Unlike lipsticks, eyeshadows, and blushes where you can play around with a rainbow of colours and pick and choose what suits your personal style best, you have to find the right shade of foundation for your skin to get a flawless base. But there is so much more to finding the perfect foundation than just matching the shade. You have foundations for oily skin, foundations for dry skin, powder foundations, liquid foundations, the list is endless. Nailing your foundation is the most important step in achieving a beautiful makeup look.

Figuring out how to choose foundation can definitely feel overwhelming, but here are five important things to keep in mind the next time you’re on the hunt for your perfect foundation.

1. Know your undertone
You’ve probably heard people describe their skin tone and their foundation as “cool”, “warm”, or “neutral” and this is one of the most important factors in determining the right foundation shade that best matches you. Undertones are the colours that come through and add an overall hue to your skin. Undertones have nothing to do with the colour of your skin, your skin colour can change as seasons change or if you get a fake tan, but your undertone will always remain the same. People with warm undertones have an overall peachy, yellow, or golden glow to the skin whereas ones with cool undertones have hints of pink, reds, and blue. Neutral undertone has a balanced mix of both warm and cool tones. There are a number of simple ways in which you can check your undertone – from checking the colour of your veins to holding a white sheet of paper next to your face. Try out a bunch of these tests to correctly determine your undertone and use this knowledge when shopping for your next foundation.

2. Know your skin type
Knowing your skin type is essential to finding the right products. The main skin types are oily, dry, and normal, and combination. It is important to use the foundation that is meant for your skin type. The best foundation for oily skin is one that is mattifying and controls excess oil production. The Maybelline Fit Me Matte+Poreless is a lightweight foundation that for normal to oily skin that refines pores for a natural-looking matte finish. With 18 unique shades, the Maybelline Fit Me Matte+Poreless Foundation is made to fit diverse Indian skin tones.

The best foundation for dry skin adds hydration to the skin without looking greasy. Look for foundations that have a dewy or satin finish. Satin or satin-matte foundations also work great for combination skin as they add a glow to the dry parts of your face but do not add too much of a shine to the overall look.

3. Know the level of coverage you desire
Not every makeup look requires a full coverage foundation. It is important to know how to choose a foundation based on its coverage – light, medium, and full. If you’re looking to just even out your skin tone without fulling covering everything up, go for a sheer or light coverage foundation. This one looks the most natural and looks like skin. To completely cover all your spots, blemishes, and hyperpigmentation, opt for a full coverage foundation. The Maybelline Superstay Full Coverage Foundation has saturated colour pigments that provide a flawless finish with a concentrated coverage. A medium coverage foundation lies somewhere in between and is often buildable to full coverage.

4. Swatch foundation the right way
How many times have you bought a foundation that you swatched on your hand or your cheeks only to later realize that it does not match your neck at all? Having a foundation that does not match your neck looks unnatural and makes you look like you have a mask on. The best way to avoid having a stark line and completely different colours on your face and neck is to swatch it along your jawline. Swatch a foundation on your jawbone so you have a little on both, your cheek and your neck. This way you can check if the foundation matches both these areas, an important step in finding a shade that looks natural on your skin.

5. Patience is key
Foundations tend to oxidize after a few minutes because of the heat from the skin, causing it to turn slightly orange. To prevent this from happening, it is important to swatch a foundation and wait for around 5-10 minutes to see how the foundation will truly appear after it has oxidized. The foundation that seemed to match when you first swatched might suddenly turn darker. So, the next time you’re at the store trying out foundation, swatch some on your jawbone and give it some time to settle in before you make your decision.

Whether you’re going for an everyday, natural makeup or glamming up for an important event, the foundation you apply can make or break your look. With the variety of shades, finishes, formula, and coverage levels available, it is no surprise that finding the perfect foundation is one of the toughest parts of shopping for makeup. It doesn’t matter if your skin is oily or dry, if your skin tone is pale or dark, the base of your face – the foundation will always remain the hero product in your makeup kit. We hope the simple tips mentioned above help you understand how to choose foundation and make you a foundation-buying pro in no time!