How To Choose The Correct Foundation Shade

Hello dolls,

There are many things to consider when buying a foundation. Do you want a pressed powder foundation? loose powder? stick type? or a liquid one? For this tip, I will be focusing on the liquid type and not specifically on the formulation but rather  on choosing the right shade. Choosing the perfect foundation shade could be very daunting, as there are so many different shades and undertone of foundation out in the market. So, I will be sharing with you the tips I learned over the years.

1.) Find your right undertone. 
This is the first tip on my list because this is the critical part. It is almost impossible to find the right shade of foundation without knowing your undertone. If you check out different kinds of foundation shade, you might discover that there are foundation that gravitates  toward pinkish tone and yellowish tone. Your undertone plays a big role in choosing between the two. 

There are three main types of undertone: warm, neutral or cool. One way to find your undertone is by checking your veins on your wrist - green veins (warm), blueish (cool), mixed (neutral) . Also the color of jewelry that compliments your skin, helps identify your undertone- gold (warm), silver (cool), both (neutral). You may also take this quiz to find out exactly what your undertone is   http://www.popsugar.com/beauty/Warm-Cool-Undertones-Quiz-1843402 . If you are on the warmer side choose a yellowish foundation. Otherwise, choose the pinkish tone. 

2.)  Do not judge the shade of the foundation merely on the color of the bottle.
This is probably the most common mistake that most of us do. I have been in this situation when I bought a foundation that looked exactly like my skin in the bottle, but when I got home I found out that it was way too muddy on my face and it made my skin  look older. Never ever decide just by looking at it because foundation can oxidize and actually change color a few seconds/minutes right after you apply it on your skin. 

3.) Swatch foundation on your chin area/neck.
Buying a foundation is pretty much similar to buying a dress- you have to try it on before you buy it. So, I advise always trying out the tester and try to get swatches of the colors you think fits you. The key to it is swatching it on the right place of your body. The common mistake though is swatching it on your arm or wrist. It is helpful, however, I wouldn't suggest it because most of the times, the  shade of our arm could be darker or lighter than the shade of our neck. When getting a foundation, match the shade to the color of your neck. You don't want a lighter face and darker neck, or vice versa. So, I suggest swatching your foundation on your chin area. In my case, I normally have makeup on my face while shopping so I don't normally follow this rule. However, I do swatch it on my neck. 

So, once you have swatched it/them on your neck/chin, your challenge is to find the one that is perfect for you. So how? Simply select the one that melts or literally disappears in your skin. Look at my swatches below. Which one do you think is my match? 

I am not sure if the picture does justice. The 3rd one is my perfect match! Once blended it disappears in my skin and is almost undetectable. At first glance you might think the 2nd one matches me because it has a yellowish undertone, however it is too dark and leaves and orangey tint on my skin. 

Tip: If you still can not find your match, get the one that is a thud lighter than your natural skin because you can still get away with it if you bronze and/or contour your face.However, if you get the darker one it could be a challenge. BUT, your darker shade foundation can be  used to contour/shade so do not dish it out.

3.) Ask for a sample.
This third tip is especially helpful if you still can not decide after swatching. If you are planning to get a higher end foundation, I strongly suggest asking for a sample that you can try at home before splurging. If you buy your foundation at a department store, clerks normally can give you a small sample if you ask for it. Explain to the clerk that you have heard a lot of good things about this foundation and would like to try it out at home before you purchase it. This usually works for  me. 

4.) Do not buy right away. 
In most cases, you are almost immediately tempted to get the foundation for two main reasons - it looks like it is your match and/or you are too embarrassed to tell the staff that you haven't actually made up your mind. For the first reason, I understand that you must be excited to see that this foundation shade could be the one for you. However, store lighting, especially the ones in department store, could be very deceiving at times. I suggest you take your time and get out of the store and check you makeup under a natural lighting (if possible). For the second reason, do not be intimidated/embarrassed to admit to the staff that you are still not sure about getting it. It is their job to help you swatch and choose the makeup for you so don't feel sorry that you are wasting their time. They are paid to do that!


I hope my tips are useful  and always remember that choosing the right shade for your skin is trial and error. Do not worry if you are wrong this time, there are still ways to make the most of the wrong foundation shades you have chosen. Try to mix them all up and create the exact shade that you think suits you. Also, consider the seasons. You can use your lighter foundation in the winter/cooler months and the darker ones in the summer/right after you get a nice tan from a trip to the beach. 

Keep Dolling Up,
Gelie (Jelai)  xoxo

L'oreal True Match Liquid Foundation Review

Let me start off by saying I was having a hard time picking out my first post under the "reviews & takeaways" category. There are just so many makeup out there and in my collection that I have to go through before I can make up my mind. Well, I thought, since foundation is the base of your makeup and what creates a great canvas to any looks, then it is probably the first best thing to talk about.

I have tried quite a lot of foundation from high-end to drugstore over the years, but this review is only going to focus on a drugstore one. And as the title says, it is the L'oreal True Match Super Blendable Liquid Foundation.

You might be wondering why they have two different packaging. The packaging varies from country to country. In the U.S the one on the left (without the pump) is sold, while the one on the right (with pump) can be seen mostly in Europe and Asia. The choices of shades also varies between the two packaging. The one on the left has a wider array of color selection for different skin tones while the one on the right has very very limited shades (I believe only 4 shades are available at least on the one I've seen in the Philippines and Thailand).

I actually own four bottles of these babies - two of different shades from each of the two packaging. The reason why I got four different ones was because I was on a search for finding the perfect color match for me. The first one I got was N7 Nude Amber; I got it during my vacation in the Philippines. As it turned out, it was waaaaay toooo dark on my skin. So, when I went to Thailand I picked up a shade lighter than N7, which was the G3 Golden Amber. It is more wearable for me than the N7. However, it could get too light sometimes. So what I do is I mix N7 and G3 and it gives me my perfect shade. 

However, I was still wondering if any of the U.S version of the L'oreal True Match Foundation matches me. Then, a couple of months later a friend from the States came to visit us and he was kind enough to pick up some makeup for me. I used the L'oreal website to find my shade and it recommended me two shades that are probably closer to my skin tone: N6 Honey Beige and W6 Sun Beige.  So, I asked my friend to buy me two of the recommended shades. After a long search for my exact shade match, I finally found it, it is the W6 Sun Beige. N6 Honey Beige is wearable but it gives me an orangey under cast, which means it is not the correct undertone for me. I have a warm tone so W6 (I think w stands for warm) suits me perfectly. 

Packaging

Packaging is one of the things that draw me in to a product - whether it be the design, portability, and functionality. With regards to this product, I prefer the packaging with the pump because it just makes it so much easier to dispense the product without wasting any. The one in the bottle is very difficult to control; you can end up dispensing too much or too little. As for the amount of product, the bottle might look smaller in person, but actually they contain equal amount of 30ml. 

Formulation

I believe the formulation between the two packaging are the same. They actually feel and blends in the same way. Also the finish is semi matte for all of them and they all contain an SPF 17 PA++. 

Coverage

I would say the coverage is medium to full coverage. You can easily build it for a more full coverage look. Make sure you don't apply a lot of it all at once. Just slowly build your coverage while blending it well to avoid cakey face (nobody likes that).

Application

As the packaging claims, it is a super-blendable makeup. I'd say it is one of the most blendable liquid foundation I've ever tried. I apply it in two ways, depending on the coverage I am aiming for. If I want a fuller coverage, I apply it using my real technique buffing brush and if I just want a medium coverage with a bit of a dewy finish, I use a dampen sponge or a beauty blender.  If you don't have any of those tools, don't worry! Your "fingers" are your best tool - just make sure they are clean. 

Wearability/Longevity

I really like the way this foundation feels on my skin. It doesn't feel too heavy and it covers my blemishes well (at least the one that matches my skin tone). The longevity is not bad although I have to touch up with my press powder from time to time. If you wear a primer before applying this foundation and finishing it up with a spritz of finishing spray, then you won't probably have to touch up so often. Also it's worth noting that I have very sensitive and acne-prone skin and this product does not cause me to break out (a big plus). 

Price/Affordability

Well, this part is difficult because it all depends on where you are and the availability of this product in your country. As far as I can remember, I paid a little over 1,000 Php/23 USD (please correct me if I'm mistaken) when I got this in the Philippines and forgive me but I can't remember how much I paid for it in Thailand.  The costs of L'oreal products in Asia is really jacked up compared to how much they really cost in the States. I guess it's because of the import tax. If you get this babe in the States you only have to pay less than 10USD. I believe it is about $7.97 in Walmart. Unfortunately, this product is nowhere to be found in South Korea, where I am currently at. If you are in South Korea and want to buy this, probably check out Gmarket.

My Final Take-aways

I'm sorry if this post seems to go on forever. 

Do I recommend it?
I recommend this product for those of you who are looking for a medium to full coverage foundation, that is easy to apply, and doesn't cake nor feel too heavy. However, I do suggest that if you can't find your matching shade in the Asian or European market, try to use L'oreal website check what shade suits you. Their recommendation is pretty accurate. Then, from there you can order it online or ask a friend in the States to get it for you. ;)

Will I buy it again?

The Asian version (with the pump) no! Just simply because I can't find my shade. However, I'll totally buy the bottle one (U.S version) over and over again. In fact, I'll probably hoard some and buy lots of backups when we go back to the States.

Tips: When you are testing out foundation in the store, don't immediately buy it like I did. It's a rookie mistake! Ask the seller to match it on your cheeks or even apply it on your entire face. Then, go out of the store and assess the foundation under the real light (not the store light). 

Disclaimer: Always, remember that our skin is different. My review is relative only to my skin type (combination dry, warm skin tone and sensitive) and my opinion. Some of you might share the same opinion as I do and some of you might totally hate this product. 

I hope I helped. If you have used this foundation, let me know what you think about it. And if you happen to know the exact prices of this please comment down below so I can update it and give the others more accurate info.

Thanks! :)

Keep Dolling Up,

Gelie (Jelai) xoxo