You may be surprised but most of us still struggle to find the right foundation. If it’s the right shade, it’s not ideal for the season, and if it is, it may not be the finish you want. So today, I’m going to tell you how to pick the right foundation shade and also how to mix and match foundations.
How To Choose The Right Foundation
1. Understand your skin’s needs
While my skin would mostly qualify as combination skin, the pores on my nose and sides of the cheeks are more visible than the rest of the face. So pay attention to little things after you determine your skin type (dry, oily, combination or sensitive) to find your true match.
2. Swatch it right
When swatching foundations, I’ve heard of many body parts being put to good use for swatching. From the chest to the neck, you should ideally swatch on the area that is the closest to your actual skin tone. I prefer to swipe it on the back of my wrist.
3. Swipe it on your wrist
Swiping a drop of foundation onto my wrist helps me figure if a particular foundation is ideal for warm or cool undertones. If you want to find out your undertone, just check if your veins are visible. If they are, they you have a cooler undertone. If not, you should try warmer shades of base.
4. Try it before you buy it
Lastly, if you’re spending a bomb on a new foundation, take your time to swatch. Ask your make-up advisor to do your face and go around the mall for 30 minutes. See how it looks in the sunlight to be sure of coverage and shade. If you need more tips on application, click here.
How To Mix and Match Your Foundation
1. How to get the right shade
You may have picked a foundation that is either too light or dark. In that case, you can take two drops of the lighter shade and add a drop of tan shade. Mix it with clean fingers and apply. You can also use a lighter shade to ace your base and the darker shade to contour your face.
2. How to change the finish
To transform your base from matte to dewy finish, start by choosing a highlighting foundation to add to a matte product. Not just lighter in colour, look for foundations that have an illuminating sheen. Remember, the shades of both foundations have to be similar.
3. How to maximise coverage
If you use a lightweight formula that is on the lighter side of the scale, you can amp up the coverage by adding a light layer of pink-hued foundation for a natural glow. If you just want to go high on coverage stick to shades of yellow and two layers of foundation. Make sure both foundations you pick are in the same texture or else it’s gonna take longer to blend.
POPxo recommends: Bare Minerals Matte SPF 15 Foundation (Rs 4,809), Maybelline New York Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation (Rs 575), NYX Professional Makeup Stay Matte But Not Flat Liquid Foundation (Rs 900), L.A Girl Pro Coverage Illuminating Liquid Foundation (Rs 1,150)
Images: Shutterstock
