Foundation match...so close...

[lela29]

Hi!

I've been wearing Lancome Teint Idole Ultra in 210 Buff N for several years. The finish works well for me, and it blends nicely into my skin. However, I am noticing that it is just not the right color for my pale winter skin, and I'm having a terrible time finding just a shade or two lighter that works for me. I have a fair/light skin, with a very true neutral skin tone. Here are the colors that I have recently tried:

Dr. Jart + Black Detox BB in light/medium 1Y06 (looks too pink on my winter skin)

Lancome Teint Idole Ultra in 210 Buff N 1Y06 (right tone, just too dark now), tried in 140 Ivoire N (much too bright/peachy, need more beigey)

Sephora 10HR Foundation in 10 Ivory 4Y01 (so very close but the formula doesn't work on me, sinks into the creases in my skin)

Hourglass Vanish shell 2R05 (too dark and orange)

Dior Forever 24HR Matte 2N 2R06 (too dark and red)

Is anyone seeing a match somewhere in here? Maybe a suggested Pantone Color IQ code? I would love to go into a Sephora to do this, but I live over five hours from the nearest store. From the above, I'm thinking that my Pantone Color IQ might be logically something like 1Y03 (still neutral, slightly yellow, but three shades lighter?), but the Sephora color in 4Y01 really throws me off.

[Anonymous]

Try taking a look at NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation in Gobi Light 3?

$60

What it is: A buildable, full-coverage foundation with up to 16 hours of lightweight, natural, fade-resistant wear.

Coverage: Full 

Finish: Natural 

Formulation: Liquid 

Skin Type: Normal, Dry, Combination, and Oily

[EsinaJ]

@lela29 I can see why the 4Y01 is throwing you. It is confusing. Something you wrote makes me wonder if you might be more yellow-toned than you think? ... I'm a 4Y (golden olive) and if I wear a 1Y foundation, it looks pink/gray. 1R will look red but will somehow better than 1Y.... Checking some 4Y01 foundations, they all have different undertone descriptions: Fenty 105 & Nars Sheer Gobi (yellow), Huda 110N & Dior F&B 0N (neutral), Too Faced BTW Snow (rosy). - Have you tried any of those to compare with the Sephora Ivory? Maybe a swatch of some 2Y05 foundations will show if that tone or depth fits better = Estee DW 1W2, Nars Sheer Vienna. 2y04 = LMercier Flawless 2N1.5. 2y03 = Estee 1N1, Fenty 120. (3y03 = Estee 1w1, Dior F&B 2w. 3y05 = Estee 2W0, Nars Sheer Copenhagen.) Hope you find a match!

[lela29]

@EsinaJ This is so helpful! I'm checking all the colors you've suggested now - so wish I could just go into a Sephora to do this, but this is certainly a start. I noticed the same thing about the 4Y01 colors having multiple different undertone names. And your description of your skin tone is similar to mine - when I move to more red/pink colors like Dr. Jart's Black Detox BB, my skin gets a slightly grey tint, if I go more on the red side, my skin gets quite muddy pink-looking. Yet when I go into a store, they are always thinking immediately that I have cool undertones... Maybe the Sephora associates and I are getting thrown off by surface skin redness/freckles and I'm actually more true yellow? Thanks for the list of suggestions in similar colors!

[EsinaJ]

@lela29 That probably happens a lot -- I think Sephora posted a video recently about foundation matching and mentioned surface redness throws people off. Another possibility is if you think you could have an olive undertone. That can match warm or cool (or neutral). -- Enjoy the swatching! I just went on a swatchfest the last 3 months and finally learned I've been wearing foundations too red, too orange, and too deep for years. 😱