Finding your perfect foundation or concealer shade shouldn’t feel like decoding a skincare riddle. Yet between undertones, finishes, and fluctuating lighting, it’s no wonder so many of us have drawers full of almost-right shades.
Step 1: Understand Your Skin’s Undertone.
Before you even touch a bottle of foundation, you need to know your undertone. This isn’t your skin color—it’s the subtle hue underneath that affects how your shade reads.
There are three main types:
- Cool: Pink, red, or bluish undertones. You probably burn easily, look great in silver, and your veins appear blue or purple.
- Warm: Golden, yellow, or peachy tones. You tan easily, wear gold like a pro, and your veins lean green.
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Neutral: A balance of both—your skin doesn’t lean overly pink or golden, and you look good in anything (lucky you).
Pro tip: Look at the inside of your wrist in natural light. Not sure where you fall? Fenty’s Complexion Cheat Sheet breaks it all down, helping you find your undertone and shade family, step by step.
Step 2: Identify Your Shade Family
Once you’ve clocked your undertone, it’s time to find your shade family—aka the general depth of your skin tone (light, medium, deep, and all the in-betweens). This gives you a solid starting point for narrowing down exact matches.
Shade families help filter out anything too light or too deep, so you’re not wasting time guessing. And let’s be clear: every skin tone deserves a real match. Fenty’s 50+ foundation shades were built to flex across all undertones, all shades, and all vibes.