These Are the 5 Foundation Mistakes You Keep Making.
Dear Brown Girl,
None of these mistakes are your fault. They are the result of advice that was written for someone else and handed to you anyway.
None of these are your fault. They are the result of advice that was written for someone else and handed to you anyway.
01
Mistake One
Testing on your wrist
Wrist skin is lighter than facial skin. The foundation will always look slightly lighter on your wrist than on your face. A shade that matches your wrist will be too light for your jaw.
The fix: test on your jaw where your face meets your neck, walk to a window, and wait 20 minutes before deciding.
02
Mistake Two
Choosing shade in store lighting
Retail lighting is engineered to make products look good. It neutralises undertone mismatches and makes depth look more flattering than it is. The store is the worst possible place to judge a foundation shade.
The fix: swatch your shortlisted shades, then step outside or to a car window before buying. Natural daylight is the only honest mirror.
03
Mistake Three
Ignoring oxidation
Foundation shifts slightly warmer and darker within 20 to 30 minutes of skin contact. A shade that looks perfect when you apply it may look a half-shade too dark by noon. This is oxidation, and almost no tutorial warns you about it.
The fix: go one half-step lighter than you think you need. Test on your jaw and wait 30 minutes before judging.
04
Mistake Four
Choosing coverage before finish
Your skin type determines which finish works for you. If you get the finish wrong, the foundation will fail regardless of how perfectly the coverage matches. Matte on dry skin looks chalky by midday. Dewy on oily skin looks greasy by noon.
The fix: decide finish first based on your skin type and weather. Then find the right shade within that finish category.
05
Mistake Five
Choosing shade number before undertone letter
The number tells you depth. The letter tells you undertone. Most people match the number and ignore the letter. The letter is why your foundation looks grey or orange even when the depth is perfectly right. It is the more important of the two.
The fix: find your undertone letter first (W, C, N, or G) and never change it. Then find the right depth number within that undertone family.
All five mistakes at a glance
01
Testing on your wrist
Fix: test on your jaw, go to a window, wait 20 minutes.
02
Choosing shade in store lighting
Fix: step outside or to your car before deciding. Natural light only.
03
Ignoring oxidation
Fix: go half a shade lighter than you think you need. Foundation warms up.
04
Choosing coverage before finish
Fix: decide finish first based on skin type and weather. Satin is the safest default.
05
Choosing shade number before undertone letter
Fix: find your undertone letter first and lock it in. Then find your depth number.
Dear Brown Girl, the mistakes were built into the process. Now you can unmake them one by one.
The mistakes were built into the process. Now you can unmake them one by one.
HerShade matches depth, undertone, coverage, and finish, all at once.