Foundation is literally the foundation of a flawless makeup look. It will enhance your skin, while hiding any imperfections that will detract from your aesthetic.
Foundation can be a beauty live saver, if you know how to choose the perfect shade, undertone, and formulation for you. Because just like the right foundation hue can make you look younger, prettier, and more vibrant, the wrong foundation can make you look tired, ashy or muddy, and even sick.
We want you to wear Juvia’s Place foundation with ease, so we wanted to put together a quick, easy, and handy guide to choosing the perfect foundation color for you. We will be looking at what foundation is, how to choose the right one based on your skin tone and undertone, and what level of coverage is best for you.
What is Foundation?
First, let’s start by defining what foundation is. Just like the foundation of a house, a beauty foundation is a way to start off a look at the base level. It is makeup that covers the entire face and neck seamlessly, for an even and prepped canvas.
Choosing Your Foundation by Skin Type
Know that we know what foundation is, how do you choose the right one for your skin type? If your skin is oily, you should choose a formula that absorbs excess oil, such as a powder or mineral foundation, and/or a matte finish foundation (like our I Am Magic Velvety Matte Foundation). If you have dry skin, opt for a moisturizing foundation, (options include those infused with oil, and water-based foundations), that will add some hydration to the skin. “Normal” and combination skin can opt for different variations of foundation, such as our Shade Sticks, that are a foundation, concealer, and contour in one. These sticks will also moisturize dry skin, with shea butter, and work on oily skin, as they contain “oil-controlling ingredients.”
Choosing Your Foundation by Skin Tone
Your foundation should match perfectly with your natural skin tone. If not, you will see that dreaded line across the jaw, separating the face’s color from the neck’s. Foundations come in light, medium, and dark shades; you’ll want to start by selecting your hue from one of these categories. Then, you’ll want to match your foundation to the skin tone on your neck and/or chest, as your arms are usually darker than your face. Try at least two or three shades against your skin; yours, one lighter, and one darker. See how the foundation samples look on your skin in natural light, by stepping outside, versus relying on deceiving store lighting. If your skin looks ashy, the color is too light; muddy, it is too dark.
Choosing Your Foundation by Undertone
Probably more important than your skin tone is your skin’s undertone. Not knowing your undertone can lead you to choose a foundation in a shade that just won’t work well for you. To select the perfect shade of foundation, first take a look at your face in the mirror, preferably with a white sheet of paper held next to your skin. Does your complexion throw off more yellow, peach, and golden hues? If so, you are warm-toned. Is there more pink, blue, or red? Then, you are cool-toned. Neutral would be somewhere in the middle, and/or no visible undertones at all.
Next, look at your veins. If your veins are more on the blue or purple side, you are cool-toned; if they are more green, you are warm-toned. A color in the middle means you are neutral. Now that you know your skin’s undertone, you know to shop for a foundation in warmer colors if you’re warm-toned, and cooler ones if you are cool.
Choosing Your Foundation Coverage Level
Not all foundations are equal when it comes to coverage. You don’t have to have a thick layer of foundation on your face if you don’t want to--there are levels to this! A sheer foundation will offer the lightest coverage. It will let your skin, including your freckles, shine through the most. Full-coverage is for those who want to cover everything, including freckles, hyperpigmentation, acne, and scars. Are your needs and desired look somewhere in the middle? Then a medium-coverage foundation is perfect for you.
