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Makeup artist Carla Rep shares 4 tips for buying foundation online

image with artdirection
Foundation is what maquillage starts with and it creates a perfect canvas for other make-up products. We all know the ‘faux pas’ of too orange, too dark, pancake or an unnatural transition at the jawline. So, it’s important to buy the correct color of foundation for your skin tone and also to have a critical eye. It’s not always easy to find the right foundation online, so we’ve asked our make-up artist Carla Rep - who has years of knowledge and experience - for insider tips and advice. Read more below.   
image with artdirection
1. Determine the skin tone  
Carla: “The undertone of the skin is the most important guideline for choosing the correct foundation. There’s a distinction made between warm, cool and neutral undertones. A yellowish color of the skin refers to a warm undertone, while a pinkish color of the skin refers to a cool undertone. A neutral undertone of the skin refers to a combination of pinkish and yellowish color of the skin. The color undertone of the skin can be determined by looking at the face, neck and veins.   
Here are some guidelines:   
  
- A lot of red in de skin and purple/blue veins? You have a cool undertone.   
- A yellow skin and green veins? You have a warm undertone.   
- No obvious green or purple/blue veins? You have a neutral undertone.    
Another gauge to determine your undertone is the way you tan in the summer:   
  
- Do you have a yellow/gold tan? Then you have a warm undertone.   
- Do you have a reddish-brown tan? Then you have a cool undertone.
And finally, also the color of the eyes and hairs are a gauge to determine the undertone of the skin:   
  
- Blue, green or grey eyes with blond hair refer to a cool undertone.   
- Brown eyes and brown hair often refer to a warm undertone.”  
   
Pay attention: the above information is a theoretical guideline and there are always exceptions.      
2. Determine the level of coverage  
Carla: “Besides choosing the correct foundation color it’s also important to think about the desired coverage and structure. Here, a distinction is made between sheer, full coverage and a glow.”  
   
Transparent coverage  
Carla: “With troubled skin, it’s better to avoid foundations with a glow, because this will emphasize irregularities. Sheer foundations often have a glow, so do you want to camouflage the skin, choose a full coverage foundation with a matte result.   
Do you want to apply a thin ‘film layer’ onto the skin, then go for a serum or BB cream. Both give an evenly, thin and transparent effect and still show your natural skin. Choosing the color of a sheer foundation is less risky, because this type of foundation blends with your natural skin.  For this reason, transparent foundations also cover multiple skin tones per color number.”   
Full coverage  
Carla: “A full coverage foundation asks for a correct color analysis of the skin, to make sure you buy the right foundation. Look at the undertone of the skin critically. A tip is to choose a lighter shade than your skin tone or a shade matching your skin tone.  A darker foundation will show at the jawline, making you look like you’re wearing an excessive amount of makeup. To create an even complexion, it’s also important to perfectly blend out the foundation from the jawline down to the neck, for a natural looking transition. 
3. Look at the color names  
Carla: “Foundations often have overlapping color names that are used by multiple brands. The color names often refer to the undertone of the skin that it’s intended for. Color names like beige, olive and gold are often meant for a warm, yellowish undertone, while names like buff, rosé and ivory refer to cool/pinkish undertones and neutral and honey are suitable for the neutral undertones.” 
image with artdirection
4. Think about the seasons  
Carla: “It's also important to keep looking at the color of your foundation and skin during the changing of seasons. Sun-kissed skin asks for another foundation color than paler winter skin. Obviously, the undertone of your skin doesn’t change, but darkness of the skin does, resulting in changing foundation needs. Also consider the difference in coverage of the foundation during the seasons. When you have gorgeous sun-kissed skin, you don’t want to hide that under a full coverage foundation - opt for a nice glow or transparent foundation instead. It’s also a tip to mix your “darker” summer foundation with your “lighter” winter foundation to create the perfect in-between-seasons color for those transitional periods."
Applying foundation perfectly, starts with the right basics which includes products like a make-up primer, serum and skin perfector. Determine what your skin needs to find matching products. Also, determine if you prefer to apply foundation with your fingertips or a foundation brush - depending on the product and the advice of the brand.   
Curious about our foundations? Discover our entire selection here! Also discover all of our complexion products. 
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