How to Choose the Best Foundation for Your Skin Type

Choosing the right foundation can be as overwhelming as being told you can only buy one thing at a Black Friday sale. Where on Earth do you start?! With an overabundance of shades, finishes, formulas and coverages, choosing a foundation is just as personal as ordering your coffee. That’s the precise reason it’s one of the toughest makeup products to buy. The ultimate goal is to find one that looks like your own skin, but better. So where do you start? I’ve broken down how to choose the best foundation for your skin type with some simple tips.

Click on the images for links to some of my favorite picks*

Skin Type

We all know that the main skin types are dry, oily, and combination. On top of that, you might be dealing with more specific issues like redness, hyper-pigmentation, eczema, acne and sensitivity. You should identify your specific skin concerns first, whether it’s a dermatological issue like eczema or simply wanting your skin to have more glow. Dewy foundations tend to work best on normal to dry skin types. Matte foundations are usually more suitable for combination to oily skin types. Typically, a satin finish is preferred on mature skin since the matte look can emphasize flaws and wrinkles.

Coverage Needs

When choosing your coverage level, ask yourself how much you want your natural skin to show. If you hate wearing makeup, you’re going to think a full-coverage foundation is too heavy. With more mature skin, too much foundation can settle in all wrong places. Unless you have significant discoloration or scarring, it’s best to stick with a lighter touch and opt for a sheer light to medium coverage because it’s buildable. I personally use tinted moisturizer because it hydrates while evening out my skin tone. I’ll then spot conceal for more coverage in specific areas. I find this to be the best way to have a fresh, youthful finish.

Skin Tone & Shade

How many times have you swatched foundation on your forearm, only to find that it’s all wrong when you get it on your face? That’s because this part of your body is a lot darker than your face. The best way to try to color match is to find a spot on your jawline and blend out down your neck. Don’t stress yourself out looking for an exact match but always go with something slightly lighter because the color is going to shift throughout the day. Foundation oxidizes with wear and naturally gets darker with the mixture of elements and the oils on your face. You can always warm up your face with a little bronzer as well. Whichever method you choose, it’s important to test the foundation in good or natural lighting.

Undertone

Undertones are the natural colors underneath the surface of your skin which are either warm, cool, or neutral. Unless you want to spend a lot of time color correcting, don’t fight against your skin’s natural undertones. If you have a warm complexion, go with a shade that has yellow undertones, and if your complexion is on the cool side, a foundation with pink undertones is your best bet. I personally tend to go with neutral shades since my face seems to have a little redness in certain areas and a little yellow in others.

How to Find Your Undertone

Look at the exposed areas of your body first. If your chest and shoulders tend to be more red or pink, it’s safe to say you have cool undertones. If you’re golden, peach, and yellow, you have warmer undertones. Keep in mind that this has nothing to do with how light or dark your complexion is. Another method is to look on the underside of your forearm. If your veins look more blueish, and you look better in silver jewelry, you’re probably on the cool side. If your veins have a greenish tone, and you look better in gold jewelry then it’s safe to say you’re on the warmer end of the spectrum.

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