For so long, we have been told to match our foundation to our necks. But what if that wasn’t necessarily true? Being someone who has suffered from eczema since the second grade, I know all too well what comes of the scars and discoloration of the skin. When I first started wearing makeup it took me a while to find my right shade. And looking back on some old pictures, it would lead you to believe I didn’t have any real friends to tell me I needed to reconsider a few of my choices. Over time I got better but I still wasn’t pleased with how my makeup was looking. Everything I put on was always too light compared to my neck. That was the area I suffered from my eczema the most.
One day while doing my makeup I realized my face and my chest were closer in color than my neck. Bingo!! I was an exception to the “neck matching” rule. Moving forward I began color correcting my neck just as I would my under eye area for the darkness and blending my foundation over that area. I noticed a huge difference after that. This made it easier for me to find matches in foundation. I think it is important to know exactly what part of your body you need to match your foundation to. The neck and jaw line doesn’t work for everyone. Some people have lighter or darker complexions on their faces than they do on their neck and chest.
I think this is where a lot of people go wrong in finding their foundation shades. To be honest, it takes time and you might not get it right on your first few attempts. But that’s ok! As long as you have the correct tools and knowing what works best for you, it will make the process easier. This applies for those of you that tan as well. I know many people don’t tan their face so they have to match their foundation to the tanned parts of their bodies. The same concept applies. Color correcting helps makes this process easier as well because it simplifies the need to cover up discoloration for that unified look.
In my case I apply foundation to my cheek and my chest when trying to find a match. If the color blends into both areas without detection then I know that shade is my match. If matching to your neck you would follow the same steps. With products like Cover FX Custom Color Drops, it easier to customize your foundation to fit you as closely as possible. When trying different shades, be sure to consider highlighting and contouring as well. If I plan to go darker with my foundation I’m always sure to highlight correctly so that everything balances out. This ensures the face is balanced without colors throwing off your look. Be sure to visit places like Sephora and department stores that provide samples so that you have a few choices to choose from before you commit to a shade.
-Keisha Campbell
Probably not. That’s why I like Fiona Stiles makeup because she numbers is for you.