In all likelihood, you’ve probably seen it before. You get a glimpse of a woman with a clear line of demarcation along the jawline where her foundation abruptly ends. It can be significantly apparent or sometimes less evident. But you still notice. What causes this problem? Choosing the wrong foundation color is the main culprit.

Foundation Color Problems
Many women simply don’t know how to choose the right color for their complexion. It can be a little intimidating if you’re new to using makeup or don’t know if your skin has a warm or cool undertone. Then you have to consider the lightness or darkness of the color according to your skin.

Other people aren’t happy with their natural skin tone and attempt to lighten or darken it with makeup. However this approach leads to unnatural-looking results and should be avoided. Those with lighter complexions who try to look tanned, or darker, end up with the dreaded “makeup line” along the jawline. Those with darker skin who try to lighten their look with makeup can create an unnatural, ashen appearance.

Choosing the Right Color
When it comes to selecting the right color for your complexion, there are a couple of factors to consider. One is whether your complexion is cool or warm. Foundation colors often contain pink or yellow tones.

Yellow-toned foundations are usually made for skin containing warm tones, while pinks tend to work for cooler skin tones. If you’re not sure if your complexion is cool or warm, seek help from a makeup artist or beauty consultant.

The other consideration is how light or dark your skin is. This is where a lot of mistakes happen. For example, women with pale skin may overestimate how pale their skin is a color that is too light. So how do you know for sure? By testing the color on your skin.

Testing Color
Testing color is fairly easy. Simply dab a small amount of foundation onto the jawline, and then blend it down into the skin on the neck. If it blends seamlessly with your natural color, it's a good match. If not, keep trying. You may need to blend two colors to get the right color for your individual complexion.

Though it may seem complicated at first, choosing the right foundation color is essential. It will look the most natural and enhance your natural beauty.