In short: to find your foundation shade, identify your undertone (cool, warm or neutral), test the product on your jawline in natural light and wait a few minutes for the formula to settle. If you're still torn between two shades, an adaptive foundation, which takes on your skin's color as you apply it, saves you from having to choose.
1. Identify your undertone
Your shade (fair, medium, olive) isn't enough: it's your undertone that makes a foundation look natural or like it's just "sitting" on your skin.
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Cool undertone: the veins on your wrist look rather blue or purple, silver jewelry flatters you, and your skin turns pink easily.
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Warm undertone: your veins look rather green, gold jewelry suits you better, and your skin tans golden in the sun.
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Neutral undertone: your veins are hard to classify, and both gold and silver suit you.
2. Test on your jawline, not your hand
The back of your hand is often darker or more yellow than your face. Apply three small dabs of similar shades along your jawline, straddling the cheek and the neck. The right shade is the one that disappears without leaving a line.
3. Check in natural light
Store and bathroom lighting distort colors. Check the result near a window, in daylight.
4. Wait 10 minutes
Many foundations darken slightly as they dry (this is called oxidation). Judge the result after a few minutes, not right after applying.
5. Think about the seasons
Your skin isn't the same color in February as in August. Many women end up with two shades, or mix two foundations to adjust.
What if you didn't have to choose anymore?
That's the idea behind an adaptive foundation. Elegance II comes out of the bottle white and takes on your skin tone as you blend it. A single shade suits fair to lightly tanned complexions, all year round, with no demarcation line at the neck.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my foundation is too light?
Your face looks grayish or lighter than your neck, and a line shows up along your jaw.
How do I know if my foundation is too dark?
Your face looks orange or dull, with a mask-like effect, especially in daylight.
Is an adaptive foundation suitable for very dark skin?
Elegance II is formulated for fair to lightly tanned complexions. On olive to very dark skin, it won't give enough coverage.
