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How to Choose the Right Foundation

By Sara Niec Carnahan, Founder, Sara N.C. Beauty September 8, 2020

I always say that the ultimate goal is to find a foundation that looks like your own skin - only better. Nowadays, there is an endless number of possible products, shades, finishes, textures, or levels of coverage. You can go from a very natural tone with a touch of coverage to full coverage that will conceal the most stubborn spots. You can customize it to your needs just like a coffee order, but that can also make it very confusing and frustrating to find the best match. No matter what your go-to look is, make sure to stay away from heavy cakey foundations that can clog your pores. Instead, choose a foundation that is lightweight and won't cause breakouts; ideally, that also contains some beneficial skincare properties.

Here are 5 things to consider before choosing your foundation:

1. Skin type 

Do I choose Matte or Dewy? Your skin type is an important factor when it comes to choosing finishes. Dewy foundations tend to work best on normal to dry skin types. But keep in mind that too much radiance on oily skin type can also look even oilier. Matte foundations are usually more suitable for combination to oily skin types. If you’re unsure what your skin type is then you can take a quick quiz that will help you find out.  

2. Find your perfect match

We all like to swatch makeup on our arms or hands, but these body parts are typically much darker than our faces. The best way to test is on your neck, or surprisingly, on your chest. It doesn't have to be a perfect match but can be slightly lighter. Foundations oxidize with wear and naturally get darker with the mixture of elements and oils on your face. 

If your neck is much lighter than your face and you don’t want your face to be as pale, choose one shade lighter than your face so it’s comparable. Don’t worry, you can always “warm-up” and add some dimension to your face with bronzer. No matter which method you choose, it is the most important to test your foundation in good natural lighting. Alternatively, you can test shade options on your face. Find a spot towards the center of your face and blend out towards the hairline so you match the sides of your cheeks and down the middle of your neck.

3. Compliment your complexion and undertone



When you’re new to makeup, hearing the word “undertone” can be daunting.

Unless you want to color-correct, don't fight against your natural undertones.

With a warm complexion, go with a shade that has yellow undertones, and if your complexion is on the cool side, a foundation with pink undertones is your best bet. Easy way to determent your undertone is to simply check the veins in your wrist or ankle for clues about your undertone. Veins that look purplish/bluish indicate a cool undertone. Veins with a faint green coloring suggest a warm undertone.


4. Coverage 

Understanding the look of every level coverage is so important in picking the right options that meet your needs. If you don’t like to wear much makeup with full coverage, a foundation could feel too heavy on your skin. Sheer to medium coverage will allow you to still see your skin through the foundation. I generally recommend medium coverage makeup because it is buildable, which means that you can build up the coverage you need. This way, you can simply even out your skin tone or add the second layer to create full coverage.

5. Perfect shade for the current season

Yep. It's true: Unfortunately, you won't be able to stick to one foundation shade all year-round. Our skin tends to warm up in the spring-summer while we're more active outdoors and in direct sunlight. Even if you’re wearing sunblock every day our skin tone warm up.

Once you find your perfect match don’t forget to blend the product well into your skin and avoid any lines or streaks. If you’re still struggling to find your match feel free to message me and I’ll be happy to help so you feel confident and look your best. More about the application process next week.


Sara was born and raised in the Czech Republic. In 2012, she moved to the US and worked many jobs but never felt fulfilled, which lead her to share her story and her passion for fitness (former fitness professional), nutrition tips (vegan) and makeup. She is also a new mom. Sara and her husband welcomed their baby boy in June 2020.

Sara is a makeup junkie at heart and decided to start her own business to help women look and feel their best. She loves supporting other business moms feel beautiful inside and out as they work to create their own destinies. You could find out more about her HERE.


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