Bobbi Brown Explains Exactly How to Find the Right Foundation Shade

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• Bobbi Brown, 66, shared a “public service announcement” about how to “choose the correct color” of foundation to match your skin tone.

• The makeup artist dispelled “misinformation” about shade matching and gave a few simple tips to follow.

• Brown demonstrated with The Face Pencil, which can be used as foundation or concealer.

When it comes to creating a flawless complexion, finding the best foundation is key. And while you might find a formula you love and trust, sometimes selecting the perfect shade match can be tricky. Thankfully, beauty pro Bobbi Brown shared how to find the perfect foundation shade for your skin tone—and her tips may surprise you.

In an Instagram post, Brown, the founder of Jones Road Beauty, shared a “public service announcement” about shade matching. She started by dispelling “misinformation” around the practice of matching your foundation or Face Pencil “to your arm,” explaining that the photo of makeup swatches on her inner arm “is for training purposes only.” So what is the best way to find your perfect shade match?

“The only way to choose the correct color is to apply it on your face (I use the side) and double check the color on your forehead,” Brown wrote in the caption of her post. “Look in the mirror in the best light possible, which for me is daylight. If it disappears it’s the right color.”

Brown added that there are “so many adaptations possible,” when it comes to choosing your foundation shade—or shades. “If your forehead is darker than your face, you might use two to mix,” she explained. “If you’re darker around your mouth, you might choose a lighter one there to brighten the area.”

Plus, the makeup mogul gave a few application tips for different skin types, noting that those with “very dry” skin may want to consider using a moisturizer first, and those with more oily skin may want to avoid that step, but add “a face powder over [the] pencil.”

Another “bonus” tip is to try “a lighter and a brighter” shade of the Face Pencil, which she says is “great for a concealer” under the eyes. “If you haven’t tried the formula yet it’s magic because it has a clear base so it’s not ashy. And buildable,” Brown added. “Now you have it.”

The Face Pencil

What The Foundation

Brown’s followers appreciated the makeup artist’s tips. “So good Bobbi! Great reminder ✨🤍,” one follower wrote. “I love the face pencils. ❤️❤️❤️ They have been a constant repurchase since Jones Road launched,” another added.

The Face Pencil, or the “everything stick” as the brand describes it, is a multitasking face product in an easy-to-use crayon form that spot corrects and conceals redness, or provides coverage all over the face depending on how you use it. Brown named it one of her “go-to products” in a previous TikTok video for a “beauty routine” that “only takes a sec.” She suggested using the product “under your eyes, around your nose, [to] get rid of redness.”

While not discussed in the post, Brown has also been vocal about What The Foundation—her go-to product for glowing, natural-looking skin. “It’s like a tinted moisture balm, but it adds coverage to most places where you need it,” Brown previously said. “It has beautiful oils infused in it and it gives a nice glowy finish that will absorb into the skin because it’s an oil.”

With Brown’s advice, we’re confident you’ll be able to find your perfect match in any foundation you choose. Check out some of our other expert-approved favorites below.

Hydro Boost Hydrating Tint with Hyaluronic Acid

Your Skin But Better Foundation + Skincare

Visible Lift Serum Absolute Foundation

Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40

Simply Ageless Instant Wrinkle-Defying Foundation

Double Wear Stay-in-Place Foundation

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