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.

NARS foundation/ tinted moisturiser is great and they have a good range of shades. Otherwise as a previous PP mentioned Japanese brands normally have very light shades - so RMS, Shiseido, Suqqu which are all more readily available in the UK.

Loreal true match

A primer will help with how it sits. I like the Sephora one.

Laura geller baked foundation in porcelain is brilliant and coverage is buildable . Used it for years

Shu Uemura's Unlimited in 584 fair sand is perfect for me, but I believe they have even lighter tones. I can't really recommend this foundation though if you have oily skin, but it might work well on dry skin.

@Basilbrushgotfat may I ask you what shade of estee lauder double wear do you use? I have recently purchased it in 1N1 ivory nude, and while I love it as a foundation, it's a bit too dark for my face and it shows. You can clearly see that my arms etc. are lighter than my face and I don't like it. But 1N1 was the one of the lightest shades I believe. :(

Thanks for all your suggestions, am working through them all! It's good to know I'm not the only pale person with this issue, though it sounds like many of you have found great matches.

@waltzingparrot - have ordered some of the Leichner stuff - it was affordable and like you, I have dry skin. Thanks for the recommendation.

Nars Mont Blanc
Revolution go pale too - this is their conceal and hydrate in shade F1 and they go paler

I'm just like you. I use Bare Minerals Fair powder. No lines under the chin. Just gives a covering that hides blemishes etc but doesn't colour my skin. Play around with it. The more I put on just gives better coverage. I've spent a lifetime trying to find a fair colour before this!

@toucaninjapan try 1C0 Shell in the doublewear- it’s the palest and has a cool undertone. I’m finding at the moment it’s too pale for me so might work for you.

I have estee double wear in 1NO. They have paler shades too. If you drop by a counter they’ll give you generous samples to try at home.

Other foundations that work for me are Mac nc10 and Lisa Eldridge shades 2 or 4. I believe she’s coming out with a new light shade so looking forward to trying that.

Also a big fan of Nars. I'm very pale and use the Oslo shade but I think Mt Blanc was close too. Sheer glow is the one I'm currently using but I do have another which is heavier, can't remember the name but it was also in Oslo

No one can recommend a foundation based on you "being pale". People telling you to buy this or that without seeing you are potentially making you waste your money. You can be pale and cold (so pink-ish like a regular English Rose) or pale and warm (pale, with a yellow-ish undertone like most Asians). Great foundations from good brands tend to have a wide range of shades, so within the pale range, there could potentially be over 5 shades (so you could potentially buy 4 foundations before finding the right shade!).
I always recommend the same, go to a counter and get tested in a foundation that's one of the most sold. Once you know you're shade X in foundation Y, you can go online, check out reviews and you'll find a million different shades in other brands which are equivalent to shade X in foundation Y. I recommend MAC Studio Fix (in fluid) as it's one the most used by MUA around the world and it's very inclusive so you should be able to find your shade in pretty much every single foundation, from every single brand, as long you know what you are in MAC SFF. Get a couple of samples and test at home. Light in shops can be shite and some people just aren't cut out for helping others or they lack experince.

I've just checked my nars one and it's Oslo. Siberia is more yellow/warm toned

I'm often Ivory (in L'Oréal or Esteé Lauder brands) or Shell (Japanese brands). I'm pretty pale and I used to think I could blend into a white wall but over the years I've come to realise 'm not the fairest of the bunch, which goes to show how pale is such a subjective term. OP, go to a counter and get tested in person. It'll end up being cheaper than buying blind based on online recommendations. Get samples so you can work out what they feel like as the day wears on and whether your face looks put together. For wrinkles, it usually takes me 2-ish hours to decide how sth works for me or not.

I’ve used the Body Shop white stuff for foundation. It does make it lighter but remember it doesn’t change the tone - if it is too yellow or pink then it will still be too yellow or pink, just paler!
I use Bare Minerals tinted moisturiser, it starts nice and pale. And agree with the suggestion of NYX - loads of shade options.

Another Mont Blanc (hazel eyed brown hair with a hint of red in the sun) wearer here. My hair and eye colouring makes people assume I need a warm undertone, but once I figured out I’m actually somewhere between cool and neutral it got much easier to buy foundation! My double wear shade was Ecru. I also got a decent match in Il Makiage, but the finish wasn’t for me so I’ve just bought the new Nars light reflecting one.

You sound similar to me. I've found that whilst I feel like I need the palest shade, I'm actually better in one up from the palest. I think it's because the base tone is different (yellow rather than pink)

I 'self diagnosed' myself as a warm Ivory and that is what the Boots foundation thingy saw me as but it is amazing that the French make up houses keep trying to put a pink (cool) base on me. I reckon although I have warm coloured skin and greenish veins I can suit neutral which confuses them. But I never buy the pink tones the Frenchies always try to put on me!! I would look 'grey'!

I’m reasonably pale with red hair but have neutral to warm undertones and was surprised that the LE no 7 shade suited me best. I also use 1n1 in Estée Lauder and no 2 in all Charlotte Tilbury shades.

I used to use Estee Lauder in Cool Bone, but a friend told me about Good Apple Skin Perfecting Foundation by KVD beauty (you can get it from Boots online). I did the shade finder test on KVD Beauty and then cross referenced it with Findation and the shade I ordered from Boots was perfect!

I have used Estee Lauder Double Wear in Porcelain which is a longwear foundation for many years and have just bought Lisa Eldridges Foundation in 5. It is beautiful, light than the EL but buildable. The no 1 and 2 look almost white but I have not tried them.

I use no7 calico and I'm really pale!

This has just popped back up in my Threads I'm On and I thought I'd add another recent find - Doll10 Serum Primer in shade 1. It's a tinted primer so not a lot of coverage, but great for days when I'm WFH and just want to even things out. I was surprised by how much I liked it, and will repurchase.

I also have No7 Hydraluminous in Calico (as prescribed by Boots lady) but I've finally conceded that it's actually too yellow for me.

I have pale and dry skin and I really rate the Boots No.7 BB cream in Fair.

www.boots.com/no7-beautiful-skin-bb-cream-for-normal-dry-skin-10134295?gclid=CjwKCAiAuOieBhAIEiwAgjCvcryvgcEReTei4VvEkzhHh_4ikUtCLQveRj9sNsjCiKJXhZiVXSzVSxoC608QAvD_BwE

I use a translucent powder on top.