Why is my foundation so wrong!?

[LefttoherownDevizes]

Recently my foundation has just started looking wrong. I don't understand why. I have many of similar shades, some lighter some darker but they just don't match with the rest of me (my face is darker than my neck irl).

Please excuse state of hair and help me, is it too dark/light/yellow/pink?

All the ones I have Ive been matched too, Chanel 20, dior 2n, no7 warm ivory (too dark, Calico too fair), Bobbi Brown warm sand.

Any suggestions gratefully received!

PS skin a bit pink as trying baby steps with OTC retinol after tret disaster, doesn't help

I've been having this problem as well. I'm 53. Face has darkened a little in the last few years and so my super fair foundation doesn't work but next shade up is too dark. .I now tend to buy 2 shades and mix them. But I don't buy expensive ones.I use The Ordinary or Beauty Pie so its good quality but you can afford to try a few out. I have started liking sheerer products like cc creams and tinted moisturisers as they are more forgiving.

It doesn’t look bad to me but could it be that winter has changed your skin a bit and it’s sitting/absorbing in a different way? I use la roche posay cicaplast baume under mine as a multipurpose moisturiser-primer.

Hello!
I'm a qualified make up artist so I'll try and give you some tips but it's super hard without seeing your skin IRL.

Sometimes if you use the same foundation as routine, I find personally that it just moves around on my skin and doesn't do the job it used too and I need a break from it, but you've named a few you use and some of those foundations are really good.
Have you been properly colour matched? Sometimes they match you when you have make up on, or in the wrong place. You need to match your face with your neck otherwise it'll look like you're wearing your mask. If your face is darker than your neck naturally, try going to 1-2 shades lighter and then warming the face up with powder contour / bronzer.

Make sure your foundation matches your undertones, not just your shade. If you have pink undertones you need a cool undertoned foundation. If you have a warmer completion try a warmer undertoned foundation.

If you have very pink undertones you could try a colour correcting primer. (If very pink try a green etc.

When you wear your foundation do you like a matte or dewy look?
I think the foundation doesn't look bad but if you're unhappy with it there are many things you can do to tweak it without spending more money on different foundations :)

It looks good in your photo. Way better than mine anyway.

Also how do you apply your foundation?
If you've been applying it one certain way try and switch it up.

Real techniques brushes are good and you can pick them up in boots. A synthetic dense foundation brush is good, real ones tend to shed hair and get caught in the foundation or leave streaky marks. Also a beauty blender (not one of the old triangle sponges,) damp the beauty blender under a tap and squeeze it out and leave it for a min or two.

That gives really lovely coverage.

It looks good in the photo.

Perhaps you can try a complexion correcting primer? I use one with a green undertone under my foundation to hide rosacea around my nose and cheeks.

The result is that my foundation looks more even and I have no visible redness left.

Thank you. And interesting it doesn't notice so much, I feel it's so obvious. I've been trying to fake tan my neck a bit to try and blend it in but it just doesn't get any darker.

I normally use fingers, don't get on with a brush at all but may try a beauty blender, got some for Christmas. I wonder if it could be my powder too, have found nothing as good as beloved cornsilk.

Interested comment about going sheerer too, I wonder if it's part of it. I've found the IT Cosmetics cc cream in might a perfect colour match but oh my it's too heavy.

I think it's just with two years of UK only holidays I'm the most pale I've been in years, and don't know how to manage it

Definitely try a beauty blender. Definitely dampen it though it really helps with a better coverage.
CC creams are lovely too. Some powders / concealers just don't mix well with some foundations and amazing with others.

Use a concealer under your eyes a couple of shades lighter than your foundation / CC cream to brighten, and try a fine translucent loose powder, less cakey and keeps your foundation from rubbing off during the day.

(Last one I promise!)
If you want to darken up your neck and chest either try a tinted moisturiser or when you do your make up, dust some bronzing powder on your neck if you want to darken it up a bit. :)

Couple things I can add : the colour is too pink. I’d say you would suit a light olive / golden tone.
Also, try adding a little drop of liquid highlighter into the foundation before applying.
If you fancy some blush , go for apricot tone.

Steer away from the pink!

What's wrong with it? Photo looks OK.

Maybe switch to a BB cream instead? It's less heavy than foundation so doesn't give a mask effect, and in fact you don't necessarily need to use it on your whole face, which helps with transitioning from one skin tone to another (eg jaw, neck, chest).

You can get mattifying BB creams, which would avoid the need for powder. I also miss Corn Silk - I switched to a Rimmel one which was OK but don't use that any more since starting to use a mattifying BB cream. I also use oil absorbing paper sheets during the day.

I have pink/neutral undertones and nars sheer glow in mont blanc works well, I also have a bottle of punjab as well and mix as necessary depending on time of year/how much fake tan I have on.

@Plumpciousness

What's wrong with it? Photo looks OK.

Maybe switch to a BB cream instead? It's less heavy than foundation so doesn't give a mask effect, and in fact you don't necessarily need to use it on your whole face, which helps with transitioning from one skin tone to another (eg jaw, neck, chest).

You can get mattifying BB creams, which would avoid the need for powder. I also miss Corn Silk - I switched to a Rimmel one which was OK but don't use that any more since starting to use a mattifying BB cream. I also use oil absorbing paper sheets during the day.

Which matt BB cream do you use?

I found it hard to get a good match but then I hadn't realised that it's pretty vital to find out what your undertone is. I'm a cool undertone and was unaware how light a shade I needed. I use Clinique Superbalanced which gives a fairly light coverage.

To find out your undertone... If your veins appear to be green, you probably have warm undertones. If they're blue or purple, you probably have cool undertones. If they are a mix of both, you may have neutral undertones

By the way, I use a sponge applicator.

It definitely doesn't look bad. Being super picky because you pointed it out (otherwise I'd never have noticed), I think it is too pink for you? Like a pp said I think you need a more golden / olive tone

You say you have many, some lighter and some darker, have you tried mixing them?
I use Revlon and usually buy two different shades, one for high summer and a lighter one for winter, for the rest of the time I find a mix of the two is actually spot-on.
Before you buy any more have a play with what you've already got, mix them up and it might give you a better idea of your perfect shade.

as everyone else is saying, your skin is yellow/neutral, but your foundation looks a bit pink.
have you tried using one of the foundation picker apps? the Estee Lauder one worked well for me, and I think CT also has it on her site.
have you tried going into a store to get some samples?

Thank you. It's so weird I have yellow intestines as I have bright grey eyes and(naturally) the ashiesylt hair. Am v much a summer.

I think I need to head into town to a big Department store to be colour matched, I think given my eyes In always pushed towards pink tones which clearly don't work

Massive thanks, you have all been so helpful (and kind)

I also use the It CC cream but I wonder if you're using a bit too much of it ? I literally use the tiniest bit . Maybe half a full pump on my whole face , possibly even less than that . A tube lasts me virtually a year . I'm olive skinned and wear light medium in winter and medium in summer. I mix them if needed too . Try putting less on .

Yellow intestines?

I think the coverage is too pink as others have said but also too matte

Intestines
I'm 53 and have recently started using a beauty blender. I don't wet mine using the tap, I give it 2 sprays of a dewy setting spray instead.

From your photo you have a very similar skin tone to myself and I have tried so many foundation shades! (Dior 2N was way too pink!).
I finally have a perfect match and it turns out i have an olive green undertone and Urban Decay Stay Naked foundation in 30CG is perfection! very good underrated foundation has buildable coverage with a damp sponge but not heavy and drying.

I got a perfect colour match using dcypher. You can are a photo and they mail a personalised sample of foundation for the cost of postage. If you’re not happy, they’ll send another until you get a match you’re happy with.

dcypher.me/