I am a MAC NW20 and need advice for formula

[hags101]

I need help finding the correct formula. I am trying to get the color right for the Med coverage. I wear MAC NW20. I have found MAC NC20 to be too golden for me. I have seen that others who wear NC25 = 5 ivory: 1 warm Gold/Buttery Gold mix (more of warm gold than buttery)
NC25/30= 11 white: 2 buttery gold
I need a shade lighter and possibly less orange..... but I am also looking for a formula with med and heavy bases.

So far I have tried 1:11 Med base in buttery gold=too light
I have added in 1/4 of warm gold = still too light
added in 3/4 of warm gold (1 buttery + 1 warm gold) = color off (too ashy greyish) but the tone is still light.
I need advice before I go and waste all the base that I have. I also have the original base, but I have many red spots that need covering from acne scars.

Thank you

[Xarata]

no idea of my mac shade but i wear a warm gold/buttery mix in 10:1:.5 (base:buttery:warm) My general exp. is that my skin looks ashy if i go too cool. swatch the pigment shades on your arm to see where you think your tones are and then try starting with a smaller white count (6 maybe) to a normal amount of pigment (say 1-2 scoops) and if it's too dark, add one more scoop and test, etc. (there's only 5 scoops of white between 6 and 11 after all)

[hags101]

What base do you use?

[karen]

I'm in the NW range- NW25 if I recall correctly...do you have any ebony? I haven't properly measured in a while- but I'm generally about 1 scoop ebony to about 10 scoops ivory- if I were you- I'd start with 7-8 scoops white and then go from there. To do medium or heavy coverage- just use a little bit more ebony.

[hags101]

Thanks Karen,
I played around with the formula more and I found a pretty close match although I think that I needed more ebony. I used the heavy base (6) and added in (1) ebony and (1) buttery gold. I have a wierd complexion where my body has a golden hue to it (including my neck), but my face is really white with redness all over. I will recheck my color in the daylight. Do I use the same formula for the Med and Heavy coverage? Also.... I am having a hard time covering a couple majorly dark acne spots. I tried the unblush as a spot treatment under the foundation and a spot treatment of the foundation over the regular application of foundation, but the dark purplish-red marks are still visible (so are the red marks). Do you think that I need to use a cream concealer under the mineral foundation?

Teressa

[mgmsrk]

Try using your concealer after the foundation. I find that the color concealers work best after the foundation. I put my foundation on, color concealer, regular concealer(if I can be bothered) and than a light coat of foundation to blend.

[JenW]

If you are NW in MAC, I would think you'd be more Ebony, too. Especially since the Golden in NC did not match you. (Both Warm Gold and Buttery Gold have a definite golden component to them.) As for covering the spots you mentioned, have you tried applying the powders damp? Basically, you get your concealer brush damp (not too wet, though) and pick up some of your foundation and apply it wet. It is worth a try.

Medium and Heavy coverage will be a similar formula, but you might need an extra soop or so of Ivory with the Medium in comparison to the Heavy. Just think of it that the Heavier the Coverage, the less Ivory needed. (Really you need more color, but that is how it works out easier in a formula.)

[hags101]

Thank you for the advice. I will try using a damp brush to apply the concealer. Should I do this before or after the foundation? What color concealer should I use (green, same color as foundation, or 1 shade lighter)?

[JenW]

I would really just experiment. Try the green and a shade lighter than your foundation. Also, experiment with before foundation and after.

Different things work best for different people. I can't really recommend an exact method that will work best for you, only some things for you to try out. I am generally a concealer before foundation person and use it dry. I know many of the other combinations have worked for others, though. Let us know how it goes!

[Cupcake]

My general exp. is that my skin looks ashy if i go too cool.

Thank you!! Just wanted to say that info has helped solve my problem with foundations appearing grey-ish. Thanks a lot.