10 Things to Consider When Buying Face Foundation

As the season is changing, we’re all getting our fall makeup looks ready and preparing for the change in our everyday makeup products. It’s that time to stop using your summer foundation shade and pull out your winter shade. We understand the struggles of having to buy two different shades of foundation for summer and winter. Summer is for a tanner, bronzier look while in the winter, our complexion becomes a little lighter and not as tan. Here are 9 tips for figuring out your foundation shade when shopping for your winter foundation!

You can also watch this step-by-step video of our in-house beauty expert, Barbie, going over the 9 steps to finding your shade!

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Determine Your Undertones

Determining whether you have warm, cool, or neutral undertones is key to picking the best foundation color to match your skin, so you don't end up looking unnaturally orange or pink. This can be a difficult task for even the most seasoned beauty vet, but Henao breaks it down in a way that’s easy to digest. “I recommend looking at the exposed areas of the body first,” he says. “If your chest and shoulders tend to be more red and pink, it’s safe to say you have pink undertones, or if you’re golden, peach, and yellow, you have warmer undertones. Your face needs to match your body.”

Keep in mind that undertones have nothing to do with how light or dark your complexion is. “Any skin color can have cool, warm, or neutral undertones,” King tells us. “If none of the colors associated with undertones stand out as obvious, you have neutral undertones.”

In addition to matching your foundation color to your natural undertones, you can use these shades strategically to address your specific concerns. For example, if you have redness, foundations with yellow bases (and even green-tinted color-correcting products) can offset that. If you have prominent dark circles that skew blue or purple, using products with peachy or golden undertones can reduce their appearance.