Chinese lady needs help with colour choices

[pinkpomelo]

Hi all,

I've been reading the forum and its wonderful the kind of help you people offer! Its such a warm and inviting atmosphere.

I would appreciate as much help as I can get with the colours that would suit me. Its very confusing, all the decision about base tones, complexions, skin types, etc.

Basically, I would need help with the following:

1. Any tips on what base colors to choose for my sample foundation pack.

2. Which type of concealer to choose to reduce my dark eye bags/circles & brown discolorations on the sides of my nose bridge (thanks to 25 years of wearing spectacles and the nose pads pressing against the sides). So far, Everyday Minerals' concealer ("sunlight" & "aussie perk me up") just give me that whitish/greyish-green goggles around my eyes.

3. What kind of blush would suit my colour? I am very interested in Climax but not sure if it will work? I am going for the natural, but healthy glow (who isn't, right? )

4. What can I do to get that smooth texture and smaller pores look?

I am considering getting the Heavy coverage foundation because I have tried out Everyday Minerals' Intensive range and I enjoy the kind of coverage and evenness in skin texture. I haven't decided which color suits me in the EM range but I discovered Silk Naturals and I am very hopeful that a custom blend would be better than picking from 100+ shades.

I took these shots in natural light, no flash.







My skin is dry but not flaky. Its not that obvious but, on close look, you can tell that its not as hydrated as it could be. And throughout the day, it doesn't get *that* oily but my foundations/powders tend to oxidize and get a dark, grayish tone... especially around

I tan very very easily, and hardly ever burn.

Any help is greatly appreciated! Thank you all so much!

[JenW]

Great pictures! This helps so much!

1. You look like a Warm Gold to me. I think you will be in the 1 sccop color to 4 or 5 Heavy Coverage Ivory. In your case, it might not hurt to sample all the base colors, since pictures and computer screens can be off. (The three in your range are Warm Gold, Buttery Gold, and Ebony, but we currently offer all of them for the same price.) Also, some of our other Chinese customers use a blend of Warm Gold and Ebony, and others use Warm Gold, and some Buttery Gold.
-5 deep base color samples
http://www.silknaturals.com/creb/produc ... cts_id=477
-Heavy Coverage Sample Kit
http://www.silknaturals.com/creb/produc ... cts_id=464
-you also might want to consider an additional sample pouch of Heavy Ivory if you are shipping a great distance/overseas (it is 99 cents)
http://www.silknaturals.com/creb/produc ... cts_id=455

2. I really suggest Medium Peach Sleep in a Jar for concealer. It will be in the same range as the Aussie (maybe a little less yellow.)
http://www.silknaturals.com/creb/produc ... cts_id=543

3. I really think you will find Climax to be too light. I think Poppy or Maybe Baby. If you want shimmer, try Lovelace. If you want less peach, try Embrace. It has been discussed to create a darker version of Climax. I am hoping for that one, myself.
Blush samples page: http://www.silknaturals.com/creb/index.php?cPath=35_48

4.For more even texture and smaller pores we have a few things to try. For you I would suggest Love Lure.
http://www.silknaturals.com/creb/produc ... cts_id=345
If you would like a little glow, one of our Perfecting Glows might work (Pristine).
http://www.silknaturals.com/creb/produc ... cts_id=557
And there are dupes of the Makeup Forever HD finishing powder in the works.

Hopefully, that is enough to get you started!

[pinkpomelo]

That is absolutely helpful! And the product links you provided make moving around the site so easy! Thank you very very much!

I'm going to get all the items you mentioned!

Just a clarification, Medium Peach Sleep in a Jar won't be too light and give me that greyish/greenish/white goggles look right? Because both Sunlight and Aussie Perk Me Up (from EDM had that horrible effect).

[Cupcake]

Jen - you're a fantastic help.

Pinkpomelo - you have the most perfect eyebrows I've seen in ages and such a pretty face. I'm sorry I can't help much with product advice since I've only had two orders but if it helps with confidence, everything I've bought from Silk Naturals has been better than I had hoped for. I can heartily recommend the Perfecting Powder for your question 4. I've used everything from EDM that has been suitable for my skin colour and, while it's decent quality, SN is in another league. I use Start to Finish Kaolin for Oil Control from EDM - it doesn't blur or soften pores but does control oil. Perfecting Powder does both beautifully.

Re dark circles - I've tried EDM Pearl beige (equivalent of Aussie) and Sunlight for undereye circles without much improvement, their 'pearls' are more like light reflectors than concealers (think YSL Touche Eclat). I've got *very* pale white skin, so dark circles show up pretty dark. But - and I still hardly believe this - I used the foundation recipe Jen suggested for me from the sample kit (which I think has Original lightest coverage) and I used one extra light fluff of foundation instead over dark circles and some nasty red blemished (for a good test run to see how SN performs on it's ow) and the dark circles were completely covered. I haven't managed that with EDM or other brands ever, and most especially not with 'just' foundation, no extra concealer or cover-up. Also, I use EDM matte, but SN Original gives as much coverage, so two coats of Original equates to one light coat of intensive when I used that on my reddened cheeks.

Hope that helps - I can't recommend SN highly enough.

[JenW]

If the Medium Sleep in Jar is too light, you will have the tools to darken it a bit!!! I don't know if a darker version is in the works, because we have not really had any requests for it. Hopefully, the Medium will be just right.

It should not run greenish at all. It is a peach color. I have found that the yellow concealers just made me look like a racoon and drew attention to my undereyes, where the peach blends them in with my skintone better.

[pinkpomelo]

Helena -- Thank you for the compliment about the eyebrows! Actually, I cannot take the credit. I have no "ends" on my eyebrows. So about 5 years ago, I had them "embroidered". Now I have eyebrows even when I go swimming, perspire in this humidity... and it saves me so much time in tweezing and drawing them in.

I'm really looking forward to mixing my own custom blend of foundations and I will definitely try the "extra fluff" of foundation method! Thank you so much.

JenW -- I love that it seems like everything about SN is customizable, even the concealer I agree with the yellow concealers... the ones from EDM were frightening. Thank goodness I only got the sample pack.

I'll do a face swatch once the SN samples arrive. Can't wait!

[zeebs]

The peach concealer really is fantastic. Definitely pick up a sample of it.

I'm guessing from your photos you'll use warm gold or maybe ebony/warm gold blend.

I agree that Maybe Baby would be a good blush to try.

Regarding pores - definitely try the Perfecting Powders!!! I'd recommend getting samples of Original and Tempt Tryst for sure.

Regarding dry skin - try the silk powder for under your makeup. Works like a charm for both dry and oily skin. It makes the makeup more comfortable, too.

[pinkpomelo]

IT'S HERE!!!! My Silk Naturals package!

I am so excited...

My pre-order for Guitar Hero World Tour came in yesterday!

Hmm... play guitar hero or play with perfecting my custom blend silk naturals foundation????

CHOICES! CHOICES!!

I'll do a swatch of all the dark base colours and I really hope it'll be easy to spot my undertone. I will post pictures up here to get a second (third, fourth..) opinion

I remember reading somewhere that an easy way is to just swatch each dark base colour against my jaw line. Then wait a few minutes before checking which blends in best?

Pick the best one and start adding the white base?

p/s: my guy friend saw the white base and thought someone sent me heroin. WAHAHAHAH!

[pinkpomelo]

Ok, I came home and did the base colour test and every photo I took seemed to say "ebony" matched best, with warm gold a moderate second.

But I'm fighting it!

Because the description says that Ebony is neutral to slightly cool or slightly pink undertones. And I cannot believe that I am cool/neutral or have pink undertones I'm suspecting the Ebony matches better in photos because I've got redness (from veins) showing through my skin.

When I look at myself bare faced, it seems like I have a yellow shade. (See pictures above)

In my bathroom, under fluorescent light, it feels like Warm Gold matches the yellowish tones on my face.

(All tests were done against the jawline)

This photo was taken in the late evening. So the sky gave a bluish cast to the picture. No flash.



This photo was taken in the late afternoon. So the sky cast a more orangey tone on the picture. No flash. The stripes also look a bit faded because I gave them a wipe to thin it out.



I'm so confused. Help!

[JenW]

Don't be afraid of the Ebony~!!!!! Also, I would not recommend judging a color in flourescent lighting (unless that is where you always are!)

We have a few Chinese customers who use a blend of Ebony and Warm Gold. I have to agree that the Ebony might be matching redness, but adding in the Warm will help. I have been there myself. I really think you are a Ebony/Warm Gold. Try 1WG:1Ebony:7-9Heavy Ivory (start with 7).