How to prevent ashy foundation

If you have extremely dry skin and opt for a matte foundation, you can end up with extremely lacklustre, dehydrated-looking skin, which can appear ashen.

Today, we will be learning how to combat all of these issues. Unfortunately, a lot of drugstore lines lack adequate foundation shades for very fair and very deep complexions. You’ll also find that with higher end makeup, you might be able to get your shade, but you won’t be able to get your exact undertone. Thus, I know we can accidentally buy the wrong shade due to lack of testers, and more likely than not, we can’t return our purchases.

Luckily, there are some steps you can take to create a balanced complexion, or correct the tone of your mismatched foundation.

Let’s say that you have a foundation that matches you perfectly, but you have dark spots, or discolouration in certain areas, such as around the mouth, under the eyes or on the forehead. You can neutralise and brighten those areas with a product such as LA Girl HD Pro Conceal Corrector. Apply a layer of colour corrector to these areas, blending it out so you have the sheerest possible layer: Less is more. You don’t want it to be too thick, otherwise it will mix into your foundation throughout the day and show through.

Pink colour correctors will neutralise blue undertones and under eye circles on very fair skin tones, peach will brighten discolouration on medium skin tones, and orange will cancel out dark spots on deep skin tones. Give your colour corrector a few minutes to set on your skin before applying a medium coverage foundation. You will want to stipple rather than smear the foundation on, so as to not disturb the colour corrector. Be sure to set your face makeup with a powder to keep it locked down all day.

If your foundation is the wrong shade or undertone, there are a few different things you can do. Now, I know a lot of people will think, “Just stop using that foundation,” or “If it doesn’t work, just buy a different foundation.” Makeup can be quite expensive. Sometimes, you might really love the formula, ingredients or finish of a foundation, but just can’t seem to get your colour. This can be combatted by adjusting it. This will be particularly useful for people who frequent the beach or spend lots of time outdoors. Your skin tone is always changing, so having that darker colour to adjust your foundation shade will help you year round.

You can either buy another foundation that’s slightly darker and closer to your undertone to mix into your mismatched foundation, or purchase a shade adjuster such as NYX Pro Foundation Mixer or Face Atelier Ultra Foundation Pro Adjusters.

If your foundation is too pink, add a drop of yellow adjuster to neutralise it. If your foundation is too ashy, add a drop of orange adjuster to add warmth. Start with a small amount on a mixing surface. Add your foundation or adjustor as necessary in small increments, testing the shade on your face as you go, until you are satisfied with the colour. It should deepen the foundation, correct the tone and alleviate any ashiness. If it’s still slightly ashy, you can use a powder foundation that matches your complexion to diffuse the ashiness.

Alternately, you can use a tinted translucent powder. If you have medium to deep skin and a yellow undertone, Sacha’s Buttercup powder should help to brighten up foundation that’s too pink or ashy. If you have deeper skin and a warmer undertone, Laura Mercier’s Translucent Loose Setting Powder in the shade Medium Deep should help to mask ashiness. Be sure to push the powder into your skin with a large, fluffy brush to set your makeup. Once your whole face is set, you can dust off any excess powder. Sometimes, when you have too much powder or product sitting on your skin, a spritz of setting spray can help to settle the powder and meld the products together, further alleviating ashiness.