HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT FOUNDATION
Are you on a search for the one? The right foundation is like a BFF for your face, helping make your skin look like your skin but on a really good day. A bit of ‘lean on me’ magic, the perfect foundation will help you present your best self to the world – kind of like a pal at your side giving you a swell of confidence to take on anything. Want to find your match? We’ve got everything you need to know right here.
BUILD YOUR FOUNDATION WARDROBE
In your makeup kit, foundation is like the pillar of your ideal beauty look. It’s called foundation for a reason, right? It’s foundational to your look. A smooth canvas on which to add colour and shapes from flicks to frills, and perhaps give some thrills. Within our arsenal of amazing foundation products we’ve got all you could need and desire. Pop in your bathroom cabinet and makeup kit, and discover how each helps you get a pore-blurred finish or feel fresh faced, or mattified.
“I applied this foundation at 6am, ready for work and it was still perfectly in place at 6pm!”
Leigh30
About Fresh Nude Foundation
FIND THE RIGHT FOUNDATION SHADE FOR YOU
As the basis of your makeup, finding your most well-matched foundation will help you to achieve the looks that you want, but most importantly, will help keep your face looking natural, letting ‘you do you’. The Body Shop foundation shades come in hues to suit all skin tones, and we’re here to guide you to expertly find yours. With our no-sweat checklist of three tips, you’ll soon be a master of sorting through makeup mecca to find your number one. No matter your preference for powder, liquid foundation, cream or concealer, we’ve got the right foundation shade for you and here comes the fast-track to help get you there.
STEP 1: IDENTIFY YOUR UNDERTONE
Before you can find your perfect foundation shade, you need to figure out the undertone of your skin. What’s that? Well, every skin colour has a discernible undertone, most easily spotted via the vein colour on the inside of your wrist. If it appears blue or purple, you’re cool-toned. If it’s green, you’ve got warm-toned skin, and if you’re unsure, you’re likely to be neutral-toned.
Still unsure? Here’s a trick. Pop on a white T-shirt, or hold a sheet or paper to your face, and look in the mirror. If your skin then appears to be rosy, you’re cool-toned. If it’s yellow or golden, you’re warm-toned, and if it’s hard to tell, you’re neutral.
If that doesn’t work, there’s an even simpler method. Think about what kind of jewellery best suits you: gold, silver or both. If it’s gold, you’re warm-toned, silver and you’re cool, or both and you’re neutral.
Once you’ve figured out your undertone, you can find your foundation. Foundation for a cool undertone tends to look pinker in the bottle, whereas one with a warm undertone will be more yellow. And if you’re neutral? It’ll sit in the middle of the spectrum.
STEP 2: TEST THE SHADES
So you’ve been thinking how can I find my foundation shade? There’s no better way to discover if you’ve found the foundation shade for you than simply trying it out. But did you know there’s a right way to test foundation colours? Take our tips in-store next time you’re on the hunt for your perfect shade. Numero uno is to try your shortlist of shades only when the light is right. Look for the sun at its peak, as the midday light will help you see your made-up skin to the fullest extent.
You might even want to check it in different lights, check it in different mirrors, from your pocket mirror to the in-store ones, and take a selfie – all those different ways of checking your skin will help ensure you have found the right one. And forget testing on your arm, hand or anywhere else – swatch onto your jawline, as this is that tricky area where you’ll see how good a match you’ve found. Let it sit on skin a sec before you sneak a peek to see how it adjusts to your skin.
STEP 3: WATCH IT DISAPPEAR
Like finding ‘the one’, to find a foundation shade for you, you want to look for the hue that doesn’t try to change you. That is, the right foundation shade should look, not to mention, feel like a second skin – like you at your very best. As we’ve said before and will say time and time again, this is about looking like the ultimate version of you. If a foundation shade stands out, that’ll be because it’s too light or dark. If the makeup is too light, chances are your skin will appear more ashy. If the shade is too dark, that’ll make you look overly tanned.
On the subject of tans – remember that your skin tone is likely to change within a subtle spectrum with the seasons, its tone warming up with the weather. That means, depending on when you’re searching for your best foundation shade, your skin might not be its truest tone. Ideally, you want to go for a shade that’s closest to the hue your skin is most of the year. When you try it, if the test shade seemingly disappears into your skin, it’s a match.
COMPARE BY SKIN TYPE
Like any other product from your skincare wardrobe, your foundation should be tailored to your skin type or concern. This always wise rule will give your skin a better chance of getting on with your foundation, helping your complexion to look gleaming, glowing and gorgeous. We’ve rounded up some of our best foundations to help get your skin there.
FOUNDATION FOR OILY SKIN
The Body Shop foundation with an oily skin friendly ingredient built-in is our Tea Tree Face Base. Enriched with Community Fair Trade tea tree oil, this powder helps to control excess oil and shine while promoting clearer-looking skin. It feels lightweight on the skin, yet it’s totally buildable, meaning you can work up to a full coverage finish that’s still breathable. And it lasts too, giving you 12 hours of long-lasting coverage without the need for any touch ups. You complexion will be left looking smooth and more matte, all day long.
FOUNDATION FOR SENSITIVE SKIN
Though more of a skin concern than a skin type, we couldn’t help but tell you about our ideal foundation for sensitive skin. Our Fresh Nude Foundation is enriched with vitamin E and natural-origin hyaluronic acid, as well as Community Fair Trade aloe vera from Mexico. It helps you achieve a smooth, radiant, healthy-looking glow with medium, even coverage. And it blends easily, letting skin breathe and helping you look fresh-faced and natural. Trust us, every day will feel like a good skin day with Fresh Nude Foundation.
FOUNDATION FOR COMBINATION SKIN
A good foundation for every skin type has got to be our Second Skin Multi-Tasking Skin Tint. This lightweight, moisturising tint is the perfect ‘no-makeup’ makeup, leaving a sheer hint of natural-looking coverage. It’s super easy to blend and can be built up or worn under a fuller coverage foundation if you like a more flawless finish. Enriched with Community Fair Trade shea butter and moringa seed oil, it helps keep skin hydrated for 24 hours and is sweat and humidity resistant. Oh, and did we mention it doesn’t block pores? It evens out skin tone, leaving a luminous-looking complexion.
COMPARE BY TEXTURE
Sometimes what your skin needs or what your skin likes to feel on it is down to personal preference as much as skin type or concern. You might find you lean more towards powder as your face is prone to shininess, or you might like the way liquid foundation feels on skin. Equally, what you’re up to on any given day will affect what product you pick up at your dressing table or bathroom mirror. You might be about to embark on a big adventure and need longer-lasting, fuller coverage. Or you might just be about to pop out and want a little touch-up before you go. For all occasions and needs, whatever your plans, whether you’re taking over the world or taking charge of a conference call, explore the benefits of our different foundation textures.
LIQUID FOUNDATION
Our bestselling Fresh Nude Foundation is enriched with English rose water and Community Fair Trade aloe vera from Mexico. A heavenly hydrating formula, it helps your face to feel instantly fresh with up to 24-hour moisturisation. Coming in 16 shades, you’ll be able to find one that suits you. Its light to medium coverage has a semi-matte finish that’s borrowed from nature, helping skin to get a nude glow finish. Apply with your fingers or, even better, apply it with our Fresh Nude Foundation Brush, a makeup kit must-have and the best friend of our foundation that has two different bristle lengths to better apply and blend the formula. Plus, we also have our Fresh Nude Tinted Beauty Balm SPF 30, a lighter coverage option than the foundation version.
POWDER
Find yourself always reaching for the Loose Face Powder? A particular favourite of oily skin types and those in warmer climes who might be more prone to shininess, powder is a fab foundation stand-in or addition to help perfect a matte-looking finish. Our Fresh Nude Face Base can be a multi-tasker, helping you create an even look when used either dry, on bare skin or on top of liquid foundation, or wet – simply make our Complexion Blender wet and apply to skin for more coverage. Our formulation can give light to high coverage, depending on how you use it, but regardless it doesn’t turn out cakey. Your face will feel comfortable thanks to this breathable powder, helping your complexion look more smooth and healthy.
FINISH OFF WITH CONCEALER
Sometimes, your skin needs a little helping hand to achieve that even, smooth-toned look. That’s where concealer comes in. The most targeted of the face base products in your makeup kit, concealer helps to, well, conceal and camouflage dark circles and blemishes. A perfect partner for your favourite foundation, which you should of course shade match, it’s the easiest route to a flawless-looking finish.
LIQUID CONCEALER
Wake up and glow with our Vitamin C Concealer. It gives you lightweight, crease-free coverage, but still lets your skin’s true radiance shine, enriched with natural-origin vitamin C. Dial down the appearance of dark circles, blemishes and uneven pigmentation or dab where you want to spotlight skin in all the right places. It's certified by The Vegan Society, suitable for all skin types and available in 20 shades.