my adult, makeup wearing life, I've struggled to find a just right foundation.

Here is my problem. I'm very pale. Common enough problem I know. But it's weird. If I did the 'match the colour to your jawline' thing it would just be far far too pale. I'd look like a goth. Yet so many foundations look orangey around my jawline, even in quite pale colours.

I use a brush, blend well, use quite a light covering but still it just doesn't quite please me. It looks good on my face, sinks in invisibly yet on my jawline, it suddenly looks not quite right. Have I got a weird two tone face? And can anyone recommend some (not too expensive) brands that do natural looking pale shades?

My face is the same skin colour as pinkfrocks. I'm in the Porcelain by Bobbi Brown too.

It's the only brand I can find that matches, but the prices are nutty. I just paid nearly £40 for a bottle.

Im quite impressed with Loreal Infallible at the moment, Im using Natural rose and there are lighter ones.

vegan I use the normal/dry which puzzles me as I actually have oily skin! I bought it by accident. It works a treat though, the only explanation I have is that my skin needed more moisture. Maybe that's why no other has ever worked for me. It doesn't clog my huge pores, I have no spots which is miraculous and when I remove it at night, my skin feels softer than ever. So strange but very welcome. I'm using a powder called 'Matify Me', I've never heard of it, found it in a discount make up shop for a couple of pounds. It felt much softer than the Rimmel clear complexion which I was originally going to go for.

I feel your pain, I'm a fellow pale girl. I feel like my foundation shades should be called "casper", "barely alive" and "gothic chic"

The best colours I've found for my pale but quite cool toned skin are Lancome (I use the Teint Miracle 24hr) in shade 005, Urban decay naked Skin in 0.5, Mac prep and prime BB cream in Extra Light, and Estee Lauder double wear (not the light version, it has far fewer shades) in Shell. I generally have at least two on the go, one heavier and one lighter. I'm using the first two just now. I also prefer to apply with a real techniques stippling brush as I find on the pale skin the slightest imperfection in the foundation is like a big neon light.

Blusher is essential! I like Benefit Hervana and mac Pinch o peach (which isn't remotely peach...)

where have heard that a lot of people with oily skin go for the dry formula. Have you seen the comparison done of both types by the blogger letzmakeup? It's here and makes interesting reading.

Apparently a lot of skins that are oily are actually dehydrated rather than greasy and I feel this is my type. My skin can get tight and dry after washing and is sensitive at times, but gets oily and make up can melt off. I have been using jojoba oil at night, just 3 or 4 drops patted in and feel this has helped.

where I love the sound of your make up routine, it sounds great. Love Laura Geller, watch her on QVC if I see her on. What's the body frosting like and do you brush it all over your face as an illuminator or use as a highlighter? What shade?

I have heard that oily skin actually needs more moisture, but only recently! That's why I'm so glad I accidentally bought the wrong foundation. I'm sure that's where I've gone wrong before. I look so much better, I don't even need my under eye concealer anymore! It's Baked Body Frosting in Tahitian Glow. I couldn't find it on QVC in this shade so scoured EBay and was lucky. I use the tiniest amount, a little goes a LONG way! Just fab a large brush once for each of the parts of my face that would catch the sun- forehead, cheeks, nose. Then a little on my neck (neck is paler than face!) it's unbelievable. I know I'm being very gushy but it's made a huge difference to my confidence.

*dab... But it is fab.

ooh will look out for that shade, thanks a lot!

This is what I've been using for the past few months. I'm happy I have finally found a pale enough foundation that has no pink tones and doesn't oxidise after a couple of hours. The only complaint I have is that the bottle doesn't have a pump but I can live with that for such a good colour match / coverage. It's also great for my oily t zone.

AkkerDemmik I went into superdrug today and looked at shades 1 and 2 of the 2true, and could not understand this but shade 2 was lighter than shade 1?I tested on my hand and rubbed in and shade 1 is definitely darker and yellower. Wondering whether they have incorrectly labelled...I squirted a good sample of shade 2 in a little pot to bring home and have just tried it out and it is exactly like Estée Lauder double wear, can't believe how similar. In texture, coverage, look etc. it dries fairly matte, does it for you?

I do feel it's still a little dark for me so will have to water down with the white like you do. But the coverage is bloody great, it's absolutely on a par with high end foundations. Blind testing, no one would guess the price!

Pumpkin, I can't see the pic properly. Is that color stay for oily or dry skin? What shade do you use?

I zoomed in, it's combination/oily in Ivory.

I think I have found my BB cream - Missha #13 matches my neck and does not oxidize too much.

Here is a great beauty blog for pale girls. Loving her foundation reviews and bright lipsticks.

VeganCow - my bad, I just assumed shade 1 would be the palest.

Guess where I'm off to....

And yes, it does give a really good matte but not flat finish.

Akker yes it did seem strange about the shades which made me wonder if they were labelled wrong, there was only one each of 1 and 2. Let me know if you think shade 2 is lighter when you go in.

Akker and Vegan I was intrigued by this super cheap foundation and I checked it out too. I agree that shade 2 is lighter. Although, sadly, still just a shade too dark for me!

treacle am glad I got that right and shade 2 is darker. I would agree with you that its still not all that pale, I find its rather like shade 52 of bourjois healthy mix with a slight yellow tinge. I think the shade 1 in the 2True that Akker uses is more yellow though.

Boots no 7 do a colour matching service where they point a gadget at your face and it tells you what colour you are in their range. Then you get a card telling you which lipsticks will suit you. They told me I was cool ivory, which is lovely, and does really suit me (quite pale but with red bits which need cover) The lipsticks are all horrid though

For those that need a pink toned extremely pale foundation I can recommend Maybelline Dream matte mousse ( the one in the pot) in Cameo. Also Loreal Rose Ivory is extremely pale and cool toned.

I went and found my skintone from Mac who were spot on and then used the foundation matrix resource to seek out cheaper dupes.

For anyone who is NW20, Revlon colorstay Sand Beige is a dupe. I am one shade up from the ivory toned foundations but need the tricky mix of a neutral foundation that is a tiny bit cool toned. I am currently using Maybelline matte mousse in Nude which is seamless. It looks darker in the pot than it appears on the skin.

No7 doesn't seem to do a match for my skintone. They turn grey on me or bright orange and I think the formulations are rubbish.

Avon do do a very pale one that suits porcelain skin. It was too pale for me ( but perfect on my alabaster daughter) but the formulation was excellent in the liquid to powder compact ones. Light, not claggy and didn't oxidise on oily skin.

I'm very pale and most of the foundations I've tried are too dark for me. I have the added annoyance of being allergic to most cosmetics too apart from Clinique, Vichy and La Roche Posay. Currently using Clinique anti blemish in the lightest shade but it still looks orange Will look up some of the brands mentioned on here, although I think I've tried most of them and had a reaction. Sorry to hijack! Any suggestions welcome.

AllHopeGone It's shade 110 ivory and it's for combination / oily skin. Keeps t zone oil free but doesn't dry out areas that are prone to dry skin (for me that's round my hairline and cheeks). It's about £12 a bottle in boots.

Oh and also has SPF15

kissyboo You're spot on about Sand Beige being same as Mac NW20. Also for paler skin, Buff 150 in Revlon Colorstay is like Mac NW 15 and Ivory 110 in Colorstay is like NW10.
For anyone interested, that foundation matrix is called Findation and gives you an idea of your shade in different makes, when you input the ones you currently know your shade in, and yes, a lot of people use the shade Mac have said they are...however, Mac completely got me wrong,. They said I was NW 20 in studio fix, NW25 in Prolongwear and they turned me orange. I am NW15 in Studio Fix, maybe even NW13 in winter. If there was an NW14 that would be me. I tried the NC shades because I am actually more yellow than pink, but NC15 made me look jaundiced haha.

I have three on the go at the moment mac nw18, EL in2ecru, & dior nude 010 but they all seem not quite right, either to ghosty or to orange, im so fed up of spending ££ & still not having managed to have found the holy grail of foundation that looks natrual, covers well & doesnt fall into every bloody crevice/wrinkle.