Finding Your Perfect Foundation Shade

[christinamua]

First I want to say how excited I am that Sephora created a Deeper Shades Group!! ❤️ I’ve been a makeup artist for over ten years and majority of my clientele are POC. I get asked all the time how does one find the right shade so I want to take this opportunity to use this new group to share some tips I’ve learned over the years. 

• First you have to figure out your undertone. An easy way to do this is to look at the color of your veins on your wrist.  Green = Warm Toned and Blue = Cool Toned

• You can also take your thumb from one hand and firmly press your wrist on the other for several seconds. If your skin appears more yellow once released then BAM you are warm toned so look into yellow based foundations.

• Find a color you think is closest to your shade then also grab a color lighter and darker in the same tone. Swatch all three shades on your face NOT your hands. I usually swatch on the jawline toward the neck. 

• This next tip is super important!! Wait for the foundation to oxidize. Foundation can tend to turn a shade or two darker once exposed to the air. After swatching I usually wait a couple of minutes before making a decision. 

• The best light is natural light. Grab a hand held mirror and take a look in front of a window or outside to see if any of the colors match your skin. 

• Also don’t feel like you have to wear your foundation all over. My forehead especially around my hairline tends to get darker than the rest of my face because the sun hits that area first. I like to say we are blessed with a natural contour in that area and it isn’t necessary to apply foundation there. Chances are that same color foundation will make the tanned area look grey or pale. Just apply on the center of the forehead and lightly blend up. 

I hope you find these tips helpful!! ☺️ If you did let a girl know and feel free to add your own tips! What is your favorite foundation and why? Can’t wait to learn from you!

 Xo, 

Christina

#SephoraAmbassador

[Rosario159]

Thanks for the tutorial

[tjffc]

@christinamua Thank you for this information.  Its challenging finding the right color in some of brands

[christinamua]

You’re so welcome ♥️

[redliplvr]

im new to the group and i love sephora has this space. i adore your tips. i currently use mac cc cream for my face. i was wondering should one have a foundation set for spring/summer and fall/winter? i notice im brighter in the winter and darker/tan in the summer. i hope this reaches you in good health...thank you!

[christinamua]

Hi! Hope you’re staying safe and healthy! I’m so glad you like the tips. I definitely recommend having two foundations one for summer and winter. Especially if you get more tanned during the summer.

[cmoulaaaa]

omg thank you😭

[LalaTaylor73]

Absolutely loved your tips. I have so many questions. When I was working full time I used Mac. She have since just gone without for about 5 years. I am now ready to get back into the makeup game even though it won't be a full face everyday I want to have the products and the skills to do as much or add little as I want. what overwhelmed me was the number of lines marketed to women of color. There are also so many price points and so many new products im not sure where to start. The first question I have is do you match your foundation to your neck, upper chest, or arm? lala

[christinamua]

Hi Lala! I'm so happy you liked my tips. Thank you!! I personally like to match my foundation to my neck but I will also take other things into consideration. For example during the summertime my arms get really tanned so I will make sure my foundation matches my neck but then add a bronzer and or contour to compliment the deeper color on body. 

[lika21216]

what it that lip combo in this picture,

[christinamua]

It was a lip pencil, lipstick and gloss from IMAN Cosmetics. I can't remember the name but when I find it I'll circle back with the details 🙂 

[sophiebbyg]

What I like to do when i’m shopping in the store is swatch a few different brands and shades that I feel are close to my skin tone onto the underside of my wrist. Wait for them to oxidize and then swatch whatever matches onto my neck and my jaw line. If it matches with a little bit of blending- like you said; make sure to go outside and look in a mirror or have a friend make sure that the shade actually matches!! Even if a color looks like it is matching it’s always a bit tricky to figure out your own undertones and the undertones of the shade!

[EuniceO]

Hi! You look amazing 😍

[christinamua]

Thank you so much Eunice ❤️

[Anonymous]

Very helpful information to a newbie like me. Thank Ya Much 🙂

[christinamua]

You are so welcome!! Glad I can help 🙂 

[dolldot]

Just wanna say, you look gorgeous! 💗👌 The colors in this photo are also perfect! Can we get a product list please?

[christinamua]

Thank you so much for your kind words!! I created this look for a campaign a few weeks ago. Here is the link with all the product details:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BzyvXqnBATw/?igshid=1rhpla2vw4i5s

[kel70]

I wonder if you can help me. I am just getting back into makeup after stopping wear after my son came along at age 34.I am now 49. My skin is in fairly decent shape considering the fact that I did not take very good care of it except for a daily moisturizer. I have the fine lines under my eye, minimal crows feet and some concerning forehead lines. I now, for the last 2 months, have an entire skin care regimin, that I adhere to twice daily. I am  having some issues with finding an appropriate foundation. I need something that won't settle into those forehead lines and will keep my hydrated through the day and not turn into that chalky look after a few hours.I love, love the Matte look. I tried the Sephora brand and then Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay In Place foundation. Sephora brand was just O.K., while E.L. looked fabulous for about 10 minutes. I use a Beauty Blender and the  Sephora Pro foundation brushes and with a little playing around with it (E.L. foundation) it looked great. Then it totally dried and started to kind of flake. Makes my face look too dry and my face is well hydrated. Am I just working it to death, or should I try another brand? If so, in your professional opinion, what brand would keep me hydrated, keep that matte vibe going on and definitely not flake, while disguising those lines. I also use Pore-fessional primer on my nose and foreheand and Fenty's new Pro Flt'r Hydrating primer for the rest. I also use a good quality face moisturizer before applying anything to my face. ANY suggestion or help would be SO MUCH appreciated. The sale is over in 2 days and I want to pick up something else before it is over.

[christinamua]

Sorry I'm getting back to you after the sale!! You're doing a great job with having a full skincare regimen prior to applying foundation. Prepping the skin is the most important thing to ensure the foundation goes on smoothly. If you prefer a matte finish but want to keep the skin hydrated you will have to play around with balancing primer + foundation + setting spray or powder. Also how often do you exfoliate your skin? I was having a similar experience and realized I wasn't removing dead skin cells as often as I was suppose to. Before giving up on the E.L. foundation you can try a hydrating setting powder instead of a setting spray and see how that works. 

https://www.sephora.com/product/halo-hydrating-perfecting-powder-P228100?icid2=products%20grid:p2281...

If that doesn't work then maybe try a serum foundation or any liquid foundation ( not mattifying ) and pair it with a matte setting powder such as the one from CoverFX:

https://www.sephora.com/product/matte-setting-powder-P376533?icid2=products%20grid:p376533:product 

It really is a game of trial and error. I hope one of these will give you the results you are looking for 🙂 

[sophiebbyg]

Hi! I have similar issues with foundation drying and looking flakey on my skin. I do have dry skin and some eczema but it all depends on what product you are using! I suggest sampling different types of foundation (through free samples or promos) and looking into the description of products that state if it is moisturizing or not! I have tried many different brands of foundation and always end up going back to Born this way foundation, concealer, and powder by Too Faced! It is hydrating for my face and looks somewhat natural on the skin! Look into setting spray as well- it sets makeup and can rehydrate your skin without moving the makeup around. I use the Hangover 3-1 priming, setting, and touch up spray- it smells lovely, is very hydrating, and dries without leaving a film on your face. I hope my input helps somewhat:)