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Help me find a new foundation??

Loves Vintage

Ideal_Rock
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Hello All,

I am hoping some make-up gurus out there might be interested in helping me find a new foundation. I am 41, so little lines creeping in (which I haven't done much to address!) and have been using MAC Studio-fix (powder foundation) for years. When I stray, I inevitably wind up looking washed out or with a too dark color.

I am pale, but have a pinkish undertone. I looked into Bare Minerals after watching a very convincing infomercial one morning that I couldn't sleep, haha, but the lightest shade looks too light and the next shade looks yellowish undertone and then everything else is darker. I did try it YEARS ago, like when it first came out, and whatever I purchased was way too dark.

I recently tried Tarte's tinted moisturizer. I like the limited ingredients in Tarte products (their mascara is the only one I can wear without a major allergic reaction!), but when I got to work, two women told me to go sit down (that I looked like I was going to pass out.) Haha, seriously!! (I am also pregnant, which is another reason why I like limited and more natural ingredients, and another reason why they asked me to sit down!)

But, yeah, seriously. Help! I think the answer is that I have to go to Sephora, right? Uggh!!

ETA: I should add - I don't think the studio fix really does anything for me, but at least the color seems to work. And, I think at this point in my life, I should be using a liquid foundation (maybe with some moisturizing quality), especially in the winter with the dry air and wind.
 

iLander

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Do you have a Sephora or an Ulta near you? So you can try stuff out?
 

NewBling123

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Have you ever tried Laura Mercier? I'm super pale with pink undertones and it looks awesome. I've tried other brands over the years, but I always go back to that one. It's pricy, but a little goes a really long way. If you go to a store that sells it, they'll usually color match you and give you a sample to try. Even better - it looks like they sell it at Sephora now.
 

Loves Vintage

Ideal_Rock
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iLander - Yes, I do have both nearby. I HATE going though. Part of it is I just much prefer shopping on-line, but then the other bigger issue is that I am much too agreeable. Whatever they recommend, I agree to purchase, and to date, I haven't found anything I like that way! But, I guess at Sephora, I should be trying stuff myself and making my own call? I don't even find the sales people particularly pushy, but I just agree with them and/or am not discerning enough on my own to see that it's not something that will work.

NewBling123 - Funny you should mention Laura Mercier! I was thinking maybe I should visit them, but then started reading about Dior Nude and thought that must be it, until I started reading more reviews. Anyway, so please tell me, what type and what shade do you wear? I love the idea of getting a sample to try. Do you use a powder as well?
 

iLander

Ideal_Rock
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I can understand that, plus it's hard to be objective when you're alone.

I usually do this; dab on the inside of your wrist, if it disappears and I say "where'd it go?" I try it on my face. My wrist usually has like 20 dabs on it. ;-) Then I go OUTSIDE and look at it with a purse mirror. Sephora lighting is awful. It takes me at least an hour, and I walk around trying stuff without the annoying staff. :rolleyes:

My skin tone changes constantly, with all the sun down here, so I have to do it 1-2 times a year.

But I just use Sephora brand creamy powder, can't remember what it's called. It's buildable and doesn't look powdery at all. I don't have the patience for a liquid, myself.

IF you find you like a couple of liquids, they will give you a sample bit of it to take home. Just ask, and they'll pour it into a little container. Then you can try it in different lighting.

Good luck, I hate looking for foundation. :knockout:
 

Loves Vintage

Ideal_Rock
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I had no idea you could ask for a sample to take home! That is good to know!! I will be sure to try the Sephora cream powder when I go there. Thanks for the advice!! :))
 

CJ2008

Ideal_Rock
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Loves Vintage

I have 2 possibilities for you:

Estee Lauder Double Wear - what I like about this line is that they number their foundations with warm, cool, and also neutral - even though I have cool undertones I find that the neutrals look best on me (I mix the 2N1 and 3N1 together otherwise the 2N1 is too light). It has good coverage and I apply a small amount so it doesn't look heavy.

Missha BB Cream - I tried this at the suggestion of several ladies here and I really like it - great coverage yet looks natural, doesn't settle into my wrinkles and does not accentuate any dryness. I wear the 23 in this for during the day (it has SPF so I wouldn't want to wear it at night or when I need to take pictures). And they will send you samples of all their shades if you ask.
 

m-2-b

Ideal_Rock
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I was on the hunt for a new foundation recently since my usual brand was being discontinued. I am fair skinned, too, and needed a full coverage foundation. I now use the Dior Star Fluid Foundation in Ivory which seems to fit the bill for me--a little goes a long way. It is a bit pricey but helps me get a flawless finish, along w/ foundation primer + luminizer.
 

canuk-gal

Super_Ideal_Rock
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HI:

I have been faithful to a few products in past--but from this one I will not change.

Giorgio Armani. Maestro. Fusion make up. SPF 15.

cheers--Sharon
 

Calliecake

Ideal_Rock
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Loves Vintage and CJ2008,

The only one foundation I have found that has stayed on and lasted is Estée Lauder Double Wear. When I was working I would leave the house at 6:00 am and not get home until after 7:00 pm and it stayed on the entire day. A small amount goes a long way. I also have fair skin. They also now make a Double Wear Light If you prefer light coverage.

Estée Lauder will also give you samples of each kind so you can try it before making a purchase. I have sensitive skin and allergies. Double Wear has never bothered my skin.
 

OneFifty

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May 10, 2012
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178
I love the Tarte Amazonia Clay 12-hour full coverage foundation with SPF 15. I use a small amount, so I don't get that full coverage look, but you could definitely get that look without looking cakey. They had a pretty limited color range, but they have expanded it.

If you order it from QVC, you get the product for the same price and you do have to pay shipping and handling, but it comes free with the brush. Which is a good deal because the brush is $32 on its own and I do think it does a great job of applying the foundation. I just tap a few dots around my face or on the brush and buff it in. I do think they are still a bit limited on colors on QVC, but Sephora and Ulta do carry the full color range and you could color match ahead of time and order online.
 

momhappy

Ideal_Rock
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4,660
I love Chanel foundations. My favorite is Vitalumiere Ultra Light Skin perfecting with SPF 15. It's super light and looks fresh/natural, but still offers a bit of coverage. It's pricey but worth it.
 

Gemzy

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Have you looked at Lisa Eldridge's website? She is a make up artist and has some great videos on all aspects of make up and different products (for different age ladies), including some fab info on foundations. Click on the video section and scroll through to the foundation ones. lisaeldridge.com

I love her site and the many 'how to' videos, it's brought me out of my usual makeup routine to try new styles and products.
 

packrat

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Dec 12, 2008
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10,614
I *hate* trying to find foundation. When I used to tan it was easier for me to find the right color. They don't make the foundation that I used to use anymore-a Max Factor mattifying kind-and trying to find something that awesome has thwarted me since 2002. Powders anymore just kind of sit on my face and I feel old when I wear them as foundation. A couple months ago I got my hair done at a fancy salon and we went to Sephora after. I got color matched--and the color was too dark, (how that can be if it's matched to your skin I don't know) so I went one shade lighter. I loved it until the other day after it had been on a little bit and I noticed in the car that it was juuuust a bit too dark. So I'll try another shade lighter. It's the Urban Decay Naked foundation. Not a full coverage liquid, but after it dries it probably could be applied again for more coverage. (ETA-I was matched to a 3 in that foundation, bought a 2 and think I will go back for a 1. I was planning to get a .5, go figure)

I feel like depending on where you go and who you talk to, you get different answers as far as what you should look for. I'm pale w/redness, and my face is darker than my neck-if I match it to my face it doesn't look good w/my neck, but if I match it to my neck I look weird. (I got a makeover once at a Mary Kay party and the lady matched my neck *perfectly*---and I went to grab something to eat later at a fast food place-a couple people asked me if I felt all right b/c I was so pale, and someone I knew was in there and gave me this :shock: look, said I looked like a ghost!)

So, I hear if you have redness you need something pinky. If you have redness, you need something yellow-y. If you have redness you need a green concealer. if you have redness you need a lavender concealer. :loopy: :loopy: :loopy: Arrrrrgh!

I hope you can find something that works for you-I really feel for you-it's hard!
 

ksinger

Ideal_Rock
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5,083
I second the recommendation to visit LisaEldridge.com. She has extensive video tutorials on how to choose a foundation. Anything anyone is telling you here, she can tell better, and in a beautiful English accent too. Very pleasing to listen to. :)

But yes, you MUST get samples! I've rejected many a promising foundation once I got that sample. It's worth your up-front leg work. After that, you can order online to your heart's content, but don't waste money on a pricey foundation that doesn't work for you by not getting that sample.

For me, I have and use 5 different foundations, depending (sometimes literally) on the humidity, and my mood and desired look of the day. They each do something really well. I am very fair with a pink undertone, am still on the oily side (while being dry too: so annoying) and have plenty of lines and broken capillaries, so each of these I find, has at least a good medium coverage that can be built up nicely to add a bit extra in spots.

Chanel Perfection Lumiere - 12 Beige Rose - a bit moist with a lovely not-quite dewy finish. Almost velvety.

Perfection Lumiere Velvet - 12 Beige Rose - gorgeous finish, truly velvety, no weight or cakeyness. And much longer wear than the previous.

Chanel can oxidize and change color a bit, so be sure and use it with a base. I often use Laura Mercier's tinted moisturizer in porcelain as a base (with any foundation, actually) - it gives a bit of coverage, pore-fillage, and "slip" for what I put over it. I also currently switch up by using Hourglass Veil. Love it.

YSL - Le Teint Touch Eclat - BR 20 - Another gorgeous tonal match with a lovely dewey yet velvety finish. A bit more neutral base (bust still a bit on the cool side) than the Chanels.

YSL - Fusion Ink Foundation - BR 20 - The most amazing, lightweight, long-wearing foundation I've ever tried. Thin as water, feels kind of oily going on but it isn't. At ALL. Great for hotter weather. I tend to save it for then.

Lancome - Teint Miracle - Ivoire 1(N) - the best quick-and-dirty foundation I have. Rub this between fingers and SLAP it on. Seriously. It can be applied very quickly without much care - almost like you would a moisturizer, and has a lovely dewy finish that is great for winter.

Once you've tried a few samples, and have a feel for the...feel, you can also find some good ones nowadays at the drugstore. Most are duplicating (with more or less success) the newer formulations of the higher end brands, (They're all pretty much owned by the same company or two anyway you know). L'Oreal is supposed to have some good ones, and even Maybelline has beefed up their formulations and color ranges.


ETA - just go here. Oodles of great info.
http://www.lisaeldridge.com/video/basics/
 

NewBling123

Rough_Rock
Joined
Sep 1, 2013
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Hi - Since you asked about the Laura Mercier shades, I mix and match a few depending on the day.

Here are mine:
Silk Creme foundation - Rose Ivory
Smooth Finish - Vanille
Moisture Supreme - Blush Ivory
Powder - translucent

I usually buy it at Nordstroms, so I get always get a sample to try for a few days before I commit to a new product/formula.

Good luck!
 

MissGotRocks

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Calliecake|1420486369|3812171 said:
Loves Vintage and CJ2008,

The only one foundation I have found that has stayed on and lasted is Estée Lauder Double Wear. When I was working I would leave the house at 6:00 am and not get home until after 7:00 pm and it stayed on the entire day. A small amount goes a long way. I also have fair skin. They also now make a Double Wear Light If you prefer light coverage.

Estée Lauder will also give you samples of each kind so you can try it before making a purchase. I have sensitive skin and allergies. Double Wear has never bothered my skin.

My pick as well - definitely recommend!!
 

arkieb1

Ideal_Rock
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May 11, 2012
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9,786
If you have a pink undertone you should be O.K using a very pale tone (provided it's pale enough or the correct colour to start with) with a yellow underbase because the yellow underbase combats & tones down the pink pigment in your skin. This is a good thing as too much pink in the face can be ageing.

I'd recommend going into one of the large stores and make sure you do NOT buy anything. Instead specifically ask for a small sample pot of anything you think you like with at least enough in it for one or two wears. That way you can go away and try it on at home, see if you like it with the rest of your makeup and more importantly how it wears on you during the course of the day. You can also go online and request sample pots as well some companies ask you pay postage others will send them out for free. I used to own a very small makeup company, many people do not know to ask for samples, but this saves buying full price bottles of foundation only to get home and realise that you don't like it, it is the wrong colour or that it does not wear well during the day......

When you find one you really like then commit to buying the product.
 

distracts

Ideal_Rock
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Messages
6,131
I used to NEVER wear foundation because I hated the feel of it, wipe my face a lot so was always dislodging it, and the only ones that felt right and/or didn't wipe off broke me out or I was allergic to them. And that was IF I found something close to light enough. BUT. BUUUUUUUT

THIS STUFF:

https://www.faceatelier.com/product/ultra-foundation/category/complexion/

is like the foundation of the gods.

I use shades 1 and zero minus mixed 50/50 because I am very pale. It stays put all day even if I don't wear primer (though a basic silicone primer like Smashbox helps it go on a bit more smoothly), doesn't pool in fine lines or do weird stuff on dry skin patches, feels and looks like normal skin, is high enough coverage that it covers up redness/acne scarring, etc, basically it's amazing and I went from never wearing foundation to almost always wearing foundation. Plus I feel like some foundation is really hard to put on and this is easy-peasy and pretty foolproof for my newb foundation-applying skills. The only downside is it seems to only be available online (but you can order samples).

I find I get the most natural "not wearing makeup, her skin is just naturally flawless" look if I put on the foundation and then set it with Guerlain Meteorites powder.

Also re: makeup shopping - I go to Sephora or Nordstrom because at either place you can always return used products, so if you buy a foundation and use it for a week, and then realize it doesn't work, you can still return it.
 

ksinger

Ideal_Rock
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5,083
arkieb1|1420513064|3812378 said:
If you have a pink undertone you should be O.K using a very pale tone (provided it's pale enough or the correct colour to start with) with a yellow underbase because the yellow underbase combats & tones down the pink pigment in your skin. This is a good thing as too much pink in the face can be ageing.

I'd recommend going into one of the large stores and make sure you do NOT buy anything. Instead specifically ask for a small sample pot of anything you think you like with at least enough in it for one or two wears. That way you can go away and try it on at home, see if you like it with the rest of your makeup and more importantly how it wears on you during the course of the day. You can also go online and request sample pots as well some companies ask you pay postage others will send them out for free. I used to own a very small makeup company, many people do not know to ask for samples, but this saves buying full price bottles of foundation only to get home and realise that you don't like it, it is the wrong colour or that it does not wear well during the day......

When you find one you really like then commit to buying the product.

I've always heard that, but I no longer believe it. I honestly don't know where that "pink is aging" thing got started. I mean, I've got more pink than yellow in my skin, and have had all my life, how can that be aging? (Now combating red, as in broken capillaries or discolorations is a whole other topic, because red ain't pink) I think the pink thing falls under the heading of "sweeping generalization" and is used by people like Bobbi Brown to justify not having any true neutral or cool-toned foundations in her line, which I cannot use for that reason I might add, and I've tried - great foundations, but they all look like crap on me. Besides, it's not like I've ever been tripped up by too many pink-undertone foundation choices. Most of the time, in my experience, foundations, especially the drugstore ones, tend towards the yellow because obviously, many more people have yellow undertones, and from a business standpoint that is fair enough. But for those of us who have the real deal - cool toned skin - trying to "combat" it usually doesn't end well, and there is really no reason to when there are some really excellent tone-matches these days, usually well-labeled as to undertone too, even in the drugstore lines. It was much trickier matching me in my youth, with the only one carrying a base neutral/pink enough being Estee Lauder, which I used for years.

Anyway, as a card-carrying pink undertone girl who is also old, I have to say that my experience has been that you can look like a clown if you don't match your undertone well. I've swatched many a foundation that has matched my paleness, but that I had to discard as an option because it obviously had too much yellow for my skin and made me look super weird.(er than normal)

Lisa Eldridge has a video specifically on choosing a foundation if you're very pale. Many of them have a both a more neutral and a more pink option. One line was even started FOR really pale women, by a pale makeup artist. Anyway, she has no beef with cool-toned bases, and neither do I. A good match is a good match, regardless of base color.

Foundation solutions for very pale skin
http://www.lisaeldridge.com/video/22873/foundation-solutions-for-very-pale-skin/#.VKujICvMRyI
 

missy

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Thanks for starting this thread Loves Vintage. I rarely wear makeup at all but recently I have become interested in covering a new for me skin condition (POD) and am bookmarking this thread. And also thank you to the ladies (Gemzy and Karen) who posted about Lisa Eldridge's website. I watched one of her videos where she covers a teenager's acne and wow. Magic. I don't think I will be able to do that but man it gives one hope doesn't it!

Someone also just recommended to me Lily Lilo makeup as being amazing. I don't know if it is true but I just ordered some and will report back with my thoughts after it arrives and I try it out.
http://www.lilylolo.us/Lily-Lolo-Reviews

Oh and I just want to add that some pink hues in one's complexion can be IMO youthful in appearance and healthy looking.
 

soocool

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Definitely visit Sephora. They have a machine that can help color match you to various foundations. After trying them on in the store they can give you samples to try at home. That way you can better tell how well you will be able to work with it, how long it lasts, or if it oxidizes on your skin when using your own moisturizer and/or primer.

But before you go, try to figure out what kind of finish you want, matte(oil free or long wearing), satin, dewy,? Kind of foundation -liquid, cream to powder, stick, tinted moisturizer, mineral, pressed powder ( I don't know anyone personally who uses this one). And then sheer coverage, medium coverage, or full coverage. Some foundations are buildable in that you can put more on if you want more coverage.

Some foundations you can use your fingers to apply, others work best with a foundation brush or beauty blender (Sephora people are great in informing you the best way to put on.

I use Diorskin Flawless finish in linen (light with yellow undertones) and it gives me a satin finish. My skin is normal/dry and this foundation does not settle into any fine lines I have. I apply with fingers sometimes for more coverage and then use a buffing brush to smooth it out or a foundation brush for a lighter touch. I find using a brush is the best way to blend foundation into the hairline and jaw/neck area.

My DD uses Bobbi Brown Skin foundation and uses a beauty blender to put it on. She has combination skin and it does not oxidize on her skin and stays put she told me for over 10 hours.

I tried the Laura Mercier foundations and found them too pink for me so they may work on you. But also check out the Dior line, because I really love the finish of their foundations.
 

azstonie

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I second the Nordie's reccommendations. They never hard sell, are professional and trained, and are used to sending you home with samples and their card. I don't like Sephora if I need help and I don't buy anything they store/display under the high intensity lights they use, to my knowledge the sustained heat and light degrade most products.

I use Cliniques BB cream but its time for something more now. Have heard good things about the Armani and Dior foundations.
 

AprilBaby

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Ditto sephora. They will color match your skin to every brand in the store and give you samples to figure out which one you like best. I love Laura Mercier.
 

arkieb1

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ksinger|1420536706|3812468 said:
arkieb1|1420513064|3812378 said:
If you have a pink undertone you should be O.K using a very pale tone (provided it's pale enough or the correct colour to start with) with a yellow underbase because the yellow underbase combats & tones down the pink pigment in your skin. This is a good thing as too much pink in the face can be ageing.

I'd recommend going into one of the large stores and make sure you do NOT buy anything. Instead specifically ask for a small sample pot of anything you think you like with at least enough in it for one or two wears. That way you can go away and try it on at home, see if you like it with the rest of your makeup and more importantly how it wears on you during the course of the day. You can also go online and request sample pots as well some companies ask you pay postage others will send them out for free. I used to own a very small makeup company, many people do not know to ask for samples, but this saves buying full price bottles of foundation only to get home and realise that you don't like it, it is the wrong colour or that it does not wear well during the day......

When you find one you really like then commit to buying the product.

I've always heard that, but I no longer believe it. I honestly don't know where that "pink is aging" thing got started. I mean, I've got more pink than yellow in my skin, and have had all my life, how can that be aging? (Now combating red, as in broken capillaries or discolorations is a whole other topic, because red ain't pink) I think the pink thing falls under the heading of "sweeping generalization" and is used by people like Bobbi Brown to justify not having any true neutral or cool-toned foundations in her line, which I cannot use for that reason I might add, and I've tried - great foundations, but they all look like crap on me. Besides, it's not like I've ever been tripped up by too many pink-undertone foundation choices. Most of the time, in my experience, foundations, especially the drugstore ones, tend towards the yellow because obviously, many more people have yellow undertones, and from a business standpoint that is fair enough. But for those of us who have the real deal - cool toned skin - trying to "combat" it usually doesn't end well, and there is really no reason to when there are some really excellent tone-matches these days, usually well-labeled as to undertone too, even in the drugstore lines. It was much trickier matching me in my youth, with the only one carrying a base neutral/pink enough being Estee Lauder, which I used for years.

Anyway, as a card-carrying pink undertone girl who is also old, I have to say that my experience has been that you can look like a clown if you don't match your undertone well. I've swatched many a foundation that has matched my paleness, but that I had to discard as an option because it obviously had too much yellow for my skin and made me look super weird.(er than normal)

Lisa Eldridge has a video specifically on choosing a foundation if you're very pale. Many of them have a both a more neutral and a more pink option. One line was even started FOR really pale women, by a pale makeup artist. Anyway, she has no beef with cool-toned bases, and neither do I. A good match is a good match, regardless of base color.

Foundation solutions for very pale skin
http://www.lisaeldridge.com/video/22873/foundation-solutions-for-very-pale-skin/#.VKujICvMRyI

I would have said once upon a time I would have agreed with you. The whole yellow based thing became popular I think as a reaction against women in the 80s who ended up with those very thick pink looking faces...... But there are elements of it that are true. You can still put something with a yellow based undertone on someone with a lot of pink in their skin, and that has a blue or cool tone rather than a warm or yellow tone, you just have to know how to mix the foundation for the right colour. I used to have huge bottles and we custom colour blended shades for people ie made makeup specifically for people that could not find the correct colour and everything we mixed for people with a lot of pink in their skin had some yellow into it, what made it different was the other tones that went into the bottles, so I might have added some pure white, maybe a small bit of green or perhaps light purple to balance it out, get the correct hue and blend correctly with your skin. I scored 100% on the colourchart test thing that floats around on here.

I had a world class makeup artist that did work for me and she never mixed anything for anyone even very blue/cool based skin tones that didn't have some degree of yellow in it. She actually did a demonstration putting a pink based foundation on a lady and a yellow based custom mixed foundation on another lady also with a similar skin colour with a lot of pink to ruddy natural skin tone and the one with the yellow custom mixed shade did look better.... The main issue/problem is that the foundations you buy over the counter do not always have a product colour/shade that suits every single skin tone.
 

Loves Vintage

Ideal_Rock
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4,568
I had hoped to reply sooner. I want to thank everyone for their responses! There is a wealth of information in this thread for me, and it's really changed the way I am going to shop for make-up. I had NO idea that stores were so liberal in their sharing of product samples! I will try to make it to the mall this weekend and intend to have lots of samples in hand, and no purchases!!

KSinger - How is it that you so informed about EVERYTHING, and you know about make-up too!?! Thanks for the rec's, and I've watched a few of those videos (thanks too, Gemzy!) so far. So much detail, all of which I have avoided all of these years, haha. Curious what kind of blush you use? I have given up that search too, and will pretty much use just Benefit Dandelion as blush forever. Anything else has a slightly-ridiculous clown-ness effect on me.
 

House Cat

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arkieb1|1420595553|3812768 said:
ksinger|1420536706|3812468 said:
arkieb1|1420513064|3812378 said:
If you have a pink undertone you should be O.K using a very pale tone (provided it's pale enough or the correct colour to start with) with a yellow underbase because the yellow underbase combats & tones down the pink pigment in your skin. This is a good thing as too much pink in the face can be ageing.

I'd recommend going into one of the large stores and make sure you do NOT buy anything. Instead specifically ask for a small sample pot of anything you think you like with at least enough in it for one or two wears. That way you can go away and try it on at home, see if you like it with the rest of your makeup and more importantly how it wears on you during the course of the day. You can also go online and request sample pots as well some companies ask you pay postage others will send them out for free. I used to own a very small makeup company, many people do not know to ask for samples, but this saves buying full price bottles of foundation only to get home and realise that you don't like it, it is the wrong colour or that it does not wear well during the day......

When you find one you really like then commit to buying the product.

I've always heard that, but I no longer believe it. I honestly don't know where that "pink is aging" thing got started. I mean, I've got more pink than yellow in my skin, and have had all my life, how can that be aging? (Now combating red, as in broken capillaries or discolorations is a whole other topic, because red ain't pink) I think the pink thing falls under the heading of "sweeping generalization" and is used by people like Bobbi Brown to justify not having any true neutral or cool-toned foundations in her line, which I cannot use for that reason I might add, and I've tried - great foundations, but they all look like crap on me. Besides, it's not like I've ever been tripped up by too many pink-undertone foundation choices. Most of the time, in my experience, foundations, especially the drugstore ones, tend towards the yellow because obviously, many more people have yellow undertones, and from a business standpoint that is fair enough. But for those of us who have the real deal - cool toned skin - trying to "combat" it usually doesn't end well, and there is really no reason to when there are some really excellent tone-matches these days, usually well-labeled as to undertone too, even in the drugstore lines. It was much trickier matching me in my youth, with the only one carrying a base neutral/pink enough being Estee Lauder, which I used for years.

Anyway, as a card-carrying pink undertone girl who is also old, I have to say that my experience has been that you can look like a clown if you don't match your undertone well. I've swatched many a foundation that has matched my paleness, but that I had to discard as an option because it obviously had too much yellow for my skin and made me look super weird.(er than normal)

Lisa Eldridge has a video specifically on choosing a foundation if you're very pale. Many of them have a both a more neutral and a more pink option. One line was even started FOR really pale women, by a pale makeup artist. Anyway, she has no beef with cool-toned bases, and neither do I. A good match is a good match, regardless of base color.

Foundation solutions for very pale skin
http://www.lisaeldridge.com/video/22873/foundation-solutions-for-very-pale-skin/#.VKujICvMRyI

I would have said once upon a time I would have agreed with you. The whole yellow based thing became popular I think as a reaction against women in the 80s who ended up with those very thick pink looking faces...... But there are elements of it that are true. You can still put something with a yellow based undertone on someone with a lot of pink in their skin, and that has a blue or cool tone rather than a warm or yellow tone, you just have to know how to mix the foundation for the right colour. I used to have huge bottles and we custom colour blended shades for people ie made makeup specifically for people that could not find the correct colour and everything we mixed for people with a lot of pink in their skin had some yellow into it, what made it different was the other tones that went into the bottles, so I might have added some pure white, maybe a small bit of green or perhaps light purple to balance it out, get the correct hue and blend correctly with your skin. I scored 100% on the colourchart test thing that floats around on here.

I had a world class makeup artist that did work for me and she never mixed anything for anyone even very blue/cool based skin tones that didn't have some degree of yellow in it. She actually did a demonstration putting a pink based foundation on a lady and a yellow based custom mixed foundation on another lady also with a similar skin colour with a lot of pink to ruddy natural skin tone and the one with the yellow custom mixed shade did look better.... The main issue/problem is that the foundations you buy over the counter do not always have a product colour/shade that suits every single skin tone.
I am very pink/red and I always go for a yellow toned foundation. Sometimes I have to debate with the artist because they want to put me into a pink toned foundation. This just makes me look like a pink faces 80's clown.

I have noticed that some yellow toned foundations can actually give me a gray cast. I experienced this with MAC foundations and some drugstore brands. I am not sure what is causing the issue but it isn't pretty.

I still haven't found a holy grail foundation because of my redness. I am actually debating laser surgery as a remedy.
 

ponder

Brilliant_Rock
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748
My mom has a pink undertone and has always had good luck with Prescriptives foundations. Not cheap, but not overly pricey either.
 

ksinger

Ideal_Rock
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Loves Vintage|1420757264|3813747 said:
I had hoped to reply sooner. I want to thank everyone for their responses! There is a wealth of information in this thread for me, and it's really changed the way I am going to shop for make-up. I had NO idea that stores were so liberal in their sharing of product samples! I will try to make it to the mall this weekend and intend to have lots of samples in hand, and no purchases!!

KSinger - How is it that you so informed about EVERYTHING, and you know about make-up too!?! Thanks for the rec's, and I've watched a few of those videos (thanks too, Gemzy!) so far. So much detail, all of which I have avoided all of these years, haha. Curious what kind of blush you use? I have given up that search too, and will pretty much use just Benefit Dandelion as blush forever. Anything else has a slightly-ridiculous clown-ness effect on me.

LOL! Well, I'm NOT informed about everything, I just tend to go deep in certain areas. And at my age, "the artful application of spackle" is an absolute requirement! ;-) I am one of those who thinks makeup is fun, not a chore, so that always helps in the knowledge category, that you like the topic. And isn't Eldridge pleasant to watch and listen to?

Blush? I use different kinds, cream, powder, mousse, I'm not married to any one form. I still generally go for powders, and there are about a gajillion of them out there, and most of them are pretty good. I have cheapies and high end ones, and both seem pretty good to me. The most glaring difference from high to low seems to be what colors are available and whether or not they have shimmer. You tend to find more of the highly-pigmented mattes and less shimmers in the higher end stuff.

They do tend to last forever for me too, since like you I, I get the clown thing unless I am very sparing: too much blush does not make me look younger and is NOT a tan. ;-) The Body Shop has some nice inexpensive powder blushes that I often reach for. I think they run for $12-$14? Most of my blushes are pink to plum, although I have a couple of peachy ones. One of The Body Shop ones looks weird and kind of pasty in the pan, but when I put it on is this really wearable pale pink. I think that is the tricky part about some blushes - they can look unwearable (too chalky, too intense) in the pan, but can look amazing on. If at all possible, I try them on my wrist first. I'm often pleasantly surprised.

And yes, samples are the way to go. I get them from Dillard's counters, they are very liberal with them, and Sephora, who are tickled plum to pieces to give you samples of everything from makeup to skincare to perfume. You can live quite a while off of 3 or 4 good samples.

Oh, and I was going to remind you, IF you ever used foundation in the past, the new ones are not like that. That cakey, draggy foundation from 20 years ago is really gone now, and the application techniques are very different - easier actually. But if you end up with a long wear foundation, they "set" and have to be applied a bit differently than some of the others. I would watch Eldridge's one on HOW to apply foundation. I sent a friend to that one a while back, and she said, "Wow, I had a long-wear foundation and didn't realize it set! I was doing it all wrong all this time!" And since that time, her foundation has looked WAY better. So as an older woman who has worn makeup for a many years, I can tell ya, neither of us had kept up on the formulation changes and were running on what we'd learned decades earlier. As in most things, the world had moved ON, and we needed to catch up. ;-)
 

Jambalaya

Ideal_Rock
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4,784
I've always had the best color-matching from MAC Cosmetics, because all their assistant are make-up artists.

A friend of mine used to wear foundations (and sometimes primer) from Dior and her skin looked absolutely wonderful.

I've also used the Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer, which has a wonderful light, dewy finish. I need full coverage, really, but if you want lighter coverage it's great.

Another friend swears by Clinique's Almost Makeup, which is discontinued but survives in powder form. Her skin always looked nice, too, so perhaps Clinique is worth checking out.

Clinique and MAC are more budget-friendly than Laura Mercier and Dior, without compromising on great quality, IMHO.
 
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