FINDING YOUR PERFECT FOUNDATION SHADE
One of the trickiest beauty pursuits is finding the right shade of foundation. We recognise it can also feel overwhelming when shopping for foundation online.
We have developed a simple step-by-stel process to help you identify your perfect foundation shade so you can shop online with confidence:
1. Shortlist your shade range options.
2. Identify your skin undertone.
3. Sample to finalise your perfect shade match (optional).
4. Select the ideal foundation product to suit your skin type.
We are always here to give you additional shade matching guidance if needed. If you are in Auckland, please visit our studio for in-person shade matching or email hello@theskinwardrobe.com with a bare faced selfie for a shade recommendation.
1. Shortlist your range
Our MAKETHEMAKE Foundation and Concealer come in up to 14 shades, ranging from N1.5 (fairest) to N12 (deepest). We have taken great care to ensure our website shade images are true-to-life. They are depicted in the image on the left and can be found swatched individually under each MAKETHEMAKE foundation product. You will also find many of our shades photographed on real life models under each product.
We broadly categorise our shades into the following ranges:
- Very Fair (N1.5, N2)
- Light (N2, N2.5, O2.5, N3)
- Medium (N3, N3.5, N4, O4.5)
- Deep (N5, N6, N7, N8)
- Dark (N9, N10, N1, N12)
This categorisation may help you to narrow down a few shades you feel are a potential match.
2. IDENTIFY YOUR UNDERTONE
The golden rule of foundation is that it must work with your natural skin undertone. No matter how beautiful the product, if it’s fighting against your skin undertone, it will never feel or look quite right. By identifying shades that work with your skin undertone you’ll achieve a more natural, even looking complexion.
What exactly is skin undertone? Basically, it's the colour coming through from underneath the surface of your skin. There are 3 types - warm, cool, or neutral.
Determining your dominant skin undertone is simple and outlined below:
The wrist test: Examine the colour of your veins on the underside of your wrist. If they are purple or blue in colour then you are cool. If they are green or olive in colour, you are warm. If you are neither dominant colour, or unable to determine, you are neutral.
The sun test: Think about what happens when you are out in the sun. If your skin turns red only, are likely to have a cool undertone. Conversely, if you tan easily, you are likely a warm undertone. If you burn, then tan, then you are likely neutral undertone.
Now read our foundation shade descriptions and match to your skin undertone here. Remember, it is not a hard and fast rule, but it should narrow your search for the perfect shade of foundation considerably.
3. Select your sample shades
Finally, we recommend you purchase one of each shade of our Vitamin B Flawless Filter Foundation Sample Size in your shortlisted shades. We recommend selecting 1 - 3 different shades to test on your skin.
If you are confident with your shade, simply purchase a sample alongside your full size foundation. We offer exchanges on any unopened foundation products should you wish to change your shade.
How to sample your foundation. Dot small amounts of your selected shade/s onto a clean, hydrated face. Apply each shade on either side of your cheek, jaw line and chin. We recommend you purchase one of our Foundation Brushes to blend seamlessly into the skin, found here. Allow time for the foundation to settle into your skin and check in a mirror under natural light.
Still unsure? Send a makeup free selfie to hello@theskinwardrobe so we can give give our opinion on the best shade/s for you.
4. Choose your Foundation Product
We have created this grid to enable you to select the foundation product suitable to your skin goals, skin type and desired level of coverage. This grid allows you to choose the ideal product to suit your lifestyle.