Look of the Day

Another NYX look!

Eyes:  NYX  Yellow Pearl loose eyeshadow on inner corners of lids, blended with Jade Pearl over eyelid (all applied dry)
         LA Colors Radiant loose eyeshadow on outer v and crease
         Beautique Black Sparkle eyeliner on top and bottom lash lines 
         Beautique Brunette eyebrow pencil on brows (to hide waxident)

Face:  Pure Luxe Mineral Foundation in Suntan used as both concealer and base
           LA Colors blush duo in Papaya/Nutmeg on cheeks

Lips:  N.Y.C. Lipstick in Blossom

Hair:  Beyond the Zone Spike It Hair Cement in Yellow

How to choose the right foundation shade

One of the hardest things for me to do is decide which foundation shade will work for me.  It's hard enough to have nine million choices in front of me at the store, but add harsh indoor lighting and sketchy color descriptions and I am lost!  I've bought so many foundations that look like a perfect match in the store.  Once I get them home and apply them I realize that they're not even close.

Some brands even offer cool plastic shade selectors that are supposed to help you find the perfect shade.  That's great for some ladies, but unfortunately my face is about 10 shades lighter than any other part of me, including my inner arm, where these selectors are designed to go.  This also creates another complication for me, as I need something to help my face blend in with the rest of me without looking like a mask.  But for this post, we'll omit that little personal complication, and just focus on selecting the shade that matches your individual face only.

There are 3 basic  color options for foundations, and all the shades available fall into one of these categories.  They are warm, cool and neutral. Warm shades have a yellow undertone. Cool shades have a pink or reddish undertone.  Neutral shades are an even mix of warm and cool.  If you're in doubt, try a neutral shade.  

Never test a foundation on your hand or arm.  The color of your face is different than these areas, and as such you will not get a good match.  The best way to find the perfect shade is to swatch a few options directly onto your face, and then, if at all possible, have a look at them in natural light.  The shade that disappears into your skin is the right one for your particular skin color.

For illustration purposes, I've swatched some mineral samples from Pure Luxe cosmetics in warms, cools, and neutrals onto my face. Only one shade actually disappears (3rd color from the left), so that would be my match.  The first shot is with flash, and the second one is without.  The lighting does make a difference, but it's pretty obvious in both pics which colors stand out and which one disappears.