Is there a list of recipes for imitating EM bases?

[MsRaquel]

Hi, I haven't been around here for a long time so I don't know if there is such a thing or where. I thought I'd found the formula that was right for me but after a while it didn't seem so, perhaps my skin tone changed, but there's a couple of EM samples that seem to match my skin better so if i knew how to reproduce them with SN I may be able to stick with it. Thanks for the help!

[JenW]

I don't have a list, because there are usually issues with matching across the formulas in any company's line. Plus, a certain foundation color from 2008 might not be the same as in 2012.

It would be better for you to explain what you used and what was wrong with the color.

[MsRaquel]

First, thanks for replying my post. Next, a little background on my SN usage. When I ordered the SN samples (w/heavy ivory) around Nov. '09 I was very excited but soon became disappointed because NONE of the colored bases gave me a natural looking shade because, except for the peach (which I guess is predominantly red), they all seem to have too much blue in them for non-white skins. I am Hispanic and have light-medium tan skin (I'm Latin). Except for the olive, which I knew right off the bat was totally wrong for me, I tried all the other color bases, alone and in several combinations (which led to confusion when I lost the card with the recipes when I moved from one state to another in 2010...).

The closest I ever came, but the memory is kind of fuzzy now, was by mixing the Ebony and Buttery Gold and adding some glow ivory, but it had been suggested to me here that my skin might be "neutral" and to try the Dark Ebony, so I ordered it and that seemed to work, so I gave my samples away. However, at some point, maybe under a different light, I don't know, it appeared to me the Dark Ebony was too "flat" (or pinkish-blue) and I needed a bit of yellow so I got by "cheating" by adding bits of a sample of EM Semi-matte Sandy Medium that I had. Last Dec. I needed to reorder ivory and color base, and having forgotten that SN Warm Gold is anything but "warm" (because it has too much blue which is a COOL color) I thought perhaps I should try it again and I ordered the full size (mistake!). To be on the "safe side" I also ordered a sample of Deep Ebony and thank goodness I did because without it what I got was really more like an olive foundation! But even that mix still throws a greenish cast that's not flattering.

At the time I also placed an order for EM samples because I'd ran out of the Sandy Medium and somehow I didn't feel "safe" without it. The rest of the samples were all in the golden-neutral range (and in Semi-matte texture which turns out to give me all the coverage I need) and 3 of them have come pretty close to what my skin is like NOW (after NO sun at all in like 5 months). They are: Medium Beige Neutral, Light Tan and Golden Medium. The last one might have more yellow than I really need so I can only use it when I wear warm colors. And because my cheeks, chin & forehead have quite a bit of pink, either of the other two seem OK (the MBN has more yellow than the LT, which leans more to the pinkish side).

Frankly, if it weren't because I can't trust EM anymore nor feel very comfortable with their new formula, just so I'd end the guesswork I'd just use one of theirs, but other than those samples I'd rather not order again from them. What I'd like is to finally come up with a formula that will be right for me.

I suspect that in order to continue with SN I will need the yellow booster, but I have to confess I feel it's unfair that I have to buy an "extra", especially now that I'm too broke to place an order and when I do might have to order more ivory and a different color base because I've nearly used up what I ordered in 2 off-batches. However, if that'll fix the problem I'm willing to give it a try, so what do you think?

[JenW]

Hmmm. Based on the Sandy Medium, I would recommend Warm Gold. Also, I think most Hispanic skintones fall somewhere in Buttery Gold, Warm Gold. I am pretty sure there is no blue in the formulation for Warm Gold, but maybe the brown oxide is on the cool side...I am trying to figure out where the cool tones you see are coming from. Our Olive is pretty neutral on the warm side, and not very green. Those who are truly Olive toned usually need to add more green. For the concentrated bases, it is sometimes hard to tell exactly where it will fall once diluted with white because the colors dilute out at different rates (red is last, yellow is first). Based upon what you have said that did not work, I think you might want to try Olive, possibly with Yellow Booster. (As for not thinking it is fair that you should have to purchase the Yellow Booster for $2, I am sorry that our line is this way, but we try to keep it streamlined to keep costs for the customer down, yet able to work for the most skintones. By offering the color boosters, we give much more shade flexibility for not a lot more cost added to the bottom line. I think we make up for it that you can purchase the bases as needed whether white, color, or booster as you will not likely be using them up at the same rate.)

If you have a match that works in another company and are pressed for time and money, I would order what is known to work. It might take some time and resources to get a match here, (especially since it was tricky in the past) which might lead to a good deal of frustration. Try again at a later time when resources are a little more relaxed if you want. I do understand about not wanting to support companies for various reasons, but your foundation purchase will not make or break their company, especially if you purchase your other items elsewhere.

I hope you find something that works well for you. And I am more than willing to help if you decide to try Olive.

[MsRaquel]

While I appreciate the fact that you took the time to reply, I feel you missed the whole point of my post. I didn't say Sandy Medium (which is a peachy gold) was my best match, only that I used it to adjust my Deep Ebony Mix, but in any case Warm Gold mixed with Heavy Ivory DOES NOT resemble it at all, it's more like an olive beige which looks greenish on me (thus my guess that it contained blue as yellow + blue = green). Thus, for obvious reasons Olive is even more way off for me. Btw, I do know quite a bit about color mixing and all 3 primaries are needed to make brown, therefore blue must be present in all of them in varying proportions.

The last mix I made using WG & DE came pretty close but appears to need more yellow, so when I'm able to place an order I'll go ahead and get the yellow booster, but I guess I'd hoped a combo of DE & BG without a booster could do it for the future (as I DO like SN foundation and would hate to have to start sampling other brands). I do remember I made a small amount of such a mixture but I used it up long ago and lost the recipe so I couldn't be 100% sure of what I did.

[JenW]

I am sorry that I misunderstood what you wrote. I do think there is a bit of an Olive/Golden tone in both Buttery Gold and Warm Gold. That is perhaps the issue of why it does not work for you. Neither of those base colors are cool toned, but they sound like they are too cool toned for you. It sounds like olive is the problem. It is starting to make more sense to me.

I did not mean to imply that you did not know about color, and really I only have what you have written on the page to go on for figuring out what you might need for our product to work for you. I am pretty much guessing based upon your words since I have seen very little of that other company's base colors for about 5 years, and some of the colors you mentioned were not in existence at that time. When I read words like Warm Gold is cool toned, I almost had to wonder if you had received an incorrect product. And then when one of the Ebony bases worked for you, which the Ebony shades are our cool/neutrals, I was kind of confused. I could probably help you better if I had seen a photo (outdoors with no makeup in early morning light is best), rather than just guessing. What it sounds like you need is a deep warm peach that might lean beige rather than olive. Does this sound right?

Since Warm Gold is too cool for you, and a mix of Deep Ebony and Warm Gold that needs more Yellow was close, I don't think Peach alone will be the answer, but it might. It is on the cooler/pinker side of peach rather than the warmer, yellow side of peach when it is diluted to fair skintones. However, if you need it in deeper tones, it will have more yellow than the fairer tones will (yellow dilutes out first). I do still think you would need Yellow Booster with it. If you are really wanting to give it a go, I do think Peach might be better than what you have tried.

I apologize for my confusion. I really am trying to help. Are you using Heavy Base? If so, it is the hardest to get a good match because it has to be more exact than the others. If you have issue with finding a good match in Heavy Base, it might make sense to try a lighter coverage base to get in the right ballpark first. I know you are not really interested in having to purchase one more thing, but you are starting with the most finicky base if you chose Heavy.