Growing up during the early 2000s, I didn’t have the fortunate resources teenagers have today with finding their match to the proper foundation, or the extensive shade ranges that you find in your local Sephora. My foundation would turn out too dark or too yellow, and don’t get me started on the blending. Have you seen what paint samples look like at Home Depot? My foundation looked like Joyful Orange bordering next to Natural Almond, just a complete mess.
Thankfully, I have learned from my mistakes and want to share 3 tips I have learned in the last 11 years as a professional makeup artist. These tips will help anyone find their perfect match in foundation that fit within your budget. Not everything has to cost more than $35 USD.
1. Findation.com
I can’t even begin to explain how brilliant and easy this website is. I have been using Findation.com for the last 6 years and was amazing to work with during the COVID-19 pandemic and working as a beauty specialist trying to sell makeup without trying the product out on a customer.
The site has big claims as it states “1577 global brands, over 8,000 products, & 77,000 makeup shades.” Of course they couldn’t accomplish this without their users. Findation states they “use data from over 46 million foundation users worldwide and a sophisticated propriety algorithm to match shades between brands.”
When you reach Findation.com, you will be welcomed by the “Get Started” page, where you will proceed to enter in current or past products you wear that are an exact match in just 3 easy steps. For the sake of demonstration we’re going to use a L’Oreal Paris discontinued product for my search.
After you have filled out the short questionnaire, the menu will then pull up all the brands on their website in which your shade will match to another brand of any preference.
I personally have used this for clients who want to move into a cleaner brand, into a less costly brand, and even when looking for a substitute in a drugstore on vacation. The greatest part about this website, is that it doesn’t just do foundation, but does all makeup and even skincare. With the ease of access on your mobile phone, you can use Findation.com anywhere!
2. Finding Your Undertone
Neutral, warm, cool, red, blue, yellow, and green! A lot of makeup users aren’t aware that foundation has an undertone that matches our natural skin undertone. Some even result to swatching more than 10 foundations on their arm and end up looking like a monochromatic tiger. Here are some easy ways to determine your foundation match right.
First start by figuring out your skin undertone. According to Maybelline.com, there are 4 different ways you can determine your skin undertone that won’t make you frustrated or dizzy.
- Vein Test: looking at the veins on the underside of your forearm can help determine your undertone. If your veins are green, you are likely a warm tone; if your veins have a bluish color, you are likely a cool tone.
- Jewelry Test: Do you look better in Gold or Silver jewelry? If gold is your color, you are most likely have warm undertones; if you prefer silver, you are most likely to have cool undertones.
- White Cloth Test: Put a white cloth next to your bare face and carefully see what color you skin takes on. Your warm tone will show if you seem yellowish, and your cool tone will appear blue or pinkish.
- The White vs. Cream TestWhile wearing no makeup, hold up a white and off-white piece of fabric to your face. If your skin compliments the white fabric, you are warm in color; if your skin compliments the off-white fabric, you are cool in tone. If your skin is complimented by both, you are a neutral!
3. Ask for Help!
Yes, you may laugh at this tip, but it’s a great suggestion. If you do not have access to a friend or family member who is skilled in makeup, go to your local makeup store like Sephora or Ulta and have a conversation with the Makeup Specialist. Not many know this, but THIS IS FREE SERVICE!! You don’t have to purchase a minimum to get help to find the foundation that is right for you.
Also, if you are concerned about foundation looking different in the store vs. at home, ask your specialist for a sample of 2-3 foundations that you can try with your own set up. I’ve never met someone who refuses, we are here to help our clients for their own benefits.
One of the first aids I always suggest to clients, is Sephora’s Color IQ technology. Just a simple scan of the face addresses all of the client’s needs and puts it together in a digital look book.
With the ever evolving technology, you can get your foundation match in less than 20 minutes, and that’s from walking in the store, finding your match, purchasing, and walking out. Leaving you enough time to walk next door and get your fancy latte before you need to pick up the kids.
Now hit the floor running and go find a product that works for you!
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