How to Find Your Perfect Foundation Shade

Finding the right foundation shade is a bit like looking for your perfect prom dress. The amount you try on can vary from one to one hundred, everyone has their own opinion as to what looks good and what doesn't, and the price tag always niggles away at the back of your mind. As an ex-beauty specialist who has colour matched hundreds of customers, I understand the stress and anxiety that can accompany foundation shopping, and I want to share my top shade matching tips to make life a little easier for those wanting a new foundation.

Tip One: Check your vein colour

The colour of the veins on the inside of your wrists is one of the easiest ways to tell your skins undertone. If these are purple, you're a cool undertone. Those with green veins tend to have a warm undertone, and blue veins usually indicate a neutral undertone.

Tip Two: Don't be afraid to ask for help

If you're shopping in person and you aren't sure as to what your shade is, don't be afraid to ask a member of staff for help. Shops like Boots and Space NK often have staff whose job it is to assist customers with any beauty related queries, whether that be doing a foundation colour match or helping them choose the perfect lipstick.

Tip Three: Don't colour match on your arm or hand

Instead of placing the product on your hand or arm and blending it in, try swiping it on your neck or jawline. Your neck and jawline are often closer in colour to your face than your hands and arms, and matching your foundation to your neck ensures a more accurate colour match. Always make sure you check how it looks in natural lighting – for foundations tend to look different under the harsh lights at makeup counters.

I hope these tips help those of you who are new to this, those of you who don't know where to start when it comes to foundation shopping, or even those of you who are seasoned makeup shoppers.

Happy shopping!