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Style and beauty

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Original poster

How do you find the correct foundation colour?

30 replies

Appuskidu · 14/01/2018 11:44

Do you match it in the shop to your face/hand/wrist? Do you take your old bottle without you and try to match the colour in the shop?

Help!

OP posts:

peachypetite · 14/01/2018 11:45

Get a professional to do it for you.

Pinkkahori · 14/01/2018 11:46

I did the NO.7 colour match in Boots. It matched me with a colour a shade lighter than I would previously have chosen. It is a better match for me. I was wearing the right tone but just a little too dark. The new shade looks like my skin but better.

OlennasWimple · 14/01/2018 11:48

Try it on your face

Your wrist is not your face!

TheTurnOfTheScrew · 14/01/2018 11:52

get a sample or two to try at home
I know if you're British it's excruciating to be seen to be asking for freebies, but the counter people have always been beyond fine about it. You can then do your makeup as you would at home to check it properly.

Vegecook · 14/01/2018 12:14

Have a look on Trinny London and do 'match to me'. So easy and worked well for me.

CaseStudyResearch · 14/01/2018 12:16

I match it to my collar bone/neck, so that I don't have that awful mismatched face/body look.

It's what I tend to do to clients too.

SheGotBetteDavisEyes · 14/01/2018 12:22

I gave up and mix my own now! It only takes a minute or so to mix up a little pot to last the week.

I use a blob of Stila illuminating, a blob of Max Factor 3-in-1, and a squirt of Mac Strobing Cream, mix together and that's perfect for me.

If my skin's very dry, I add a drop or two of facial oil.

Because it's just right for my skin, it blends in far less time and I can skip concealer. If you've got a few foundations/primers/highlighters etc that 'aren't quite right', I'd recommend fiddling around with them and seeing if you can formulate something that really suits you?

JuneCrawshaw · 14/01/2018 14:16

You go to a counter like Bobbi Brown, Mac, Lauder, Lancome...and usually they choose 3 shades - 1 will be right. They put a swipe of each shade along your lower cheek or jaw. The one that doesn't show up is right. Don't be afraid to disagree if they choose something far too dark which they can, sometimes.

The Boots No 7 thing doesn't work for me; it only comes up with one of about 8 shades and none was pale enough for me; their Calico shade looks pinky grey on me. Great if you have mid toned skin but there is a limited choice of shades with No 7.

BradleyPooper · 14/01/2018 14:20

Get a professional to match you, check you're happy with it by a window (natural light) and return it if you're not happy with it.

BradleyPooper · 14/01/2018 14:21

And go to a store like Sephora where you can try different brands with one consultant - several brands do not have anything close to my skin tone but a consultant who can work across brands can find the closest match.

Original poster

Appuskidu · 14/01/2018 14:33

Thank you for the replies! I haven’t heard of Sephora-i will see if there is one near me.

OP posts:

HannaSolo · 14/01/2018 14:40

This should help you OP

JuneCrawshaw · 14/01/2018 15:32

Isn't Sephora only in the US? Don't think they are in the UK

JuneCrawshaw · 14/01/2018 15:34

Interestingly Sali Hughes said the complete opposite on the BBC1 prog last week; she said that now a lot of cheap brands are ok and gave Rimmel the thumbs up!

Original poster

Appuskidu · 14/01/2018 16:23

I think I might brave the make up counter in Debenhams! What about Ester Lauder or something like that!?

OP posts:

nocutsnobuttsnococonuts · 14/01/2018 16:33

Id never worn any foundation so was clueless where to start. (Im normally a mascara and lip balm only person) I wanted some for my wedding so I went to the bare minerals counter in debenhams and they did my face perfectly and wrote everything down. I only had face no lips or eye makeup as i like that as i do it.

It was like my face but without all the imperfections and it didnt feel like i was wearing a mask. I bought all the bits and applied at home with great results and the makeup stayed flawless all day with no shiny look when photos were taken. I highly recommend them.

Original poster

Appuskidu · 14/01/2018 17:11

Can I ask what sort of price the Bare Minerals stuff was?

Did they pressurise you to buy anything?

OP posts:

HarrietKettleWasHere · 14/01/2018 17:15

I didn't like my Boots colour match I know it's supposed to be my, well, face colour.... but it's just not a very warm tone. It's just pasty! I think I need a warmer tone but I'm probably missing the whole point. I was just a bit underwhelmed.

HannaSolo · 14/01/2018 17:30

I'd recommend the Bobbi Brown counters.

They have a huge range of foundations wrt shades and skin types.

The counter staff I've always found to be very well trained and informative without pressuring you into buying more than you wanted.

I took DD in just before Christmas. We were told the staff were busy but could pop back in 15 mins for a consultation.

Lots of questions about skin type and talking through the different option wrt formulas and coverage to narrow down what would work best.

Once decided she made up the rest of DD's face as we mentioned we were going out to dinner.

DD loves the foundation we bought and it's a brilliant colour match for her.

Cavelady67 · 14/01/2018 17:30

At the end of the day you can wear what you like on your face can't you!

I use a few different ones depending on how pasty or ill I look. Sometimes my actual skin tone foundation can look truly awful! Most of the time I use two shades, one in the centre and a slightly darker on on the perimeter of my face. This looks more natural as no one's face is actually one colour all over!
My general rules for foundation shopping are:

Get samples if possible - the shade you think you are, the shade up and the shade down. If a high end brand won't give samples, I won't buy usually. Especially as I'm usually after two different shades.

Take them home and try them out - let them dry down (often they change colour) and see how they look after a day's wear (colour changing again).

Always decided your shade in natural light. If you're trying in a shop, let it dry down for five mins and then ask for a mirror to take outside/to the window.

If you know your shade match in one foundation, you can often find a shade match chart in other brands if you search online. It's useful to get matched at MAC if you can as their shades are a pretty universally used comparison.

WeeM · 14/01/2018 17:38

I would def go to a make uk counter. I got a sample from Estée Lauder to take home and try and it lasted days. That’s the best way because then you can see how long it lasts on your skin etc.

WeeM · 14/01/2018 17:38

*make up

Original poster

Appuskidu · 14/01/2018 18:34

I like the sound of Estée Lauder as I like EL perfume! Do they give out samples readily??

OP posts:

nocutsnobuttsnococonuts · 14/01/2018 19:32

There wasnt any pressure to buy. They asked after doing my face whether i wanted to purchase and which bits. I bought all the products which came to around £120. I had quite a few bits. I think the foundation was around £24 but didnt need alot so would last a while.

OverByYer · 14/01/2018 19:38

I’d second Bobbi Brown. I’ve got pinky red tones and most foundations are too yellow. BB found my perfect colour

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