Halloween is one of my favourite times of year. You can dress up, makeup, wear a mask and become another character. For some women wearing a mask is something done on a daily basis, and the sad truth is that it is in most instances it is unintentional.

It is the dreaded foundation mask, costume optional. It is the mask that tells you that you are wearing the wrong shade of foundation. It is most noticeable along your jaw line where you see the drastic difference between your face and your foundation. What I’ve noticed is the two extremes. Either the shade is too pink for their skin tone or too light for their skin tone.

How does this happen?

Many women go to their neighborhood cosmetic department, try on a foundation, look in the mirror and it looks great! Somewhere between your purchase and applying that bottle it appears that the foundation that once suited your skin perfectly, is off a shade or two or three.

The most important part of your makeup application is your foundation choice. It is your canvas. The right foundation will even out your skin tone, may help conceal small blemishes and provide you with a flawless looking face. It should not be noticeable that you are even wearing foundation.

Tips
Take a good look at your face and notice the undertones. Most people have a combination of pink and yellow undertones. Ethnic skin the intensity of the undertone tends to range from the dark olive to violet. Depending on the brand you chose it is possible that you may need two shades to get YOUR perfect shade.

Look at the skin tone of your neck and decolletage for clues as well. If you have uneven skin tone and wear low tops; you might match the foundation to your face, but when you wear a low cut top your foundation will look off.

Your skin also changes with the seasons. Most women might need a different shade of foundation in the winter as opposed to summer. I tend to be pale as a ghost in the winter, but get a healthy sun kissed look in the spring. Make sure that as the season’s change that you check to see that your foundation still matches your complexion.

The best place to test foundation is the side of your jaw. There you can easily compare the foundation shade with your face and neck. If your skin tone is uneven match the shade to your neck.

Found your shade? Don’t be so sure. It is a must that you examine your face in natural light. The lighting in department stores throws the true shade of a foundation off. For this reason, when shopping for a foundation carry a hand held mirror with you. You can step outside and see the way the shade will look in a natural light. By following these tips, you will no longer wear a mask and you'll be on your way to creating a canvas for a beautiful you.