If there’s one makeup product that gives us a hard time when we’re shopping, it’s foundation. At a time when brands are expanding their collections and palettes, it’s difficult to navigate the foundation section. Between the misleading lighting in the shops, the crowds and the noise, we often get our hands on a bottle a little too quickly. Result: once home, it’s tragedy! Too dark, too light or even too orange… The shade does not match our skin tone.
To find the perfect match and avoid unpleasant surprises, Cynthia Dos Reis Viegas, professional makeup artist and trainer at Kiko Milano reveals the mistake you should definitely not make. The miracle recipe? The weather !
Choosing the right shade of foundation: here is the mistake you should no longer make in stores
“Often, we try a foundation in the store that suits us very well and when we come home, we realize that it no longer suits us”, explains Cynthia Dos Reis Viegas. According to the expert, the interaction between the pH of your skin and the pigments present in your foundation is at the origin of this color change. We then speak of oxidation of the product. In response to this phenomenon, the foundation tends to darken or even become more orange after application. “Oxidation can be more or less visible depending on skin tone. The darker the skin, the more acidic the pH and the greater the oxidation”, specifies the makeup artist. Oxidation also varies from one product to another: matte products are less at risk than moisturizing foundations.
To avoid unpleasant surprises once home, it is better to be patient. “You have to take the time to try the product. The ideal is to take a look around and come back to check the shade thirty minutes or even an hour after application”, advises Cynthia Dos Reis Viegas. Indeed, after this exposure time, the final result should then be visible. “If the shade is too light for you, that means you will have to choose a darker shade”she adds.
How to find the right shade of foundation? A makeup artist responds
To find the right shade of foundation, the makeup artist adds that it is better to swatch the product on the jaw and maxillae rather than on the hand or wrist as many of us do. “For black skin, it’s slightly different. As the contour of the face is darker, the ideal is to test the foundation on the cheekbones”confides Cynthia Dos Reis Veigas.
When trying out a foundation, apply a small amount to your maxilla, base of jaw, and cheekbones if you have dark skin. “You must also observe the result in daylight, more revealing than the artificial light of stores”, specifies the expert. Finally, do not neglect the choice of the right undertone: yellow (warm), neutral or pink (cold) for a natural and harmonious result. To do this, simply look at the color of the veins on the forearm. If in doubt, you can always ask a seller for advice.