5 Tips To Choose The Right Foundation Shade

Pick the right foundation shade, wear it out once and the world remembers it for life. No no, we’re kidding (or are we?) Some things are so obvious that they just cannot go unnoticed. Like an uneven eyeliner, badly done highlights, and an incorrect foundation shade. While wearing the wrong shade is spelled mishap in all languages, the right one can be a game-changer. It will not only celebrate and amplify your natural colour but also heighten the appeal of your overall look.

Here’s how to pick the right foundation shade for your skin tone

1. Knowing Your Undertone

You know skin tone, but WTH is undertone? Just like skin tones are broadly divided into fair, medium and dusky. Undertones are also divided into cool, warm and neutral. To break it down further, under ‘tone’ are colours that come through from under the skin to give it an overall hue. These are not related to skin tones. Any person with any skin tone can have any undertone. You might get a tan during summers and move a shade up, but your undertone will always remain the same. Ever noticed how the skin of people with same skin tones, still looks slightly different? While one can be pale, the other can look yellowish or flushed. That difference is because of the undertone.

Those with warm undertones have overall peachy or yellowish glow, while those with cool undertones have hues of pink and red. Those with neutral undertones can have a balanced mix of these colours. Determine your undertone by looking at your veins or by holding a white paper against your face. If there is no one definite tone, then you belong to the neutral category. This will help you choose a foundation shade that is as close as your skin’s shade. Our SUGAR POP Liquid Foundation comes in 5 versatile shades that suit Indian skin.

2. What Is Your Skin Type?

Your skin can be dry, normal, oily or combination, and knowing which one is yours plays a big hand in determining what foundation you should go for. How to know yours? Wash your face with a mind cleanser and notice how it feels after 2 hours. If your skin feels rough and scaly, then you have dry skin. If only the T-zone is oily, then its combination and if the majority of your face feels greasy, then you have oily skin. If it feels okay, neither oily or dry, then you have normal skin.

For oily to combination skin, it’s best to use a mattifying foundation. You do not want to add grease on grease and look like an oily slick. A mattifying foundation will avoid your makeup from melting, and keep the overall look in place for hours. If your skin is normal or dry, then a dewy finish foundation will make your complexion look flushed, glow-y, and healthier.

3. Sheer, Medium Or Full?

Not everyone, every time, prefers a full coverage foundation for every look. On some days, when you only want to blur out imperfections, you can opt for a sheer coverage foundation or a tinted compact powder. Our SUGAR POP Longwear Compact comes in 5 true-to-skin shades that will seamlessly give you an even toned look. If you’re looking for something with more coverage then go with a BB cream or a medium coverage foundation. This still looks close to natural, yet provides a better coverage for blemishes and dark spots. Try our SUGAR POP SPF 30+ BB Cream that offers a medium coverage plus sun protection. But when you’re in the mood to look dolled up, opt for a high coverage foundation. This becomes your second skin and offers maximum coverage for skin imperfections. Our SUGAR POP Liquid Foundation has saturated colour pigments that blend in like a dream to give you a flawless finish. It is available in 5 different shades, where you can pick and choose the one that suits you the most.

4. Swatch It Right

The only fool-proof way to find a true foundation match is to swatch it against your jawline. Anywhere else, be it on your wrist, neck, cheeks, or hand is a big NO-NO. Begin from a little above your jawline and then go downwards, 2-3 inches. This is because the colour of your face usually differs from your neck. Testing the foundation on your jawline will help you find a match that is closest to both your neck and face colour. And then now, this goes without saying that you must always apply the foundation on your face, neck and your ears to avoid any stark lines.

5. Mix And Match

Now, we human beings are beautiful creations that come in all shades and tones. Yet still, the beauty industry is lagging a little behind. What we mean is, sometimes you might not find THE shade for your skin, simply because there is none. In this sticky situation, you mix and match. Pick 2 shades that are closest to your skin tone, like they are 90% there. Now, blend these two together on the back of your palm or a makeup palette and then apply a fresh swatch on your jawline.

On that day if the stars are aligned, you’ll be looking at your true-to-tone foundation match. But, even if you don’t, don’t give up! In the makeup world, finding the right foundation shade is equivalent to finding your soul mate – you need to keep looking and not settle for less.

We hope this guide helps you the next time you’re on a lookout for your true-match!

Written By: Rhea Shah