Q&A for How to Choose Makeup for Your Skin Tone

An undertone is a slight tint. All skin is some shade of peach or brown, but those neutral tones have subtle variations of warmth or coolness. If you had two bowls of brown paint and you mixed a drop of red into one and a drop of blue into the other they would shift slightly, one warmer, one cooler, respectively. Those paint drops are the undertones.

Pay attention to the color of your veins, the undertone in your skin, and the colors that you find flattering.

The best concealer should be very close to your foundation color but slightly lighter and warmer.

If you have bluish veins and you look best in cool colors like blue and green you probably have cool skin. If you have greenish veins and look best in warm tones like coral and gold you probably have warm skin.

The most important products to match are your foundation, concealer, and powder, which need to match your skin tone as closely as possible. You also have to consider the undertone, which might be cool or warm. If you're not sure, go to a makeup counter and ask a professional to match you with a product.

Go to a makeup store like Mac, or Sephora, and ask them to match your skin tone with a foundation.

You will need to know your skin tone: fair, light, olive, or dark. You will also need to know whether you have a cool or warm undertone by looking at the veins in your wrist. Blue or purple veins mean you have a cool undertone; your foundation will have a pink tint. Green or olive veins mean you have a warm undertone; your foundation will have a yellow tint. Buy 2 to 3 foundations that seem like they'd be a good match.

Don't be afraid of bright oranges and purple lipsticks. Bright, deep pink lipsticks are good too but stay away from lighter shades. Fuchsia and cardinal reds are also excellent lip color choices. Nude lipsticks are in this year. When choosing a nude, get one that complements your natural lip color, not your skin tone. This is a common mistake people make.

You can try a cream concealer in yellow or purple: those shades can offset the green color.

It could be due to using a lighter shade than your skin, or you might have oily skin. You can use a primer which will mattify your skin to help solve this problem.

Try using a white cream eyeshadow as a base, so whatever color you put on top of it will show up.

You can wear a bronze or brown color liner because you'll be wearing a bold lip color. Or you can always use black eyeliner.

It is best to get color matched for free at a makeup counter with plenty of shades (MAC or Sephora are good options). Make sure to walk outside to double-check the makeup artist's match.

Clear or ones that blend well would be best with a fair complexion. A lot of BB cream primers are either clear or blend out exceptionally well.

You have a warm skin tone based on your description.

It really depends on how much you're willing to spend. Not all palettes from Walgreens and Target are bad. In fact, I really love WetNWild shadows. I've heard the ELF Prism palette is good, but I haven't tried it.

If you're getting a grey-ashy tone it means the foundation color is too light itself (if it's too dark it will usually appear orange). Try a deeper foundation shade with warm tones - no pink or neutral-grey tones. You can also find foundation mixers that make different foundations either darker or more warm toned if you're having trouble finding the right shade.

Cool-toned browns, cool-toned pinks and red are good for that complexion. Mess around and you'll find some good shades.

Any orange-based colors will look good on you, including orange-reds, true reds, corals, and, obviously, oranges.

Look at your foundation color and then pick up a concealer two or three shades lighter. Make sure it is a pink color, or you can use a neutral undertoned concealer.

It depends on the brand. There are foundations called almond, for example, but all of them are different shades! "Ivory" and "light" will differ from brand to brand.

No, coverage is more dependent on the type of foundation. For example, cream covers more than powder.

You can visit your local makeup counter, and they should be able to recommend a tone that would compliment your skin tone. They will even be able to show you how to apply it, if you need assistance with that.

Primer helps makeup stick to your face and stay applied all day. Different primers target different skin types, like oily or dry.

Limit yourself to the amount of powder you put on your face after applying foundation or it can lead to a "dusty/ashy" look.

It seems like you have neutral undertones according to the colours that your veins are. A good foundation for neutral undertones is Even Better™ Glow Light Reflecting Makeup Broad Spectrum SPF 15. It is quite pricey, so if you do want a cheaper one I would suggest the Firm Flesh Thickstick Foundation.

Yes, you seem to have a neutral undertone in your skin, which is typical for olive skin. Look for foundations in the medium shade range, and make sure your test a foundation on your neck and face to see if it matches you well. Ideally, check the color in daylight to make sure.

As skin tones vary from very pale to very deep, no single foundation will work for all. If you know that you have pale, medium, dark-medium, etc. skin, and are unsure which foundation to choose, try and test foundations in a shop. Or purchase a bb cream instead in your shade (light/medium/dark). BB creams are more flexible in shade and will melt into various skin tones more easily.

Green veins indicate a warm (yellowish) undertone in your skin. Now it will depend on what is your skin shade (fair, light, tan, medium, deep, etc.) to determine which foundation will suit you. You can go into a shop and test different colors on your arm or neck, to get an idea. When you pick a concealer, always go 1-2 shades lighter than your foundation.

Ask your parents. Your skin is still very delicate, and makeup can age you. Wait a few years if you can. If you are allowed to wear makeup, keep it very simple, and save it for special occasions. All you really need is lash curler, clear mascara, the tiniest hint of blush, and tinted lip balm. Brush out your brows if you need to. But look like you are ten.