How To Find Your Foundation Shade Match: An Expert Guide

Let's be real: Foundation is one of the makeup steps where you don’t want to look like you’re actually wearing any product. Unlike a shimmer eyeshadow or bold lip, foundation should look as skin-like as possible. This means knowing how to find your foundation shade is absolutely essential. But finding your perfect match isn’t always easy. There’s an immense variety of hues and formulas to choose from, so how do you know which one is right for you? Luckily, we have a few tips to help you pick a foundation shade and ensure a natural look. It all starts with identifying your skin tone and undertones. Keep reading to learn more about how to figure out your skin tone to buy foundation, plus we’ll share all our favorite product picks. 

How To Determine Your Undertones

Skin tone refers to the color of your complexion and is generally fairly easy to identify. There are four main categories your skin tone can fall into: fair, light, medium, and deep (or dark). Just looking at your clean, makeup-free face is often enough to determine which category best describes your skin. 

Your skin also has undertones—these are the colors that come through your skin and affect its overall hue. Often, people are less familiar with their undertones, as opposed to their skin tone. But knowing what your undertones are is key to picking complexion products that match your skin. 

Undertones can be cool, warm, or neutral. Cool undertones appear in your complexion as hints of blue or pink, while warm undertones appear more yellow or golden. If your undertones are neutral, you likely have a mix of both. For example, olive skin tones tend to have neutral undertones. 

You may not be able to look at your skin and immediately spot hints of pink or yellow, but there are a few simple tricks to help identify your undertones. 

1. Look at your veins

Take a look at the inside of your wrist. If your veins appear blue or purple, you’re likely cool-toned. A green tint is indicative of warm-toned skin, and for those who are unsure or see a mix of both, you likely have neutral undertones. 

2. Try the paper test

You can also try holding a white piece of paper next to your face to determine your undertones. The white should create a cast of color on your skin. If your face appears more pink or blue, you likely fall into the cool category, and if you take on a more yellowish hue, your undertones may be warm. If your skin seems gray, this may be indicative of a neutral undertones.

3. Take an undertone quiz

If you're still stuck on how to pick a foundation color because you can’t quite identify your undertones, try taking an online quiz. This one consists of six easy and quick questions about things like your vein color, complementary clothing colors, and tanning tendencies. Answer each one with a click of a button to get your results. 

How To Find Your Foundation Shade 

Once you’ve determined your undertones, it’ll be much less challenging to figure out how to match foundation to your skin. Many formulas will have C, N, or W written on the label to denote whether it's a cool, neutral, or warm-toned shade. Looking only at the shades that coordinate with your undertones will help narrow down your options for an easier decision. 

If you’re able to test foundation shades in person and see what they look like on your skin, there are a few things to keep in mind. Check out our tips to find your perfect shade, below.

1. Test on the right body part

One of the secrets to how to color match foundation like a pro is to test a few different shades on your jawline. Often, people will swatch makeup on their hands, but this doesn’t provide as accurate of an idea of what it will look like on your face. Your jawline is the perfect spot to ensure you find a shade that suits both your face and neck, so you can get a seamless blend when you apply the foundation all over.

Editor’s tip: If this method doesn’t work for you, try testing foundation on the center of your upper chest instead. This can be a good option if your face and body are different colors due to sun exposure or hyperpigmentation. 

2. Look under different lighting

Before committing to covering your entire face, apply one swipe of foundation and look at it in a few different types of lighting. Foundation can look quite different depending on the lights or lack thereof. If you’re in a store, see how the shade looks under bright retail lights, then step outside and assess it in natural lighting. This way, you can find a foundation that will look good no matter where you are. 

3. Consider the season

Keep in mind that depending on the season, your complexion might change. You may be lighter in the winter due to less sun exposure and darker in the summer if you tan. Especially if you tend to wear foundation on an everyday basis, it may be wise to have a few different colors on hand to account for the different seasons. For instance, you may have a shade that matches your base color perfectly for the winter and another that's one to two shades darker for summer. Having different foundation shades on hand allows you to transition between seasons seamlessly without having to constantly shop for a new color match.

How To Find Your Foundation Match Online

Stuck on how to find the right color of foundation without leaving the house? Thanks to modern technology, you can actually find your shade online. There are even multiple tools for doing so. Here are a few of your options: 

1. Try a virtual foundation finder

Our virtual shade finder is a great way to find your perfect foundation match from the comfort of your own home. It's also incredibly easy to use (and only takes 10 seconds). All you have to do is take a 360° selfie video and your skin tone and undertones will be analyzed based on a library of over 45,000 skin tones. From there, the tool will color match you to a L’Oréal Paris foundation.

2. Take a foundation shade quiz

A foundation shade quiz, such as the L’Oréal Paris foundation shade finder quiz, is also a good option, especially if you don't have access to a camera. This one asks six questions about topics like your skin type, foundation finish preference, and skin tone. Instead of requiring a selfie, you’ll be shown multiple pictures of models and asked to select which one has a skin tone most like yours. All in, it only takes a few minutes to complete the quiz and receive your results.

3. Use a virtual foundation try-on tool

The advent of virtual try-on tools has made shopping for makeup online so much easier. Now, you can get a good idea of what products will actually look like on you, without heading into a store or making a purchase first. For help finding your foundation match, try our virtual makeup try-on tool. Simply upload a selfie or turn on your camera, and you can test drive different shades of all the L’Oréal Paris foundations. There’s even a handy before-and-after feature that allows you to see products on just half of your face. That way, you can tell what really blends with your skin tone. 

Should Foundation Be Lighter or Darker Than Your Skin?

Your foundation should ideally not be lighter or darker than your skin—you want to find a perfect match. If you only have a lighter foundation on hand, however, you may be able to make it work by adding warmth and depth with bronzer and contour, respectively. Using a darker shade tends to be more obvious and appear unnatural. 

Our Best Foundations for Every Skin Tone

After you've figured out how to find the right shade of foundation, you're ready to actually choose a formula. Below, find a roundup of our favorite drugstore foundation buys. 

L’Oréal Paris Infallible 32 Hour Fresh Wear Foundation

Try this lightweight, long-wear foundation, which works to give your skin the medium-to-full coverage you crave while resisting sweat, water, and transfer. It comes in 30 shades, has an ultra-thin liquid formula that goes on smoothly, and helps create a fresh, healthy-looking complexion. 

L’Oréal Paris True Match Super-Blendable Foundation

This foundation comes in buildable, tried-and-true shades that match your skin’s texture and tone. With 47 shades organized by warm, cool, and neutral undertones, there’s a pick for almost everyone. Not to mention, the formula with pro-vitamin B5 and vitamin E helps keep skin looking radiant and healthy. It’s also free of oils and fragrances, and it won’t clog pores, making it great for those with blemish-prone skin.

L’Oréal Paris Infallible Up to 24H Fresh Wear in a Powder

Powder foundations are great for achieving a flawless, skin-like look. This breathable and weightless formula stays put for up to 24 hours and offers a soft matte finish that’s comfortable and suitable for all skin types. The best part? It’s waterproof and sweatproof, so you won’t have to worry about touch-ups throughout the day.

L’Oréal Paris True Match Hyaluronic Tinted Serum

For dry skin, we recommend this hyaluronic acid-infused formula. It feels like a lightweight serum rather than a heavy foundation and contributes to a hydrated, more radiant-looking complexion. It also comes in 14 flexible shades that are easy to blend. 

L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Makeup Radiant Serum Foundation with SPF 50

This liquid formula offers the full coverage of a foundation and the skincare benefits of a serum. Specially designed for mature skin, it’s formulated with vitamin B3, SPF 50, and a hydrating serum to keep the skin looking moisturized and healthy. It also has a natural, radiant finish that evens out the skin tone without settling into fine lines.

L’Oréal Paris True Match Lumi Healthy Luminous Makeup

To get your glow on, try this liquid foundation. It comes in 15 shades, offers medium coverage without looking mask-like, and leaves behind a glowing finish. It's made with antioxidants as well as vitamins C and E and helps brighten, soothe, and moisturize—plus, it has SPF 20 to help keep skin protected from the sun. This formula also has an impressive staying power of eight hours.

Editor’s note: Don’t let foundation be your only source of sun protection. Wear broad-spectrum sunscreen every day, and take other protective measures, such as wearing a wide-brimmed hat and seeking out the shade when outdoors. 

L’Oréal Paris Visible Lift Serum Absolute Advanced Age-Reversing Makeup

This anti-aging liquid foundation comes in 12 shades and is designed to make skin appear more even without settling into fine lines and wrinkles. It has a forgiving formula that can be blended out with fingers, a brush, or a makeup sponge, and to top it all off, it helps address five visible signs of aging for a more youthful-looking complexion. 

L’Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Matte Foundation

Those with oily skin are sure to appreciate this formula—it offers 24-hour shine control and staying power, plus it has a demi-matte finish and an airlight texture. It easily covers redness, acne, and uneven skin tone and is available in 23 shades. It also comes in travel-friendly packaging that's easy to pack (no glass here).

L’Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Glow Foundation

Perfect for normal to dry skin types, this creamy foundation delivers a healthy-looking, hydrated glow that lasts for up to 24 hours. It comes in 12 shades and provides medium coverage with a skin-like finish. 

Next Up: How to Apply Powder Foundation Like a Pro

Photo courtesy of L’Oréal Paris