5 Tips for Finding Your Perfect Foundation
Unlike lipsticks, eyeshadows, and blushes, where you can play around with a rainbow of colours, a foundation limits your boxes, and rightly so. The apt foundation shade helps you get a flawless base that holds your makeup together. However, there’s a whole lot of foundations to choose from - be it for foundations for oily skin, foundations for dry skin, powder foundations, liquid foundations, the list is endless. While the right shade is your holy grail, you have so much to lose if you pick the wrong face makeup.
Why Is Finding the Right Foundation Tricky?
Finding the perfect foundation can be challenging because it’s not just about matching your skin tone. Your undertones, skin type, and desired coverage come into the picture. Moreover, a shade that looks perfect in the bottle may oxidise and appear different once you use it. Some formulations may cling to your skin, and others may melt due to oiliness. This is why learning how to find the perfect foundation shade gets tricky.
So, if you’re confused, curious, or overwhelmed, here are five important things to keep in mind the next time you’re on the hunt for your perfect foundation.
5 Tips To Choose Your Foundation Shade
1. Know your undertone
We often look at the tone of our skin while learning how to choose foundation shade. Turns out that undertones are just as important. Undertones are the colours that come through and add an overall hue to your skin. They could be cool, warm, or neutral. Undertones have nothing to do with the colour of your skin; your skin colour can change as seasons change or if you get a spray tan, but your undertone will always remain the same. People with warm undertones have an overall peachy, yellow, or golden glow to the skin, whereas those with cool undertones have hints of pink, red, and blue. Neutral undertone has a balanced mix of both warm and cool tones. There are several simple ways in which you can check your undertone – from checking the color of your veins to holding a white sheet of paper next to your face. Try out a bunch of these tests and learn how to determine your undertone before your next makeup haul.
Why is it important?
Ever noticed how the same foundation shade can look different on two people with similar skin tones? The reason is undertones. Using a cool-toned foundation on warm skin can make you look pale or ashy, while a warm-toned foundation on cool skin may appear too orange. This is why understanding undertones is important while learning how to pick foundation shade.
2. Find the right formula
The right foundation formula is the one that suits your skin type, be it oily, dry, normal, or combination. A foundation formula that suits your skin type blends in seamlessly and keeps you comfortable throughout the day. Heavy liquid foundations may settle inside the pores or melt off on oily skin, whereas drying matte foundation may look patchy on dry skin.
Why is it important?
Skin type and formulations are vital if you’re learning how to find the perfect foundation shade. Not only does it affect your blending, but it also has an impact on the comfort of your skin. The wrong formula can make your makeup look off while leaving your skin irritated for long hours. Try to look for poreless matte foundations for dull, oily skin, like the Maybelline Fit Me foundation. If you have dry skin, use lightweight, hydrating liquid foundations that give you a luminous finish, like the SuperStay Lumi Matte foundation. If you have combination skin, some face powder can take care of your T-zone.
3. Know the level of coverage you desire
As you may already know, all makeup looks are built up differently. You may not go all out for your everyday looks, but a built-up foundation can make all the difference for special occasions. This is where coverage comes in. A high-coverage foundation gives you a full finish, covering every mark on your skin. It makes you appear flawless and airbrushed. A low coverage foundation or skin tint is more lightweight and simply helps you set the tone. It lets your natural features show and is perfect for a subtle makeup look. A buildable foundation gives you the best of both worlds.
Why is it important?
Coverage matters more than you think while learning how to choose foundation shade. A full-coverage foundation looks gorgeous, but it may not suit all occasions. It may appear out of place if you pair it with subtle makeup. Similarly, a skin tint, like the Fit Me Fresh tint, may not be enough while you’re all out with glam. This is why it’s crucial to have both, or a buildable foundation handy.
4. Swatch carefully
How many times have you bought a foundation that you swatched on your hand or your cheeks only to realise that it does not match your neck at all? The best way to avoid having a stark line and completely different colours on your face and neck is to swatch it along your jawline. Swatch a foundation on your jawbone so you have a little on both your cheek and your neck. Make sure you look at the shade under natural lighting too.
Why is it important?
If your foundation doesn’t match your neck, it can look unnatural and give a mask-like effect. Plus, different lighting—like yellow or overhead lights—can change how your foundation looks compared to natural daylight.
5. Patience is key
Choosing the right foundation takes patience. After finding a shade that seems right, swatch its lighter and darker variant on either side to compare. Since foundations can oxidise due to skin heat, wait 5–10 minutes after swatching to see if the shade changes. A perfect match at first might turn darker over time. So, when testing foundation at the store, swatch it on your jawline and let it settle before making your final choice.
Common foundation mistakes to avoid
Try to avoid these common mistakes while learning how to choose a foundation shade -
• Testing foundation on your hand.
Always swatch the foundation on your jawline for the most accurate match.
• Choosing a shade from the bottle
Foundation can look different in the bottle than on your skin, so always test before buying.
• Selecting based on someone else’s preferences.
The same foundation may look very different on you and your friend, despite similar skin tones. Make sure you try out the foundation yourself and match it to your undertone.
To make foundation matching easy and fun, try Maybelline’s Foundation Finder tool. Just upload a selfie or use your camera to explore a variety of shades and find your perfect match—without leaving your bed!
Whether you’re going for everyday, natural makeup or glamming up for an important event, the foundation you apply can make or break your look. With the variety of shades, finishes, formulas, and coverage levels available, it is no surprise that finding the perfect foundation is one of the toughest parts of shopping for face makeup. It doesn’t matter if your skin is oily or dry, if your skin tone is pale or dull – the foundation will always remain the hero product in your makeup kit. We hope the simple tips mentioned above help you understand how to choose foundation and make you a foundation-buying pro in no time! For more tips on how to choose the right foundation for your skin's type and needs, read our Ultimate Foundation Guide and other face makeup tips.
Try out our Maybelline Virtual-Try-On tool to try a variety of lip makeup and eye makeup online.
