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1
START WITH A
CLEAN FACE
Wear ing makeup can
skew your coloring, so
head to the store with
#NoMakeup or w ipe off
a section for more true-
to-tone swatches.
2
FIND YOUR (SUN)
LIGHT
Natural light will give you
the best color accuracy,
say s m a keup a r t i st Nick
Barose. So stand near a
window if possible. If not,
swatch (more on that lat-
er), then step outside for a
closer look. Even better,
t a ke home a sa mple a nd
try it in a few spaces.
3
DISCOVER YOUR
UNDERTONE
“Look at the veins on the
inside of your wrist,” says
Oquendo. If they’re blue,
you r sk i n i s c o ol-tone d.
Are they more green?
You’re warm-toned. If it’s
hard to tell, chances are
you r sk i n i s neut r a l.
“Knowing your under-
tone will help narrow
down your shade
choices,” he says.
4
GO FACE FIRST
“I se e p e ople m a ke t he
common mistakes of test-
ing colors on their hand
or w r i st, but t h i s do e s not
give you accurate results,”
says Thomas. Instead,
swatch a few close match-
es on your lower jawline
or che st. Th i s w i l l help
you find a foundation that
matches not only your
face but also the rest of
your body, so you can
avoid harsh edges.
5
CUSTOMIZE
YOUR SHADE
If you still can’t decide
(or you’re at a drugstore
with no testers), take
home a lighter and a
darker shade. You can
mix your perfect color
and even adjust it for each
season. If you get home
and realize you missed
the mark, take the prod-
uct back. Most stores
will accept returns, even
on opened products.
score the
perfect shade
COLOR CARE Turns out the tone of your skin not only
dictates your foundation shade but can also affect your skin
concerns. Uoma Beauty (a new brand focusing on inclusivity)
just launched a line of foundations formulated with different
benefits based on shade category—they’ve broken them down
into six “skin kins.” Their Say What?! Foundation ($29 each,
at Ulta) helps treat things like premature aging for fair skin
tones, oil production for olive ones, hyperpigmentation for tan
tones, and dullness for deep gals.
PRIME TIME
The trick to rocking any
foundation regardless of your
skin type: the right primer.
A mattifying one (try Clarins
Instant Poreless, $30, clarinsusa
.com, at right) will help oil-prone
skin achieve a dewy finish.
More on the dry end of the scale but
want a matte look? Start with
a hydrating base, like hyaluronic
acid–infused Cover FX Dewy
Skin Primer ($38, at Ulta).