Choosing a Foundation Shade Online Without Testing in a Store

You can get close to the right foundation shade online by working out two things first: your undertone and how light or deep your skin is. With those, plus a shade you already know suits you, choosing a foundation shade online becomes far less of a gamble.

Start with undertone, because it is what makes a shade look right or wrong even when the depth is close. Undertone is the color beneath the surface of your skin, and it is usually described as warm, cool or neutral, with olive sometimes listed as its own category. It doesn’t change with a tan the way depth does.

Choosing a foundation shade online starts with undertone

A few rough checks help, and it’s worth doing more than one, in daylight near a window rather than under bathroom lights. Look at the veins on the inside of your wrist: if they look more green, you likely lean warm; more blue or purple suggests cool; hard to tell usually means neutral. Think about which jewelry you reach for, since gold tends to flatter warm undertones and silver cool ones. And notice how your skin behaves in the sun: people who tan easily often lean warm, those who burn quickly often lean cool. None of these is definitive, but when two or three agree you have a reasonable starting point.

Depth is simpler. Most brands group shades as fair, light, medium, tan and deep, then number them within each group, with the letter or word after the number showing undertone. Read the brand’s own shade guide, because one brand’s light can be another’s medium.

The most reliable shortcut is a shade you already own. Many brands and retailers offer shade-matching tools or comparison charts that let you enter a foundation you know works and suggest the nearest equivalent. Customer photos in natural light, from people who say their skin is like yours, are more useful than studio swatches.

Match to your jaw or neck rather than your cheek or the back of your hand, since the face is often a little redder or more tanned than the neck. Your skin may shift between seasons too, so the shade that matched in winter may look off by late summer. Some people keep two shades and mix them.

Before you buy, check the returns policy. Several retailers accept opened foundation if the shade is wrong, which takes most of the risk out. Sample sizes, where offered, are even better.

When it arrives, try it on your jawline in daylight and let it sit for a few minutes, since some formulas darken slightly as they settle. Foundation is also a new product on your skin, so the American Academy of Dermatology’s advice on how to test skin care products applies here too, especially if you are prone to breakouts or reactions. Our step-by-step guide to patch testing a new product walks through it.

A foundation labeled with SPF is a bonus, not a replacement for sunscreen, because few people apply enough of it to get the protection on the label. Our explainer on what SPF numbers mean covers why.

If a new foundation leaves you with a persistent rash, itching or swelling, stop using it and check in with a dermatologist or pharmacist.