When it comes to finding your perfect foundation match and concealer match, the struggle can be very real. But we have a solution. Rather than filling up your arm with several swatches or just guessing which shades will suit your skin tone, we know a few shade-matching methods that actually work. They all start with choosing products that come in a variety of shades to complement different skin tones and undertones.
L’Oréal Paris True Match Super-Blendable Foundation offers 47 true-to-you shades that precisely match your skin tone and coordinate perfectly with L’Oréal Paris True Match Radiant Serum Concealer, available in 24 skin-like shades. With that many options, there’s a match for everyone. To help you find yours, we’re sharing tips on how to find your undertone and how to color-match makeup like a pro. Whether you're using a foundation shade finder or your amateur eye, you’ll be able to find your foundation and concealer shades in our vast collection.
Don’t worry, it’s simpler than it sounds. Keep reading to find out more about finding your True Match.
While most people probably already have an inkling of what their skin tone is, the same can’t always be said for undertones. The difference between the two is that your skin tone refers to your overall complexion, whereas undertone refers to the colors that come through your complexion and affect its overall hue. Knowing your undertone is important because it can help you find your best makeup color match (without having to swatch a million different products). To easily determine your undertone, try one of these three methods:
The simplest way to identify your undertone is to look at the inside of your forearm. If the veins on your wrist appear blue or purple, you likely have a cool undertone, while those with warmer undertones often have greenish-looking veins. Seeing a mix of blue and green shades, meanwhile, suggests you may have neutral undertones.
The jewelry test is another popular method for determining your skin’s undertones. The premise is pretty simple. Grab one piece of silver jewelry and one piece of gold jewelry, and examine how both look against your skin. If you find that the silver shade flatters your skin better, you’re likely cool-toned, whereas those who shine in gold are typically warm-toned. If both the silver and gold jewelry look great on you, chances are good that you have neutral undertones.
This method is a bit unorthodox—we’ll be the first to admit it—but we’ve seen it work. Hold a white piece of paper beside your face in natural lighting. The reflection of the white should create a subtle cast of color on your skin. If your face suddenly appears more pink or blue, your undertones are likely cool, and if you give off a more yellowish hue, you’re probably warm-toned. Finally, a grayish tint typically indicates neutral undertones.
Once you’ve determined your undertone, you can move on to your skin tone. True Match Super-Blendable Foundation has shades that complement warm, cool, and neutral undertones, with colors (or tones) ranging from fair to deep.
As we mentioned, cool undertones appear in your complexion as hints of blue or pink and are denoted by the letter C in True Match Super-Blendable Foundation shade names. Warm undertones appear more yellow or golden and are signified by the letter W in True Match Super-Blendable Foundation shades. Neutral shades (a mix of warm and cool undertones) are marked with an N in the True Match Super-Blendable Foundation collection.
True Match Super-Blendable Foundation is also categorized into five depth categories: deep, medium deep, medium, light medium, and light. You can find your foundation color match by choosing a shade that aligns with both your skin tone and undertone. For example, if you have medium-deep skin with warm undertones, look at the warm shades in the medium-deep category—W7, W8, and W9—and choose the foundation shade that best matches your skin.
In general, we recommend everyone keep two concealers on deck: One to cover up dark spots and blemishes, and another for your under-eye area. The one you use on your face should match your foundation as closely as possible for a seamless, undetectable finish. Your under-eye concealer, however, should be a shade or so lighter than your foundation, especially if you have more prominent dark circles. Opting for a slightly lighter concealer shade helps brighten the eye area, minimizing the appearance of those dark circles and creating a more awake look.
To match your concealer and foundation without a ton of guesswork, look for products designed to pair together, like True Match Super-Blendable Foundation and True Match Radiant Serum Concealer.
Once you know your undertone and depth category, here are the exact shades you have to choose from:
True Match Foundation:
Deep: W10.5, W10, W9.5
Medium Deep: W9, W8, W7
Medium: W6.5, W6, W5.5, W5
Light Medium: W4.5, W4, W3, W2.5
Light: W2, W1, W0.5
True Match Radiant Serum Concealer:
Deep: W9.5, W10.5
Medium Deep: W7
Medium: W6, W5
Light Medium: W4, W3
Light: W1
True Match Foundation:
Deep: C12, C11, C10, C9.5, C9
Medium Deep: C8, C7
Medium: C6, C5
Light Medium: C4, C3, C2.5
Light: C2, C1.5, C1, C0.5
True Match Radiant Serum Concealer:
Deep: C10
Medium Deep: C8, C7
Medium: C7, C4
Light Medium: C4, C3
Light: C2, C1
True Match Foundation:
Deep: N11, N10
Medium Deep: N9, N8, N7
Medium: N6, N5.5, N5
Light Medium: N4, N3
Light: N2, N1, N0.5
True Match Radiant Serum Concealer:
Deep: N11, N10, N9
Medium Deep: N9, N8, N6.5
Medium: N6.5, N5
Light Medium: N3
Light: N2, N1
We recommend testing out a few shades of both concealer and foundation to find your best, most seamless match. Below are a few helpful tips you can use to find the right shades for you.
Just eyeing the foundation in the package often isn’t sufficient. After all, you won’t know how something will look until you see it on your skin. Many makeup artists advise that you test on the jawline and the middle of the neck to make sure you'll get an even color on both. You can also ensure that your chosen shade blends well with your complexion by applying it to your face where you intend to use it.
That being said, due to sun exposure, our faces and necks can often be several different colors. For that reason, you may want to consider swatching your potential foundation and concealer shades on your chest. You’ll get a good idea of which shades best match your skin tone and undertone—and find a hue that blends well with the rest of your body.
Makeup can look surprisingly different depending on the lighting you’re in. That’s why we recommend looking at your swatches in a variety of lighting before committing to a shade. Try it out in your bathroom, under low light, and in natural lighting to get a sense of what it will look like in different conditions.
If you’re unable to test our foundation shades in the store, try out the L’Oréal Paris Virtual Makeup Try-On Tool, which allows you to try shades from any of the L’Oréal Paris foundation lines. That’s more than 100 shades you can test, right from the comfort of your home. All you have to do is upload a selfie or click on the live try-on button on the L’Oréal foundation matcher, which will automatically connect to your phone or computer’s camera. It's best that you test with a clean, makeup-free face so that you get the best possible match for your actual complexion.
Finally, if you’re looking for the perfect foundation and concealer match, take our Color Match Quiz. You’ll be asked some questions about your skin tone and undertone, then directed to your foundation match, as well as the concealer that pairs best with it. From there, all you need is something to set your base—and rest assured, we have you covered there, too.
Your foundation match might change slightly over the course of the year. You may be lighter in the winter because of less sun exposure, for example, and darker in the summer if you tan. Luckily, True Match Super-Blendable Foundation makes it very easy to discover your summer and winter shades. In the summer, if your skin gets deeper and more golden in color, go for one shade darker than your normal shade and choose one with a warm undertone. So, for example, if your go-to shade is N5.5, N6 could be a good summer match because it’s a bit darker. In the winter, N5 could be a nice shade match because it has a neutral undertone and it’s lighter than your summer shade. Remember that if you’re switching up your foundation, you may need to opt for a different concealer, too. Follow the same guidelines as outlined above for a natural-looking finish no matter the season.
Next Up: Do You Apply Concealer or Foundation First?
Photo Courtesy of L'Oréal Paris
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