Calling all pale peeps - please recommend a foundation that's not too sodding dark!

[PunishmentRoundupWithJoon]

Can anyone recommend a light foundation for truly pale skin? Or a BB/CC cream? Every single one I try is too dark. Just wasted money on another one, chose the lightest shade in the range and it's still too dark for my skin. I'm fair skinned, hazel eyes. I don't look as pale as I really am, if that makes sense. In the past when sales women have recommended foundations, they've always been surprised that they are too dark.

The only thing I can use at the moment is a very old foundation powder from Lily Lilo, but was wondering if there's anything available on the high street that is suitable?

In terms of cool/warm/neutral - no idea but tend towards warmer shades.

I have Lisa eldridge foundation. I use no. 2 but there is a no. 1 which is even lighter. You can but a test card to see if it's a match before buying the whole thing

www.lisaeldridge.com/collections/the-foundation-shade-finder/light

Get a Bobbi brown colour match and then match to that using online matchers. I'm porcelain in Bobbi brown and match to a great Armani shade.

@Yamaya - now that looks interesting, thank you. Will make a concerted effort to establish what my undertone may be. Could well be 'rosy' as I'm always flushed!

I actually quite like Urban Decay foundation

@CallmeMrsPricklepants - will have a go at that, thanks.

The other issue is that because I'm older now, something is required that doesn't 'sit' in the lines. Also, skin, which has always been dry has become even more so with age, so it has to be a moisturising formula. The Lily Lilo powder is surprising as, even though it's not as good on my skin as it used to be, it's still acceptable.

Am just quite brassed off that pale people aren't catered for generally. Even in the ranges with loads of shades, the lightest is always a shade or two darker than my skin. First world problems and all that.

I'm the same as you - I use Fenty foundation / tint in shade 110. For some reason the concealer of the same shade is a bit too white but the foundations / tint is perfect. Looks like I'm not even wearing makeup!
You may know this already but I thought I'd add - when buying a 'translucent' powder, double check on your skin if it is actually translucent because on very pale skin like mine, sometimes the colour of the powder (eg yellowish, or pink etc) actually shows on me.

@MayMi - They look good. The first three in particular, 100 and 120 too. Like the look of 120 but would be scared to find it was too dark! 100 is the one that I'd go for. But now I'm thinking, surely I'm not THAT pale. But I am!

I've just got the Lisa Eldridge No2 shade and it's a good match for me (red hair, pink undertones). I did find the LE pale shades quite hard to work out - there doesn't seem to be a lot of difference between shades 2-7? And the palest foundation tester card has been out of stock for ages too. There's a video of Lisa Eldridge doing Joanna Scanlan's BAFTA make-up, and she uses shade 7, which made me rethink what I might need!

Otherwise Hourglass Vanish stick in Alabaster is a good match, and Boots No7 pale shades are quite pale, although whenever I've been 'matched' by one of the No7 assistants the device seems to get easily confused by freckles, and I end up with something way off beam.

@MayMi - thankfully the translucent powder from Lily Lilo is definitely translucent on my skin. Oh, hang on, it's not strictly speaking translucent, it's concealer, but a translucent one. There were no shade options, just the one. It does the job.

I'm blonde and fair skinned so probably not the same undertones as you,but I also get on well with Armani foundation. Think I'm shade 2.

The power fabric can sit in lines a bit, although it's more hard-wearing than the luminous silk which slides off my oily face.

They're great, and they wear well throughout the day too. Their shades are based on both skin colour tone as well as the skin colour itself - for example 110 is very pale with pink undertones, so that might help you find the right shade for you. They sell Fenty at large Boots and they have makeup artists there to help - I recommend checking it out 🙌🏻 they have a shade finder on the Fenty website too.

Btw don't bother with Esteé Lauder - they have loads of shades but it's misleading as the range starts from about 4 shades darker than me 🤷🏼‍♀️

And YY to the foundation matching site - Findation.

I have pale celtic skin - type 1-2 on the Fitzpatrick scale.
The Ordinary foundation is pale enough for me. Also the very palest Charlotte Tilbury looks ok in the more sheer foundation.
I have a fairly neutral skin tone, the Ordinary give an option of Neutral or Pink undertones.

L'Oréal true match in vanilla or any of the ones "before" vanilla in the colour chart

I don't tan, though I can go a slightly darker shade of white 😁I've never had a tan in my life but in the last few years I've realised I do go darker because I have a freckle right in the middle of my forehead and it's less noticable in the summer. You'd never look at me and think "she's got a tan". I once got sunburned on an overcast day in October. In Wales. If I get a 'tan' this year, maybe that foundation I've just wasted money on will suit me!

@Acunningruse - it's actually a L'oreal one I've just bought! Lightest one available! Still too dark! It's actually the true match serum - is that the same?

I use estee lauder double wear. It get mixed opinions on mn but I really like it. I usually wear the palest tones available but the palest double wear shades are too pale even for me!

I really like their sheer coverage one, its buildable if you need it be and gives a lovely dewy sheen.

I have a combination of very dry skin with oily patches - it's sensitive too but never have any issues with double wear. If you go to a counter they'll give you a free sample to try before you buy.

Also I once bought the wrong double wear foundation type and they let me return and swap it without a receipt.

I have very fair skin with neutral to yellow tones and really suit gold jewellery while silver does nothing for me. Many foundations look too orangey or pink on me and quite a few brands don't seem to cater for my skintone at all. If that sounds familiar in terms of colouring, I would highly recommend Bourjois CC Cream in 'Ivory'. Another brand that works well for my skintone is Armani.

Born This Way by Too Faced in the shade Swan.

Cool bone Estée Lauder works for me.

Shisheido make very pale foundation and so does RMS beauty.

Nars Mont Blanc

The ordinary serum palest shade works for me, 'very light neutral'. But they do very light with silver undertones and very light for pink undertones. I'm in my 30s and it doesn't sit in my lines. Im blue eyed and pale and freckled.

I’ve said this loads on these threads but no one ever seems to take me up on it! But the only solution I found to this is to mix a pure white foundation with any other one. More simple than it sounds, put a drop of each into a pot and apply with brush. Simple.
illamasqua do a pure white one.
also means you can use up the ones you’ve bought which are too dark

Mac face and body in N0, W0 or C0, and some of their studio white mixer mixed in if it’s not pale enough.

White face and body foundation