Foundation matching when face is much darker than neck?

Mar 17, 2012

Anjum C.

It's not really a big deal. You can choose whichever you want, depending on what color you would prefer, or which color is more easily available. Or you can choose a color in between. People are pretty obsessive about choosing a color that is exactly the same as their skin, but it doesn't have to be spot on.

Mar 17, 2012

Emily M.

i have that issue. my solution: apply your foundation on your neck as well. if it hits any jewelry or anything, take a q-tip with alcohol solution to clean it. i usually don't have the issue. an if it's on your clothes ( neck collars, etc) simple take a stain remover like shout with the brush tip & clean it off before washing the garment.

Mar 17, 2012

Bianca T.

The majority of popular brands don't cater very well to women of colour. They usually have multiple shades of "pale" and then two or three of "deep", so it's pretty hard to get it absolutely spot on unless you go to a brand like MAC.

I'm NC20/25 (for reference) all over my body, but my face is a shade or two lighter so I tend to match my foundation to my neck instead. But it's a lot harder when you have to go lighter, because you can end up looking ashy and slightly grey, so the trick is to match the darker colour and blend into the lighter skin.

Mar 17, 2012

Jenny F.

Try matching your face (especially WOC - so you don't look too dark) not neck and use a darker countouring powder for face to blend with neck. Not perfect but it will look natural. 

Mar 17, 2012

Jenny F.

Cover Fx and Mac have the best shade palettes.

Mar 18, 2012

gee m.

Bianca is so dead on! Most lines do not cater to women of deeper complexions they usually have that one light shade that will match maybe my skin tone and then they will skip the in between colors that will usually be to light or to dark that is why many women of color tend to mix their foundations. If you can find a color that matches once it oxides the color is either to red to orange or to yellow. I believe if I had this problem I would probably try and match my neck.

Mar 19, 2012

Kenya D.

my face an neck/chest are to different color i always match to my neck 

Mar 19, 2012

Debras S.

I normally match the face as well and just as Jenny stated above you can use a darker contouring powder. I do use MAC however Lancome Tient Idola Ultra 24hr. is their new foundation and has good colors. The foundation was created by a Haitian woman she removed the SPF in the darker colors as well as a ingredient in the SPF would make the color of the foundation change after awhile.

Mar 19, 2012

Cecilie A.

Ugh, I also have this problem. My face is 2-3 shades darker than my neck. It looks like I have a nasty foundation-line when I'm not even wearing any makeup. So that really sucks. But I always match my foundation to my face or else I look super pale and sick. And I make sure to blend well.

Mar 19, 2012

Antonio Z.

I think this is one of those tricky questions, for example, if you got darker face than the rest of your body and U are gonna wear something that is not gonna be showing a lot of skin, I would say match the foundation to their jaw line, but for instance if you are gonna wear something like a deep V neck or you are gonna be showing your back, the match the foundations to the chest area, why beacause is gonna look better than trying to match all the chest and back to the face...
another option is match the foundation to the neck or as I said chest area, and then warm up the face with bronzer so that way you don't end up looking washed out.
so yeah I hope that helps even if is a little.

Mar 17, 2013

Heidi N.

This is a common problem especially for those of us with darker skin. If I want to match my facial skin to my body (e.g make my face look lighter) this basically means putting lighter foundation to darker skin. This alone would create an ashy/grey-ish face.

The first method is to add yellow to the lighter foundation. Adding yellow will counteract the ashy/grey effect. I use the yellow pigment either in cream or liquid form by MUFE. Other times I use a light foundation with very yellow loose powder.

The second method is to use 2 foundation shades. The first foundation shade should be the same shade (the darker shade) as your face, while the lighter shade should closer in color as your body. Using the lighter shade as a a highlighter of sorts (on forehead, nose bridge and chin) would give the illusion of the face being the same shade as the body.

Hope this helps.