Foundations for pale skin.

Nov 25, 2013

Alyssa F.

I live in an extremely rural area, which means I'm not allotted the luxury of going to Sephora to get matched up in brands that aren't Lancome, Clinique, or Estee Lauder - the only three cosmetic counters in my local dept. store. I wear 1N1 Ivory Nude in Double Wear by Estee Lauder, 100 Ivoire in Teint Miracle & Teint Idole Ultra 24H by Lancome, and Breeze in Superbalance by Clinique. I recently went to Sephora and got matched up in Mat Velvet - and was a Shade 20, but at second glance - it looked a bit dark to me. So, I think maybe a Shade 15. But I'm interested in Kat Von D Lock It Tattoo Foundation, Tarte Amazonian Clay Foundation, & I'm thinking about Laura Mercier Silk Creme. I want full coverage, not too terribly picky about the finish - I have dry combination skin, so radiant foundations even out the dryness, and matte/semi matte finishes help with the oiliness I can experience in my T-zone. I just need some help from all of my pale girls out there. The Double Wear color I'm in right now is too dark & yellow tinted and seems to separate on my nose. It kind of bunches up and literally comes off in clumps around my nose, mouth, and forehead. The Lancome foundations - TM & TIU24H, I loved TM because of the radiance in it, but it was a little too sheer and again - the color was too dark. The TIU24H had great coverage, loved the finish, and I had no problems with it separating or coming off, but AGAIN - the color was too stinkin' dark. Superbalance was a GREAT color match, but got a little too oily, and the coverage wasn't as much as I wanted/needed. Someone please help! I need help with shades - ordering online. I am OBVIOUSLY extremely pale with cool/pink undertones - but tend to wear neutrals because pink toned foundations turn too dark on me.

Nov 25, 2013

Samantha H.

The Tarte Amazonian Clay foundation is fantastic, especially their range of fair shades. You'd be Ivory I reckon.
Kat Von D's liquid foundation is alright. I'm personally not a huge fan of the texture. They are extending their color line though. Light 44 is their lightest beige toned shade. Light 42 is more pink. A word of caution though, is that the KVD foundation is the most full coverage thing I have ever encountered, and you will need to add the color back to your face since it will make you look flat and a little lifeless.

Have you tried Stila's Stay All Day liquid foundation? It's my holy grail. I'm #2 Fair. Try maybe #1 Bare?

Nov 25, 2013

Natalie T.

Just be aware of the Tarte Amazonian Clay Foundation. I may not be quite as pale as you but it sound like we have similar undertones. In the Tarte Foundation, I found even the lightest shades oxided super dark and odd colored on my skin. They didn't have a neutral or beige undertone available (only pink, peach, or yellow), so everything either looked way too bright pink or dark orange when I took some samples of them. So I would advise against buying them online.. if you can get samples or swatch them, definitely go for it, but I don't advise purchasing it without doing so first. I am also cool/pink or neutral undertoned, so I usually go with neutral undertone foundations (similar to you, cool undertone foundation is usually too pink). I have luck with Kat Von D's line because they carry beige/neutral undertones and they match better than any cool undertone foundation I have used. I do use the second to lightest shade in the beige undertone (light 48) but I think I should have actually bought the lighter shade (light 44).

There are white mixing foundations you could also mix with your current foundations in order to lighten up the color if you didn't want to waste money on new foundation right away and still get use out of your current foundations. I don't know very much about them, but I do know that is an option as well.

Nov 25, 2013

Natalie R.

I know I'm not pale, but there is a brand called Dainty Doll which was specifically created for pale girls.

Nov 25, 2013

Alyx T.

Tartes Amazonian clay does have neutral undertones. I have the color nude beige (I believe that's what it's called) which is a neutral undertone. They also have pinks and yellows. I absolutely love this foundation. It's the only one I use anymore. I'd recommend going into sephora at some point and testing for which color. They do have ranges of how pink the undertone is. My sister uses it to and I don't remember what shade she is, but she's always used the pink undertones and tarte has 3 pale pink undertoned shades, ones really pink, ones medium pink, and one has just a slight pink tint to it. That's the best way I could describe it. But she has the problem of it being to dark on her skin if it's too pink. But the lightest tarte pink undertoned one looks fabulous on her. This foundation is seriously my holy grail. I love it. :)

Nov 25, 2013

Julianne J.

I know this is drugstore but Revlon's Nearly Naked foundation line has some lovely light shades.

Nov 30, 2013

Alyssa F.

Thanks for all the tips, guys! I looked into Dainty Doll - but for the time being, you can only get it in the UK! And as for the undertones, like I said. I tend to stray pretty far over into the neutral side of things because things go too pink and yellow/orange on me. The foundation I'm trying to get usage out of right now makes me look like I have jaundice.