Undertone

[Anonymous]

I’m having an issue finding my foundation shade. I’ve gone to 2 different MUA at the store and they both say I have a cool undertone. But the foundation is always waaaay to pink on me. I’ve tried a neutral undertone also and that is also too pink. I’m still learning this whole makeup deal, so is it possible to have a warm-ish undertone on the face but cool on wrists? Does that make sense? I feel so dumb. I just don’t want to look like clown or tomato lol. 

[harrypotterfan6]

It’s all trial and error, really. If a neutral toned foundation is still too pink for you, try one with a warmer undertone. As others have said on this thread, no one is completely cool, warm, or neutral toned. If you watch Lisa Eldridge’s video on finding the correct foundation shade (which I highly recommend), she states that skin tones are a mix of various undertones (e.g., blues, greens, yellows, reds, etc.) it's all about which ones are more dominant within your skin. For example, I'm more on the cool side since I have a lot of pink and red in my skin. I tend to neutralize it with a neutral toned foundation that matches my body. Go to different makeup counters and have the artists match you. Samples are your best friend! Try them out in different lighting (inside/outside, fluorescent lighting) to analyze how the color appears on your skin. Does it look different in certain lighting? It's always important to match your foundation in natural daylight as store lighting is harsh and can distort the foundation color. Some formulas oxidize too, so check to make sure the color matches when It's dry.

[TrysBeautyItems]

@Anonymous Everyone doesn't fit neatly inside any color/undertone a brand has. Undertones nor foundation color are an absolute, sure the vein test etc gives a starting point.

Swipe colors on your jawbone. The one that blends in completely is the match, but check in all sorts of lighting- office, natural/outside, indoor etc. Sometimes the color of i.e. tinted spf, tinted primer do affect the shade. It's normal to have different shades on the body vs face, as well as mixing colors to find yours - same concept as painting.

Go to department stores too, they will color match and give samples. Surprised Sephora was matching your wrist, was it by the machine or themselves?

[Cmengele]

Hold up....the MUA at Sephora matches you to your wrists?!?! Why in the world wouldn't they face-match you being that you were in the store? That's a disservice.

[RebeccaBT]

@Anonymous Some people are in between two tones and that's why it is hard to match. I am cool/warm. I have blue and green veins if you are using the vein trick. I have both undertones on different parts of my face/body. I tend to have to mix two foundations to find my perfect shade. This may be the case for you as well!

Best,

Rebecca 

[Venusinfleurs]

Don’t feel dumb everyone has to learn. Nobody is born knowing how to match their foundation. I always match my foundation to my face / neck not my wrist. There can be too much of a difference in shades as your face gets more sun than your inner wrist. If you’re having difficulties finding the right foundation you might want to try mixing two together. I wear two entirely different shades mixed together. It’s a trial and error thing. Most foundations will look better with a lighter application too. I think even a good match can look weird when applied really heavily. Girls in the store usually put samples on heavier than I would at home so when you take a sample home and play with it you might find you can get a look that you’re more comfortable with like the problem could be the application rather than the actual colour.

[Brutalitops]

@Anonymous Are you trying the foundations on your face or on your wrist? Because my wrist never matches what color I need on my face. It might also be a lighting issue, I would suggest taking home some samples from a store (if you have access to one) and seeing what they look like in natural/sun light on your face. 

Additionally, as we head in to summer, your skin tone might change, so a darker sample you could blend might also be helpful

[Anonymous]

They were matching my wrist. It’s looks great in the store, then I get outside and woah definitely not. I’ll have to go back today and get some samples and play. 

[keelybt]

Hi @Anonymous They best place to to swatch is from your cheekbone to jawline. If you are noticing foundations turning pink on you, you likely have a warmer undertone or they were too dark. I would try a few swatches and you want to pick the one that stays the most neutral on you.