How Do you Match Your Foundation?

gertrudecloset · ‎02-13-2021

Do you match your foundation to your: face, neck or the center of your chest? Sometimes our faces are darker/lighter than our neck and/or decllotte! How about you?

I have a hard time with this because of my coloring being different all over. Neck color similar to face, but chest area is much lighter like the inside of my arms (parts of body that don't get that sunlight).

Matched the center of chest in a foundation made me look pale an yellow. However, most of what I read says to match to the center of the chest so your makeup look won't be so askew...

Thinking of a lighter shade to match center of chest. There will be different undertones though. Face is neutral, center of chest is warm.....I'm about to give up and just keep using what I've been using which is Fenty color that I can't seem to balance the two (chest + face).

A Negative Mind ~ Will give you a Negative Life

beach-mom · ‎03-09-2010

@gertrudecloset - My pet peeve is "the line." I'm light complected, so I'm always careful about my neck not being lighter. Some mua's will try to get me to go a little darker in my foundation to give my skin more warmth, but I won't do it. I tell them I'll warm up with my blush (I'm not one much for bronzer, and if I do wear it at all it's in the summer!)

@Shanus is our resident expert and mua. She'll be able to give you the best advice!

gertrudecloset · ‎02-13-2021

@beach-mom wrote:
@gertrudecloset - My pet peeve is "the line." I'm light complected, so I'm always careful about my neck not being lighter. Some mua's will try to get me to go a little darker in my foundation to give my skin more warmth, but I won't do it. I tell them I'll warm up with my blush (I'm not one much for bronzer, and if I do wear it at all it's in the summer!)

@Shanus is our resident expert and mua. She'll be able to give you the best advice!

Thank you @beach-mom

A Negative Mind ~ Will give you a Negative Life

monicakm · ‎03-16-2010

I'm the same color everywhere. I'm not an outdoor person and hate the sun. I match my face.

beach-mom · ‎03-09-2010

@gertrudecloset wrote:
@beach-mom wrote:
@gertrudecloset - My pet peeve is "the line." I'm light complected, so I'm always careful about my neck not being lighter. Some mua's will try to get me to go a little darker in my foundation to give my skin more warmth, but I won't do it. I tell them I'll warm up with my blush (I'm not one much for bronzer, and if I do wear it at all it's in the summer!)

@Shanus is our resident expert and mua. She'll be able to give you the best advice!
Thank you @beach-mom

@gertrudecloset - YW! I've learned a lot from her!

Desertdi · ‎03-13-2010

I am not a "cool".......I am an "ice cold".......and only use color correctors. Too bad....very few brand options left.........

♥Surface of the Sun♥

AngelPuppy1 · ‎03-13-2010

I am about as far from an expert as you can get, so I can only tell you what I do. I am fair, not pasty white fair, but no sun fair. I have pink or red in my complexion. I always go by my face when choosing a foundation, so I tend to go by that shade. I figure if I need more warming up or color I can add things, i.e., blush, highlight, bronzer, powder, etc. If your foundation is a tad lighter it is not so bad as you can add more color, as opposed to your foundation being too dark and then the neck and face look way different. I don't like wearing makeup on my neck --- for me, it's just messy! As I said, I just go by what works for me!

"A day without sunshine is like, you know, night." - Steve Martin

Shanus · ‎05-17-2010

@gertrudecloset wrote:
Do you match your foundation to your: face, neck or the center of your chest? Sometimes our faces are darker/lighter than our neck and/or decllotte! How about you?

I have a hard time with this because of my coloring being different all over. Neck color similar to face, but chest area is much lighter like the inside of my arms (parts of body that don't get that sunlight).

Matched the center of chest in a foundation made me look pale an yellow. However, most of what I read says to match to the center of the chest so your makeup look won't be so askew...

Thinking of a lighter shade to match center of chest. There will be different undertones though. Face is neutral, center of chest is warm.....I'm about to give up and just keep using what I've been using which is Fenty color that I can't seem to balance the two (chest + face).

@gertrudecloset Good morning. Foundation questions re: how do you match are common. If concealer or foundation is "off", the entire makeup look is "off". To match your foundation correctly, swipe the shade on the side of your face from cheek towards jawline. The correct one should almost disappear. If at a store, you can swipe a few shades next to each other and see which one is not detectable. If your neck is a bit darker or chest a bit lighter, it doesn't matter. Foundation should always match your face and then use a bit of bronzer to warm up face if neck is a shade darker.

The factors to consider when looking for a shade is undertone...cool, neutral or warm and level of color...very fair, fair, medium, etc.

You asked about chest and body. Since foundation is usually not used anywhere else except the face (transfers to clothing), I wouldn't worry about that.

Hope this helps. Enjoy the last day of the holiday.

Shanus · ‎05-17-2010

Thanks @beach-mom

Shanus · ‎05-17-2010

If it helps anyone, I'm fair and slightly cool, but I don't like the pink in foundations that are "suited" to my natural skin tone. I always choose the neutral shades. That way I have a neutral canvas to add blush, concealer around my nose where a bit red, etc. Bronzers are usually too dark or muddy on me.

I also don't use a full coverage foundation. Seeing my skin show through gives a more natural look IMHO. It's OK to see freckles or little imperfections. No one has perfect skin and trying to achieve that w/ thick foundations can be aging and not natural looking. No one's face is all one color.