Foundation - Navigating your way to a perfect match!

Posted 28 April 2019

I am constantly on the lookout to try new foundations for my kit. Lately it’s occurred to me that if I’ve found the process and choices a little daunting others must too! If this resonates with you, read on and hopefully I’ll give you some full proof ideas on how to choose the perfect foundation just for you!

Tip One – Finish

Think about how you like your skin to look once your foundation is on? Dewy and Fresh, Silky and Smooth or Uber Matte. This is the first step to finding your way through the deluge of foundations available. 

Tip Two – Skin Type

When buying a brand new foundation it’s good to consider your skin type. Do you have oily, dry or combination skin? Generally speaking powder formulations are good for oily to normal skin and won’t clog pores if you are acne prone. Liquids are great for combination and dry skin and provide a smoothing effect for fine lines and wrinkles. 

Whilst its good to consider the type of foundation with regards to your skin type, nothing beats good preparation and an appropriate primer. 

Tip Three – Colour Matching

First up you need to determine your undertone. Think of this as one of three options: 

  • Warm yellow/golden/peachy 

  • Cool pink/red/blue 

  • Neutral a mix of both. 

There are many ways to determine your undertone, other than looking in the mirror, but a good trick is to think about the colour clothing you look best in. If your wardrobe is full of emeralds, purples and blues you are probably cool. If warm earthy tones such as olive, mustard or brown seem to line your drawers you are likely to be warm. If you look good in both then you could be neutral. 

Once you decide on the undertone its time to pick your shade. When I’m matching clients I like to think of it on a scale of 1 – 10, 1 being the fairest and 10 the darkest available. This will help steer you in the right direction of where to start with trying them out. Pick 2-3 shades according to that scale and try them along your cheek and jawbone to see how they blend into your skin taking note of how they match with your decolletage also. Pick whichever one you like the best.

That’s it! 

So there you have it my 3 step process to matching your foundation. I hope it inspires you to try something new the next time your in your favourite cosmetics shop!

Tara Clark