If, after hours circling makeup counters and with countless foundation swatches on your hand, you still don’t feel like you’ve come home with your perfect match, it’s likely you’ve fallen for one of the many foundation shade matching myths on the beauty grapevine.
Because we know all too well that flawless makeup really is all about that base, we’ve asked Elizabeth Arden’s National Makeup Artist Stephen Gaskett to bust these myths, reveal the truth, and make finding your perfect match as easy as swiping right on Tinder.
MYTH: Foundation should be swatched on your hand
FACT: Unless you are an up-and-coming hand model looking to find a flawless finish for your paws, you should be matching your foundation to your face. All swatching should occur, “on a clean face (if possible) and either on the jawline or on to your neck.”
MYTH: The bright lighting on counter is perfect for exposing a mis-match
FACT: Natural light will expose a mis-match in an instant, so head to the makeup counter with a bare face, swatch on your jawline or neck, and head outside to check yourself out in a mirror before you commit to a shade.
MYTH: A great match is all about the shade
FACT: Choosing the right type of foundation for your skin type is essential to finding the right shade. Consider whether you have dry, oily, combination, or other skin types and try a few types of foundation in the same shade to get the best possible match. Stephen adds, “having a consultant advise of the particular type of foundation you need or desire is the ideal thing to do.”
MYTH: You can find your undertone by looking at your face
FACT: Stephen says undertone can be found, “by looking at the inside of the wrist to see if your skin has blue, yellow, or neutral undertones.”
MYTH: If you’ve purchased the wrong shade, there’s nothing you can do
FACT: Makeup artists have a few tips and tricks up their sleeves that can save face when you’ve purchased the wrong shade for your skin tone.
“If the foundation is too light, you can lightly brush over your face with a bronzer. If it is still too light, you could keep the foundation for winter or buy another and mix the colours to create your own summer and winter shades.”
The final word? The best place to get colour matched will always be at the beauty counter where consultants are on hand to guide you through the process of colour selection. Elizabeth Arden’s professionals have a unique electronic foundation matching hand held tool that gets the job done fast — take advantage of it!
RESCU’s resident expert Michael Brown has created an easy-to-follow three-minute video as the definitive guide to getting satin skin.
Elizabeth Arden’s new Flawless Finish Perfectly Satin 24Hr Makeup SPF15 is available from David Jones and Myer stores nationwide RRP$50.00
