Figuring out how to find your foundation shade isn’t always easy. We know from experience: It can be next to impossible whether you’re shopping in a real store or on the internet. Are you “Golden Neutral 3766” or just “Medium?” And even when you do figure out your color match, you’ve got to worry about the finish, the formula, and, oh, whether you should pick up another foundation shade for when you tan.
Indeed it’s a struggle, but not an impossible feat if you’ve got a little bit of guidance. And lucky you, Sara Wren, our Director of Artistry, is here to help. So before you head to Sephora and comb through the shelves, get some tips on finding the exact foundation (or foundations) you need in your collection.
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How to Find Your Foundation Shade in a StoreGoing to a store and swatching in person is the best way to get your perfect match, Sara explains. “ask for some help or find your shade solo,” she says. If you go with the latter, start by choosing two or three shades that look closest to your skin tone. Then, swatch each of them, making lines that start at the apple of your cheek and end at your jawline. Blend them in. “As you start to blend, one shade should completely disappear into the skin or come close to it,” Sara says. “This is your ideal shade.” How to Find Your Shade OnlineIt’s infinitely harder to gauge whether a color you see on a screen will be a match when you swatch in store. Don’t worry—there are a few hacks that can help. For starters, you need to know your undertone. (Not sure how? Check out our guide how to find your undertone.) This will make it easier to narrow down the shades that will blend in seamlessly with your skin tone. You can also use a shade-finding tool online. We created ours for the Future Fluid All Over Cream Concealer with “numerous photos of models, before-and-after photos, and a myriad of skin concerns,” says Sara. That can help point you in the right direction for your foundation, whichever formula you prefer. |
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Speaking of: The kind of formula you choose also matters when you’re selecting a foundation. A sheer tint like our Sunshine Skin Tint SPF 30, for instance, has fewer shades, which helps narrow down your options. The formula, which feels like a lightweight foundation-BB cream hybrid, is sheer enough that you don't need an exact match—your own should shine through with a formula like this.
Our Flex Foundation Stick, on the other hand, offers medium coverage, which is why there need to be far more shades in order to get a match. If you know your undertone, you should be able to use that to narrow down your pick. There are options with olive, neutral, cool, golden, and warm undertones—or some combination of those.
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How to Make Sure Your Concealer Matches Your Foundation
Concealer and foundation go together like beans and rice. However, everyone uses their concealer a little differently—keep this in mind when you’re choosing a foundation. Where, how, and why you typically apply concealer should all be taken into consideration.
For example, “if you are looking to brighten under the eyes or hide dark spots or hyperpigmentation, going one shade lighter than your foundation can help lift those darker areas,” Sara says. “For blemishes, texture, or redness, I try my best to match foundation and concealer.” Too-light concealer on a pimple acts like a spotlight, drawing more attention to it. “That is simply not the vibe,” she says.
What the vibe is, though? Knowing how to find your foundation shade. And now that you’ve got these tips, we bet it’ll be a breeze.
Meet the Expert
Sara Wren (she/her) is the Director of Artistry at Milk Makeup. In her role, she does all the makeup artistry and direction for our Milk Makeup global campaigns, educates the staff and field team on application methods, stars in the brand’s social media videos, and travels to different markets spreading Milk Makeup’s good vibes. When she’s not on set, Sara loves experimenting with DIY hair colors, eating tacos, watching basketball, and scouring for vintage cosmetics to add to her impressive collection.
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