The first step in finding the colors that look best on you is to find out your skin tone. Your skin tone is determined by the undertones of your skin. After you know the undertone, you will then know whether your skin tone is warm or cool. Then you can match the colors you use to your skin tone for the most complimentary look for you!
Try the following tests to find out which undertones your skin has. Be sure to do them in natural lighting, near a window is best:
Turn your arm over and look at the veins on your forearm and wrist. If the veins appear more green than you have yellow undertones. This means your skin tone is warm. If the veins appear more blue then you have blue undertones. This means your skin tone is cool.
For this test you will need a mirror and a sheet of white paper. Be sure to remove your make up! Looking in the mirror, hold the sheet of white paper next to your face. If your face looks yellow, this means your skin tone is warm. If your face looks blue, this means your skin tone is cool.
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Now we need to determine whether your skin tone is pink, yellow, olive or brown:
Pink (Light) - If you are very fair, burn before you tan, and your skin has pink or porcelain under tones you should choose pink.
Yellow (Light or Medium) – If you are Caucasian and have beige or yellow undertones you should choose Yellow. Asian or Light Mixed Race also fall into Yellow. Most Caucasian women fall into Yellow so if you are unsure select Yellow.
Olive (Medium) – If you are Mediterranean, Latino, a Fair-skinned African American, or dark mixed-race, then you should choose Olive.
Brown (Dark) – If you are African American, deep complexioned Indian or any other dark skin color then you should choose Brown.
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Choosing the right foundation
The warm skintones look best in colors with yellow bases. When choosing foundation, pick colors that sound warm like: warmest beige, honey beige, almond, copper, etc. Many cosmetic companies now tell you on the packaging which skin tone the color is best for.
The cool skintones look best in colors with blue bases. When choosing foundation, pick colors that sound cool like: ivory, bisque, blush, rosetint, etc. Many cosmetic companies now tell you on the packaging which skin tone the color is best for.
Choose three foundations in the color closest to your skin color. The foundations should have different undertones, such as cool, warm, and neutral. Cool would be pinkish, warm would be more orangish, and neutral would be a slight yellow to beige.
ALWAYS, try a foundation on your face rather than the back of your hand. The color and skin on the back of your hand is not the same as the skin on your face. A foundation color should never be 'settled' on. It is important to find the correct shade so that you do not look like you have a mask on.
On a clean jawline, place one stripe of each color along the jawline at the side of your face. As you apply each color tone you will be able to see two very well and the third should disappear slightly into your skin. The one that disappears more will be the correct undertone for your skin.
After finding the correct undertone, you can begin finding the correct shade. Keep in mind that the correct shade will completely disappear onto your skin, so you will not have the look of wearing a makeup mask.
It is not advisable to use a foundation that is lighter or darker than your natural skin tone to avoid an artificial look. The color on your face should match the color on your neck.Some skin tones may accept several shades of foundation. In a case like this, try each shade on a larger area on the jawline and see which shade one you like best. If you are torn between a lighter and darker shade, I would suggest to opt for a lighter shade as blushers and bronzers can be added to darken the shade.
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You will no doubt find that the shade of foundation that matches your skin color will change with the seasons. You might want to invest in a Bronzing Liquid that you can mix into your "winter foundation" so that it will match your tan. And don't mix it in the bottle. Pour a little into your hand and mix it there.
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When To Toss Out Your Makeup
If your foundation has a pump then it will stay fresh longer, but if you are dabbing your fingers into a bottle everyday you should think of tossing your foundation makeup every 6-8 months. If you are prone to breakouts and are using the dabbing method, you should toss you makeup no later than 6 months. If you are using a pump foundation, it should be good for at least 8 months. But keep in mind that your foundation color can change at least twice a year anyway, so just get in the habit of tossing your foundation makeup every 6 months.
Powdered Face Makeup
Powder face makeup can last over a year, if there is no shiny build up on the surface and you have not had any major skin irritations during use. Honestly though, most people won't be able to make a face powder last for over a year anyway. And as a general rule of thumb, if it smells funny or looks strange you should toss it. Powder blush and powder bronzers also fall into the 1 year category.
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