Beauty

[bonnielu]

What seems to be long ago I could go into a store and behind the cosmetic counter was someone who could help me match shades of foundation. 

How do you know from watching shopping channels what shades you wear? I am afraid to buy.  The closest I can get to RIGHT is go into a drug store - box store and put the bottle up against my hand. 

I am not sure if I am porcelain or light or some other named shade that does not seem standard.

And then how to know: Does it really look good.  Should we go up a shade?  I do not really know if I am warm or cool thing.

[just bee]

@bonnielu

I hear ya.  But now there are "foundation finder" tools on many of the companies' websites.  And there's a site -- findation.com -- that's helpful if you know what has worked for you in the past.  Select the shades that you've worn and with one click the site will give you comparable shades from a variety of manufacturers.

Several stores will help you make a match.  Even Walgreens.  No7 has devised a machine that matches your skin tone to one of their foundations. 

Lumene has discontinued their CC cream so I'm going to have to start my search for a replacement.  I may even end up checking out No7.

I'm 57 and still don't know for sure if I'm warm or cool.  Happily, a lot of the companies are making neutral shades.  L'Oreal has a helpful tool for their True Match line.  Check out their website.

[Janey2]

I find foundation to be the hardest makeup to purchase.I will only buy in a department store, Sephora, Ulta, anywhere they let you try on and/or give you a sample. It never looks the same to me when I get it home as in the store. Not only do you have to contend with color, but with coverage. 

[PinkyPetunia]

It does take some experimenting and you may have to return some purchases (or sacrifice them) till you gain confidence.  You can still go to a department store and get help with foundation.  Or try a store like Ulta that has sample bottles open. 

It took me a long time to learn I am a warm tone.  Describe your coloring (hair, eyes, skin) and what color in clothing looks best on you.  Maybe we can help.

The TV makeup vendors make it sound so easy to pick a color when in fact it is not that simple. 

[Sunshine Kate]

@just bee

I appreciate you recommendating the findation.com website for finding a foundation color.

I never knew it existed, very helpful.  

Here's some helpful information below regarding if you're warm or cool.  (I got this from Paula's Choice website).    

Do your veins appear bluish or more deep purple? If the answer is yes, you’re likely in the cool-toned spectrum.

If your veins appear greenish, you most likely skew toward the warm-toned.

Those with neutral undertones will have difficulty discerning either color—it will just all look neutral.

[Sunshine Kate]

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@Jewel22 wrote:

I find foundation to be the hardest makeup to purchase.I will only buy in a department store, Sephora, Ulta, anywhere they let you try on and/or give you a sample. It never looks the same to me when I get it home as in the store. Not only do you have to contend with color, but with coverage. 

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I agree.  The fluorescent lighting in a department store is horrible for finding a good foundation color match. 

[Shanus]

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@bonnielu wrote:

What seems to be long ago I could go into a store and behind the cosmetic counter was someone who could help me match shades of foundation. 

How do you know from watching shopping channels what shades you wear? I am afraid to buy.  The closest I can get to RIGHT is go into a drug store - box store and put the bottle up against my hand. 

I am not sure if I am porcelain or light or some other named shade that does not seem standard.

And then how to know: Does it really look good.  Should we go up a shade?  I do not really know if I am warm or cool thing.

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I have never purchased foundation except at a dept. store makeup counter. You're right that it's the shade, cool or warm, but to me it's also the amount of coverage and the texture. That's why I've stayed w/ Bobbi Brown foundation (Tinted Moisturizer for 20 yrs.) and would never purchase foundation from tv. The rest of your makeup could be perfection, but if your foundation is off, it all looks wrong! 

[Shanus]

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@Sunshine Kate wrote:

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@Jewel22 wrote:

I find foundation to be the hardest makeup to purchase.I will only buy in a department store, Sephora, Ulta, anywhere they let you try on and/or give you a sample. It never looks the same to me when I get it home as in the store. Not only do you have to contend with color, but with coverage. 

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I agree.  The fluorescent lighting in a department store is horrible for finding a good foundation color match. 

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Before you purchase it, swipe it on your jaw and forehead and go outside to see it in natural light. If in a dept. store, ask the MUA to apply it, go home and see how it feels on your skin for a few hours, does it get greasy, turn orange? All things I want to know before purchasing. Many counters will give you a little sample to apply for a few days.

[wagirl]

I would go to Ulta or Sephora or Nordstrom, Macys anywhere where there is a make up counter and ASK them to help you. That is what they are there for. My DD did that at Ulta. She is very fair and nothing looked good. The lovely sales associate tested on her neck----with Philosphy foundation that was the perfect match---It is so lovely and flawless on DD skin. The SA even walked her over to the less expensive lines but couldn't open any to test so DD bought Philosphy. So go in bare skinned and let these people do their thing. I am going in soon too, as I have been told I am a warm   ???? but what does this really mean. Have been buying med but may be off base.

[just bee]

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@Sunshine Kate wrote:

@just bee

I appreciate you recommendating the findation.com website for finding a foundation color.

I never knew it existed, very helpful.  

Here's some helpful information below regarding if you're warm or cool.  (I got this from Paula's Choice website).    

Do your veins appear bluish or more deep purple? If the answer is yes, you’re likely in the cool-toned spectrum.

If your veins appear greenish, you most likely skew toward the warm-toned.

Those with neutral undertones will have difficulty discerning either color—it will just all look neutral.

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@Sunshine Kate

A warning about Findation.  Because companies discontinue and change the names of their shades so often, I don't think Findation can stay current.  Many of their recommendations are already obsolete.  On the other hand, Findation recommends True Match shades for me that I've considered before.  The numbers are the same, but the names of the shades are different.  Still a helpful tool, though.

Cool tends to run from gray to pink; warm can be too yellow or even orange.  Foundations tend to turn me tangerine so more and more I'm leaning towards a neutral shade to see if I can achieve a balance between too pink and too yellow.

Lumene CC cream was perfect for me.  It was "cheap" and it looked natural.  Now it's gone and I have two tubes of another brand that just don't work for me.  Frustrating!