How to Know what Foundation is Right for You

How to know what foundation is right for you? Skin tones reflect race, environment, creed, workplace (yes!), and genetics and have a vast range from extremely fair to black. Therefore, anyone who wears makeup has certainly gone through a “traumatic” process when buying a product in the wrong color. This is because, when analyzing skin tones, there is a large variation, making it difficult to choose.

But how did this definition of skin tones that guide the creation of foundations come about?

What are skin tones?

Skin tones are the different colors of people’s skin. They are determined by the amount of melanin in the skin. Melanin is a pigment that helps protect the skin from the sun’s UV rays and the more melanin the skin has, the darker it is.
The Fitzpatrick skin tone scale is a classification widely used as it proposes that products be made considering the skin’s phototype. Therefore, the vast majority of beauty companies use the Fitzpatrick scale as a guide to understanding the needs of each phototype to create their base color chart. However, it’s worth remembering that there is a wide variety of skin tones and this scale only serves as a guide for skin phototype. These skin tones will determine the foundation you need to match to your skin. In other words, there are tones similar to those in the scale, but they can be lighter, darker, warmer, or cooler.  So let’s try and figure this out and see how to know what foundation is right for you:

What are the skin tones?

The Fitzpatrick scale includes six types of skin tones that are numbered from one to six. To do this, the following are taken into account: skin color, tendency to tan (or sunburn), hair color, and eye color.

Light, Pale White, Very Fair Skin- I

It is the type of very fair skin, which always gets burned when exposed to the sun (reddish) and never manages to tan (create melatonin in the cells). It is the most sensitive skin to the sun, as it has no response to its exposure. Because of this lack of melatonin, it is generally common in people with light eyes and hair, such as blondes and redheads.

White, Fair skin- II

It burns easily, but has a slightly higher resistance than very fair. Furthermore, people with fair skin rarely tan, and usually after only turning red first. Because of the low production of melanin, it is common in people with light brown hair, which is also a result of the presence of melanin in the hair cells.

Medium White to Olive Skin – III

This skin color is the one that tans most easily and almost never burns, although it can happen if exposure is too high. It is one of the most common skin tones among Latin people as well as Mediterranean. Generally a person also has brown hair and eyes, as melanin production is naturally greater.

Olive, Moderate Brown Skin – IV

You rarely burn and tan very easily, even with little exposure to the sun. It is also very common among Latin people. Generally, a person has dark brown hair, as melanin production is greater.

Brown, Dark Brown Skin – V

With a high concentration of melanin, brown skin is one that never burns and tans very easily. It also involves the presence of very dark hair and eyes.

Very Dark Brown to Black Skin – VI

As in the Fitzpatrick classification V, this last skin type is almost black or black, and its high concentration of melanin protects this skin from the most scorching sun. It is typically found in the peoples from diverse African nations.

How do I know what my skin tone is?

Based on the characteristics described by the Fitzpatrick scale, it is now possible to get an idea of ​​your skin tone. Always observe your tolerance to sun exposure, remembering that it is not recommended to do this without using a good sunscreen.
Furthermore, when choosing a foundation, it is also important to consider your skin’s undertone, which can be cold or warm. Generally, people with very fair skin have a cold undertone, and dark-skinned people have a warm undertone. However, especially for those with dark skin, it is always interesting to pay attention to this, as it is something that varies and is noticeable with this skin tone.
Here’s a little tip to find out if your undertones are cool or warm; look at the veins on your arm: if they are green or brownish, your undertone is warm; If they are bluish or purplish, your undertone is cold.

What is the right foundation for each skin type?

So how do you know what color you skin is and how to choose the right foundation for it? Let’s see some tips for each shade!

Very White Skin

In general, people with very white skin use the lightest shade of the base color charts. It is generally a shade with a cold undertone, so as not to appear yellowish on the skin, creating contrast with the rest of the body. Does this sound like you? Then look for the first or second tone and always test close to the neck to match the tone.

White skin

It is also among the first shades, usually from the second available by brands. In this case, it is worth observing the undertone, so that it does not appear yellowish, too light, or too dark. Always test the product on your chin, close to your neck, and in natural light.

Medium White to Olive Skin

Dark skin types have a wide variety of shades in most makeup brands, which can make the process of finding the ideal shade difficult. In this case, always test three options, considering your undertone, always applying it to the chin and jaw. As with all skin tones, compare the foundation with the tone of the neck.

Olive, Moderate Brown Skin

Those with dark brown skin know that it can be difficult to find the ideal tone. Oftentimes, foundations tend to look gray on the face. Therefore, always look for foundations with a warmer undertone. Test at least three, close to your neck, to see which one best matches your skin tone.

Brown, Dark Brown Skin

As with darker olive tones, you will need to play around with multiple tones until you find the right one. Test several, and make sure it does not give you an ashen look. As with the olive and moderate browns, it should match your neck so it does not look artificial.

Very Dark Brown to Black Skin

No doubt the most difficult, as many brands lack options that suit the variety of black skin tones that exist. Always start by trying the last tone, to scale down if necessary. Also, pay attention to the undertone, so it doesn’t look gray.

One important last detail; always test the foundation by leaving the store to see how it looks in natural daylight. Foundations can look very different in a store under artificial lights. Never be afraid to ask for a few samples to try at home—many stores are more than happy to give you a few tones to test at home. Once you are sure you like the way it looks both indoors and out, daytime and nighttime, you have found your match!