Makeup &rsaquo; Guides

How to find your foundation shade online

Undertone, depth and the trick to buying foundation without a counter.

Short version: Match two things — depth (how light or dark) and undertone (warm, cool or neutral). Undertone is what makes a "right depth" shade still look off, so nail it first.

Find your undertone

Veins look greenish + gold jewelry suits you → warm.
Veins look blue/purple + silver suits you → cool.
Can't tell / both work → neutral.

Then match depth

Brands code shades by depth (fair → deep) and a letter or word for undertone (W/C/N, "golden", "rosy"). Buy the depth that matches your jaw/neck, in your undertone. Swatch on the jawline, not the hand — hands are often a different colour.

The money-saving trick

Find your shade in one brand you know, then use a shade-finder/dupe chart to translate it across brands. Compare the exact shade across stores before buying — and buy one bottle before committing to a set.

Compare foundations →

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