The Right Shade.

It took me a ridiculous amount of time to get what I thought was the right shade match in sample size of the new YSL Fusion Ink foundation (review to follow). As counter make up artists you put a lot of confidence in them when buying make up to help you choose make up that suits you, and especially to match you up to foundation in the right shade. However I yet again experienced horrible service in getting the right shade. Therefore I thought I would right a little blog about my experience and a few tips about helping you around this issue.

Firstly I was given BR50, which as soon as I went out into the natural light was really dark. Then when I nipped in to ask about it, the assistant gave me BR20, she said this matched my skin ‘perfectly’…but BR50 to BR20 is a pretty big gap. Once again she said to take home a sample and try it out. Too light is beyond what BR20 was, it was ridiculously light. By this point I was really disappointed in the ability of the YSL counter make up artists to match my skin tone to the correct foundation.

However, whilst in Newcastle I decided to pick up the YSL Babydoll mascara (review coming soon), whilst there I though I would give it another go. I already guess the BR bit was correct, this means I have Beige skin with Red undertones, which is very true, however from swatching the shades myself I guessed I was maybe a 30/40. The counter make up artist this time was a man, a man hasn’t ever served me at a make up counter, but I have to say, he was beyond incredible. He went through the shades and he even explained both shades I was given were beyond wrong, he went over how to apply it and even took me out into the natural light to make sure it matched my skin perfectly. Even my other half was incredible impressed with the service. Therefore I left happily with a bottle of BR30…in my finally ‘perfect shade’.

It doesn’t matter if a foundation is cheap or not, but its something you wear everyday, and when a counter puts make up artists on the counter to help you its pretty upsetting leaving with the wrong shade…especially if you don’t realise it actually is. 

There are two key tips I have found really help me when I’m unsure about foundation shades. Firstly if you aren’t beyond happy with you shade or if your not 100% confident that its perfect for you, then go and get a second opinion in another store. Alternative you can come back another day and ask someone different to match you up. Another tip is to borrow their mirror and actually go into the natural light, there are so many lights around beauty counters that it’s not a surprise I was matched up wrong. Remember your wearing this foundation, not them. They are there to guild and help you. If you think their wrong, or a little off, then tell them or go somewhere else just to make you feel a little more confident.