eauty halls are not nearly as much fun
as they were. I miss swatching crazy
eye colours on the back of my hand.
Remember when people used to test
out lipsticks actually on their lips?
Unthinkable. I miss getting free makeovers at
the Trish McEvoy counter at Liberty – which
I did occasionally, dashing between work and
going out-out in the olden times.
From a much more practical point of view,
how on earth are we going to get a shade
match for a foundation if we can’t use any of
those tester bottles? It’s not something you
can take a trial-and-error approach to. Good
foundations do not come cheap.
Some brands have found inventive ways to
help customers get the right shade online. I’ve
just bought one from Il Makiage (a US brand
recently launched here and aimed at people
at least ten years younger than me, but still)
based entirely on an online quiz. I got a
perfect match. The questionnaire asks about
skin type, shade and undertones (are you
golden/yellow or pink?) as well as whether
gold or silver jewellery suits you best. You’re
asked which type of foundation you currently
use and, of course, your age. The brand is so
confident in its algorithm that you can have
your money back within 60 days if you’re not
happy. My Woke Up Like This base was an
excellent fit as far as the shade was concerned,
but is not for you if you prefer light coverage.
This one gives medium, buildable cover
(£36; ilmakiage.com).I also got a great concealer at the same
time called F*** I’m Flawless (like I said, aimed
at millennials). It’s long-lasting and does not
congregate in creases. You could easily use
this and no base at all (£24; ilmakiage.com).
Charlotte Tilbury’s website is another decent
place for a shade match. It too has a detailed
questionnaire. But you can also book a virtual
consultation. I was on a video call with Katy
within half an hour. We had a fruitful five-
minute chat, which resulted in me ordering
a Light Wonder tinted moisturiser (£34) and
the heavier Airbrush Flawless Foundation
(£34; charlottetilbury.com). The appointment
was free and there was no pressure to buy.
Trinny London’s excellent Match2Me
service shows you eye shades and cheek
colours as well as bases. Although it does
smack a little of Colour Me Beautiful (the
inexplicably popular style makeover service
from the Nineties, which told you to dress
according to what “season” you were), I was
delighted to be paired with the new BFF
De-stress Tinted Serum (£39; trinnylondon.
com), which also offers skin-calming benefits.
With its 50 shades of foundation,
fentybeauty.com is another good option. And
Glossier has a useful selection of photos to
help you choose the right shade of Perfecting
Skin Tint (£20; glossier.com). When buying
online, dewy-finish bases such as this one are
harder to get wrong. ninstagram.com/lesleyjthomasMy fail-safe foundation online guide
How to find a colour match – when you can’t get to the shops
Choosing a base is not
something you can take a trial-
and-error approach to. Good
NICK HADDOW foundations do not come cheap
The Times Magazine 65Beauty
Lesley Thomas
What Lesley loves
Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r
Hydrating Longwear Foundation,
£27 (harveynichols.com)Glossier Perfecting
Skin Tint, £20
(glossier.com)MAC Studio Sculpt SPF15
Foundation, £30
( johnlewis.com)Trinny London BFF De-Stress
Tinted Serum, £39
(trinnylondon.com)Il Makiage Woke Up
Like This, £36
(ilmakiage.com)Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush
Flawless Foundation, £34
(charlottetilbury.com)B
Lightweight,
medium to
full coverageTinted
serumStreak-free,
comes in
50 shadesSmooths
over
poresHydrating,
satin finishLong-
wearing,
disguises
wrinkles