Ask friends with similar skin types and tones what they use, as it may work for you as well. If you’re not 100% happy, try another one. Have a beauty consultant help to select a couple of options and see how they wear over the next few hours. Try on a few different shades before you buy, because some brands’ formula may take longer to settle on your skin than others. The best place to match your foundation is on your décolletage (the area near your collarbones). This is because our head acts like an umbrella and shields the neck from the sun. Another common mistake is matching shades to your neck, which is generally a shade lighter than your face.The skin on the arm is so different to the face. Colour-matching foundation to the inside of your arm is a no-no.But there are a few common mistakes to be mindful of. Once you’ve got your undertone, it’s time to try various brands and formulas. Visit one of the Life Pharmacy counters for a consultation to establish your undertone you could be cool, neutral or warm toned. Having the right undertone is key to the most natural look. Often, foundations have a pink or yellow base, and this should be matched to your skin’s undertone for the most natural finish. Choosing an incorrect shade can have the rest of your make-up looking a little off, and it can also have an ageing effect. Using the correct shade of foundation is important to achieve a flawless finish. Like this? Subscribe to the Good Housekeeping newsletter.Having the right foundation undertone is key to the most natural look. Let them put the product on you, then go outside in daylight before deciding whether it does actually suit you.Īlthough there are lots of great makeup counter staff out there, we’ve all had that experience of being pushed into a shade completely wrong for us, so be sure to stand your ground! Using a sample will also let you know whether it has good staying power – after all it’s all very well finding your perfect match, but if it slides off within half an hour it’s no good to you.Īnother option, of course, is to have your skin tone professionally matched by beauty counter staff, although never be tempted to rush into a purchase. It’s best to try a foundation on your skin for at least a few hours before making the plunge, as the product can oxidise and therefore change colour. This is generally only possible with higher-end brands but as these are considerably more expensive, that’s where you really need to avoid mistakes! Once you’ve found the colour you like, get a sample if possible. Make sure the foundation blends well into your neck (this is why it’s applied on your jawline) as the skin of the neck tends to be lighter, and can be an obvious tell-tale sign if your foundation is far too dark. MORE: TRIED AND TESTED - THE BEST FOUNDATIONSĪnother thing to consider is your hair and eye colour, as customarily those with blue, grey or green eyes, and blonde, brown or black hair are cooler in tone than those with brown, amber or hazel eyes and strawberry blonde, red, brown or black hair. For example, if you look better in gold jewellery, you probably have warm tones, and if you look better with silver jewellery, you may well be cool-toned. So how should you go about choosing the right shade of foundation?įirstly, you need to work out whether your skin has warm, pinky tones or cool, yellow ones. Too light, and you can end up looking ghostly or grey too dark, and your face will be much darker than your neck with obvious tidelines – never a good look. Anyone who’s ever accidentally ended up with a foundation several shades too dark for them will know that choosing the right shade for your skin tone can be tricky.