Finding the ideal foundation for your skin tone can be a trial and error process. While you will learn advanced techniques for matching cosmetics for clients in beauty school, mastering your own makeup is a helpful first step. This guide will help you choose the best shade of foundation for your skin.

How to Find the Right Foundation

1. Prepare Your Skin

If you pack on foundation without first preparing your skin, you’ll end up with patchy layers that don’t blend well. Dry and flaky skin also makes adherence difficult for your foundation. A freshly washed, exfoliated, and moisturized face is the perfect palette for foundation.

2. Pay Attention to Tone

When beauty schools mention undertone, they’re talking about the underlying shade of your skin. It is important to understand undertones when choosing a foundation. Warm undertones have a red to golden glow, while cool undertones show hints of pink and blue. A neutral skin tone combines elements of cool and warm tones. Consider these undertones when looking through different shades of foundation.

3. Match With Your Neck

Any foundation that diverges significantly from your skin tone will stand out when compared to your neck. For this reason, you should go for a shade that either matches with or is a shade lighter than your neck. Foundation is meant to look natural and should not stand out against your skin tone.

4. Test It Out

The most accurate way to find your foundation match is to test it directly. First, find shades that appear to be the closest to your skin tone. If the store you are in allows it, swatch test each shade onto your jaw. Otherwise, hold the product up to your face in a mirror and estimate the closest match.

5. Use Proper Lighting

Many makeup users make the mistake of applying in too-bright fluorescent lighting or dim, poorly lit rooms. Bad lighting can alter colors and throw off how shades actually look on your skin. Always check how your foundation looks in natural light.

If you have a passion for makeup and want to improve your skill, Lovett Beauty School will help turn your passions into a career. Based in Clayton County, GA, this beauty school offers various cosmetology programs and classes taught by industry professionals. From nail technology to hair design, they teach you all the techniques you’ll need to thrive in your field. Browse their available courses online. To speak with a representative about beauty school enrollment, call (404) 600-4435.