Foundation question

[composer]

I thought I'd found my match (thanks JenW ) with 1 scoop Warm Gold to 7 scoops Ivory (Original coverage)- it disappears into my skin and that is what is supposed to happen with a match, no?

Well, I'd been naughty lately, and being new to makeup and all, I've been experimenting. And I've found that I look best in Physician's Formula Organic Wear TM in Fair to Light (which is a little dark/muddy on its own) followed by a light dusting of Almay Pure Blends in Fair 100.

It looks the same as the SilkNaturals, but I look more ... alive/radiant somehow. I can't quite put my finger on it. So my question is, was my mix maybe not quite as close a match as I thought it was? In which case what should it be or how should I tweak it? I love the ingredients in silknaturals but I love the look of the TM/powder combo too and it'd be awesome to have my cake and eat it too.

[JenW]

Foundation is definitely a personal preference. It is quite possible your foundation mix does not match as well as you thought. Sometimes, by matching our exact skintone, the color does not really liven up the complexion. I know if I try to match my skin exactly, I look very washed out. You might need to tweak your foundation with a bit of Ebony (based upon the PF that you like....they are all pretty neutral.) Another thing that comes to mind is that you might like the coverage level better in the PF as the formula in the Silk Naturals product you tried is kind of on the light side. Maybe the Medium coverage?

For ideas to liven up your Silk Naturals Mix, you could try adding a Perfecting Powder or a bit of Perfecting Glow in the mix. I usually add my Date Bait to my foundation in my swirly bowl. I am not ready to commit to premixing the powders into the foundation yet. It is a good way to try it out without having to mix more than you will use.

[pinkpomelo]

I agree with Jen about matching skintones exactly. I don't think this is really the same as your situation, but I thought I'd make mention of it in case anyone else out there was thinking of how to match foundation shade with original skin shade.

My face & neck is much darker than my chest. So my foundation is much lighter than my face's original tone but it matches my chest very well. And living in tropical Singapore, I often wear clothes that reveal my shoulders and upper chest. So I found that matching to my neck gives me a much better finish than simply matching to my neck.

[LionT]

Oh Faith, I have the same problem as well. My face is naturally much pinker than my neck and chest (but not in an unpleasant way).. So am I supposed to make my neck pinker, or my face yellow-er, or just forget about matching face and neck colors?

[composer]

Thank you all! There is so much more for me to learn ...

I will try adding the Ebony and see how that works. I have tried Ebony mixed with the Ivory but it didn't give me very good results - maybe this will be a case of the total is greater than the sum of its parts.

And Faith, what you say makes a lot of sense. I have a much lighter chest than face or neck (despite being a sunscreen fanatic) and I'll keep your advice in mind as summer rolls around and the time comes for cooler clothes.

[pinkpomelo]

Oh Faith, I have the same problem as well. My face is naturally much pinker than my neck and chest (but not in an unpleasant way).. So am I supposed to make my neck pinker, or my face yellow-er, or just forget about matching face and neck colors?

Hi LionT, you're blessed with naturally rosy complexion. There may not be a need for you to try to match your chest 100%, since a rosy complexion is really what many people are after. But if you're game for a bit of experimentation, how about trying to make your face a blank canvas that matches your chest, and then add back the "pink" with blush that you control exactly where it goes? What works for me is that the parts that blend with the chest should be the lower cheeks (the part nearer to the jawline) and the forehead and the part between your eyebrows. If you cheeks are already pink, then that's a big bonus!

Hi Composer, let us know how it goes, and as Jen mentioned, it may help to lightly dust on some perfecting glows or powders over the foundation. I've been adding Splendid and other ladies have tried Tempt Tryst. I prefer the perfecting glows to the powders because it really adds a touch of radiance to my face. Not sparkly. Just ever so lightly glowing.

[zeebs]

I agree with Jen's suggestion of mixing perfecting powder into your foundation.

The best mix I've ever done (personal preference, not saying this will work for everybody) was 1/2 silk powder and 1/2 perfecting powder and no foundation at all except for the color bases. (Weird, I know...)