How to Choose the Perfect Base Make Up To Match Your Indian Skin Tone.

Make up styles and colours change with every season but what remains the same is your base. The foundation, living up to its name, truly serves as the most important pillar to getting your #makeupgamestrong. Be it a dramatic cat-eye, bold red lips or some smoky eye shadow, it all only comes together perfectly if your base is impeccable. And more often than not, finding the right shade happens to be just about the most challenging! Besides, your wedding days are certainly not the right time to try ‘challenging’ all by yourself so we’re here (as we always are) for a ‘Base Makeup 101’ that’s going to ensure you have all the necessary know-how to nail that flawless look on your big day. 

PICKING THE RIGHT SHADE

As we mentioned before on our lipstick blog, it is crucial to take your undertones into account when it comes to applying any kind of make-up. If you don’t know how to identify yours, we can tell you how in very simple ways:

Warm undertones:
> Your veins are tinged green.
> Gold jewellery looks good on you.
> You tan easily in the sun.

Cool undertones:
> Your veins have a blue / purple tint.
> Silver jewellery flatters you better.
> You burn / turn pink in the sun.

Neutral undertones:
> Your veins are blue-green and you can’t really tell which they lean towards.
> You look good in both gold and silver jewellery.

Now that we’re sorted on that front, let’s move on to actually selecting the shade:

> If you have cool undertones, look for a foundation that has a rosier or pinkish / blue base. If you lean towards the warmer side, go for foundations that have yellow or golden tints.
> Start by selecting 2-3 shades that come as close as possible to your actual skin tone.
> Make sure you test the product in good lighting. Ideally, broad daylight works the best as store lighting can be deceiving.
> Contrary to what most people do, never test the product on your wrist. Always try it by sweeping it across your jawline and seeing if it blends perfectly into your skin / isn’t visible.
> Don’t be pressured into purchasing anything immediately if you’re still uncertain. Feel free to check the shade twice if you want to be sure of it.

FAIR SKIN
> A lot of women wouldn’t use BB creams as they are too light, but it can work pretty well on fair skin.
> If you have trouble finding the right shade, always go for the darker one. You can always blend it down with white cream / foundation to get the perfect shade that you want.

OLIVE SKIN
> Choose a foundation / concealer that has yellow pigments.
> Never go for one that pink undertones as you will end up looking grey.
> Earthy and nude shades compliment your skin.

DARK SKIN
> Ensure that you choose a shade that matches your skin tone perfectly. You don’t want choose a lighter shade and have your skin look pale.
> Avoid powders. Go for a cream or liquid base.
> NOTE: AVOID most Indian brands like Lakme, Maybelline.etc. Though the woman at the counter will claim that her foundation matches your skin tone, it will NOT; they mostly have only 3-6 different shades. Go for brands like Mac or Inglot as they have a very wide range of darker shades to choose from.

SKIN TYPE

OILY SKIN

> Use water based foundations as they won’t make your skin look greasy.
> Using pressed powder or liquid powder foundations is a great idea.
> If you do not use a powder base, make sure to use compact after the foundation / concealer.

Our picks:

> Lakme Absolute Mattreal Skin Natural Mousse.
Price: Rs. 700/-

> L’oreal Paris Magic Nude Liquid Powder.
Price: Rs. 899/-

> Mac Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation
Price: Rs. 1800/-

> L’oreal Paris True Match Mineral Foundation
Price: Rs. 1350

DRY SKIN

> Avoid using powder-based foundations.
> Cream / Oil-based foundations are your go-to.
> Look for words like ‘hydrating’ or ‘moisturizing’ while purchasing a product.

Our picks:

> L’oreal Paris True Match Liquid Foundation
Price: 975/-

> Maybelline Dream Satin Skin Foundation
Price: Rs. 700/-

> Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation
Price: Rs. 1480

> Mac Mineralise Satin Finish Foundation
Price: Rs. 2100

COMBINATION SKIN

> Usually, people with this skin type, have an oily forehead, nose and chin while the rest of their face is relatively dry. Mineral based foundations are apt for all skin types so you could go for those.

Our picks:

> Lakme Absolute White Intense Skin Cover SPF 25
Price: Rs. 580/-

> Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse Foundation
Price: Rs. 660/-

> Chambor Sheer Delight Oil Free Ultra Matte Foundation
Price: Rs. 855/-

> Mac Studio Fix Fluid Foundation
Price: Rs. 5555/-

 

NORMAL SKIN

Well, lucky you! Go right ahead and pick anything that you find comfortable.

COVERAGE

SHEER / NATURAL COVERAGE
This is perfect for women who go by the ‘Less is More’ mantra. Use it to even out your skin tone and give a nice, natural look.

Our picks:

> The Body Shop Moisture Foundation with SPF 15
Price: Rs. 1295

> Mac Face and Body Foundation
Price: 2100/-

MEDIUM COVERAGE
These have a thicker consistency. Can be used to blemishes, discolorations and similar minor flaws.

Our picks:

> L’oreal New True Match Super Blendable Make Up
Price: Rs. 680/-

> Colorbar Perfect Match Foundation
Price: Rs. 725

HEAVY / FULL COVERAGE
This is for women who want to go all out. It gives you a flawless look and can cover up scars or other imperfections. Also, this is the best one to pick for a wedding, shoot or any such occasion.

Our picks:

> Lakme Absolute White Intense Skin Cover SPF 25
Price: Rs. 595/-

> Clinique Super Balanced Make Up Foundation
Price: Rs. 2500/- approx.

> Estee Lauder Double Wear
Price: Rs. 2790/-