Mineral Foundation Colors

The most important thing in selecting the proper foundation shade is to first match your skin undertone and then choose a matching color depth. Simply determine if you're Cool, Neutral or Warm - based on your eye, hair and skin tones - then select the shades specifically formulated for that group.

STEP 1:
The first step to selecting the best shade of mineral foundation is to evaluate skin undertone as warm, cool, or neutral - based on your eye, hair and skin tones.
Perhaps the easiest way to determine the undertone of your skin is to check the color of your veins. By looking at the veins on your inner wrist or elbow in natural light, you can usually determine what undertone you have. If the veins on the inside of your wrist or elbow look green, you have warm undertones. Blue veins means cool. If you can’t tell what color you have or if you have both, then you’re one of the lucky ones with a neutral undertone.

STEP 2:
Choose your depth of color:

• Skin Type I:  Fair Complexion
  Usually bright white or pale skin, blue or green eyes, red hair and many freckles. This skin type always burns outdoors, never tans.
• Skin Type II:  Light Complexion
  Light Beige skin, blue or green eyes; blonde or light brown hair and maybe freckles. This skin type has a strong tendency to sunburn outdoors, but sometimes tans.
• Skin Type III:  Medium Complexion
  Light brown skin, brown eyes and hair. This skin type sometimes burns outdoors but always tans.
• Skin Type IV:  Olive Complexion
  Light brown or olive skin, dark brown eyes and hair. This skin type sometimes burns outdoors and tans readily.
• Skin Type V:  Tan Complexion
   Right on the border of medium and deep skin, dark brown hair and eyes. This skin type rarely burns outdoors and tans easily.
• Skin Type VI:  Deep Complexion
  Dark drown, deepest skin tone, black-brown eyes and hair. This skin type rarely sunburns outdoors.

Although a professional color consultation is best, there are several quick ways to determine undertone. One method is to see whether gold or silver is the most flattering. Warm tones look better in gold while cool skin is vibrant in silver. People with neutral skin can usually wear either one.