Analyzing your face coloring

To use foundation looks natural you need to choose a shade that closely resembles your own coloring. Although we all know what color hair we have, we are sometimes surprisingly ignorant about the color of our skin, and choose a foundation just because we like same as anyone else’s, but we do all fit into distinct groups of color tones: yellow-ivory complexions without mush redness; orange-a mixture of red and yellow, and red-pinkish skim tones without mush yellow. Compare your clean skin with the examples shown to determine which color group you fall into and whether you are pale, medium or dark-toned. Never choose a foundation shade that is outside your own color group, although you can go for a shade lighter or darker depending on the time of year and the effect you want to achieve

 Matching foundation

When choosing a foundation, always test the color by rubbing a Small amount onto a patch of clean skin along your jawline (but not on the wrist, neck, or cheeks as the skin here is a different shade and texture from the rest of your face).

Testing foundation along the jawline will also ensure that you do not create a “tidemark” effect between the foundation on your face and the bare skin on your neck. If possible, go out of the store into natural daylight and use a hand mirror to examine the color of the sample foundation, arterial store lighting can alter colors quite dramatically. You should also try to give the foundation time to settle (preferable a few minutes) as some can noticeably change color, particularly on oily skin the right shade of foundation will ‘blend’ onto your skin, while smoothing out uneven tones and giving you a near-perfect complexion.

If you want to “lift” your skin tone, wear a foundation that has slightly pinker than your natural shade