Do you adjust your foundation for seasonal changes? Do you have to get a different shade or mix two shades? Change formulas?
I usually mix two shades year-round, but it might be more of one and less of the other depending on how much I got outdoors–admittedly, I’m mostly inside!
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I change formulas with the change of seasons, especially in the winter when the warm air from the heater seems to make my skin drier. Hello Regenerist! And I try not to frown, avoiding the dreaded “11’s”.
I have fair-to-light medium skin, with paler skin in winter, so have to adjust my makeup. I have so many samples of foundations, bb creams, tinted moisturizers, powders lying around that I just use whatever best matches my skin. I have also mixed 2 foundations together to get the right shade. And I have to adjust my powders too. In summer, my go-to-powders are Hourglass Ambient Powder in Diffused Light and the Wet N Wild bronzer in Cabana – it’s too sheer and light to be used as bronzer, but makes a great powder for my summer complexion and has SFP 15!
Depending on which foundation I use I’m in between shades all year round anyway, so I will just adjust the ratio of light and dark. For the one foundation that matches my skin exyctly I usually just add a hint of darker powder/bronzer in the summer, since I don’t tend to get much of a tan anyway.
I adjust more in terms of formula, because some formulas work better for spring/summer and others autumn/winter.
Not really, I’m always the same shade of ultra pale all year round. In the summer I’m more oily though and use a blot powder more often.
Yes. I change foundation for colour, coverage, and moisture. I go for one shade lighter in my stash and formulas that have a little more coverage and tend to be more emollient.
I am pale enough to burn in moonlight so I avoid the sun the the plague. I don’t really change tone during the year. I change seasonal allergies, especially since I’m a student so I migrate between states. So my skincare regimen fluxes a lot. Not my foundation though.
Well! I actually stopped wearing foundation this summer and I’m still going strong 🙂 All I’m wearing at the moment is a very light dusting of Bobbi Brown’s Skin Weightless Powder Foundation. I don’t know how my skin is going to change with the seasons but I don’t intend to change much about my current (almost) naked routine.
Yes! Not only that, but it’s pretty consistent-I get the same transition colors year after year: a lighter, more moisturizing shade in winter and a darker, oil controlling formula for the summer. I have oily/combo skin but as I’ve gotten older it’s not as oily in the winter anymore.
I mostly use the same shade of mineral powder foundation year round, and especially in summer. My skin tone doesn’t change much, even when I get lots of sun (which is rarely). Sometimes I’ll wear a BB cream if my skin is looking good and it’s not too hot out. I skip heavier foundations when it’s warm. Cooler weather, I’m more likely to wear a heavier foundation occasionally if I need it.
I always go lighter on my foundation in the winter months as I love the darker lippie with pale complexions. Summer is bronzer heavy for me- but it’s in the drawer for winter months!
What do you think a good foundation would be for someone with dry skin. That likes a good coverage but a lightweight feel?
I think Estee Lauder makes me one that is particularly hydrating… I like Bobbi Brown’s tinted moisturizer in a pot for something more hydrating, but the coverage is lower.
Okay I will look into those! Thank you so much 🙂
For me, foundations and the like change based solely upon my skin’s needs. I only wear it if I need to, and I would rather not ever have to wear it all.
Oh sure! I have quite a few different foundations at hand and adjust not only for seasonal changes, but so many other factors. It depends on where I am going and doing that day. Indoors or outdoors will determine the need of SPF, different occasions requires different level of coverage. And skin condition also has to be taken into consideration.
Yes, I usually go for something with lighter coverage in summer & something light-medium in winter months. I also have a lot of base products, and some are too dark for me in winter so I’ll mix colours to get the right shade year-round.
I change formulas as well. In summer I go very bare-skin finish, choosing from BB to tinted sunscreen (like Clarin’s tinted sunscreen). In winter, with bright-colored coats and lots of my dark clothes I tend to wear more coverage for a porcelain-like finish, to perfect the whole look. Plus paler skin goes so well with dark and formal red lips.
Yes. Sort of have to, as my skin tends to be on a sliding scale from NW10-NW/C15, which is a pretty big variation. The biggest issue is undertone, as my summer skintone is more neutral, whereas my winter skintone is very, very cool and can’t handle even a hint of yellow in the base. I’ll generally switch formulas, too; my skin is generally normal, but it can get dry in the winter, so I opt for a moisturizing formula.
I have 2 colors in each of my favorite foundations, so I use whatever color is best, or I blend colors, in order to get a perfect color at any time of year.
I use the same foundation all year : )
I’m really fair, so it’s the same shade year round. I like to add bronzer in summer.
I do change it. As in fall and winter I’m a little pale. Normaly I use Mac NW15 but in the fall and winter I am more dry so I use YSL le teint touche eclat in b20
I don’t, because my skin is super-oily 365 days a year, and the same NW15 color all of the time. I use sunscreen every time I go out. The vast majority of the time, I’m happy with my Makeup Atelier HD Airbrush foundation, because I love the “my-skin-but-better” look that it gives me, and it doesn’t feel oily or dry (as IF!), or break me out. The only thing I don’t like about it (aside from the price and difficulty obtaining in the U.S.) is that I don’t think it has SPF. I wear sunscreen under foundation, anyhow, so that’s not really a problem.
I use something heavier in cooler months. But whatever I wear, it has to be oil-free. Also, I only wear actual foundation a few times per month. I usually wear a powder during the week to work, because it’s easier and I don’t like to shine.
So here’s the thing. I spend about 90% of my time in a dark windowless room in a basement – i.e. the lab – (the other 10% is 5% at home and 5% in a ballet studio). This means that, seasonally, I don’t change much 😉 I tend to avoid getting any natural tan too, and I don’t fake tan. I also don’t think I look particularly good with a more tan colour, as my body kind of becomes the same shade as my hair, and I look…odd, LOL! 😀
Al this, of course is a long way of saying: nope! Same ones all year round 🙂
This is so funny, because I also spend all my time in a lab and get no sun, but my coloring issues are the opposite- I blend into a beige blob with my blond hair pale skin with yellow undertones. Whenever I try to explain that I’m “shades of beige” people think I’m crazy, but I frequently get “you look tired/sick” in the winter when there’s no blush or mascara etc on my face, and compliments like “you really are a ‘summer'” when I go through the whole fake tanner ordeal.
I’m pretty lucky in this area because since I don’t go outside my skin’s always the same shade, and we don’t really have much in the way of seasons!
I typically switch to a lighter formula for my foundation in the summer but my shade always stays the same (the very lightest possible) because I don’t tan haha!
same! 🙂 i avoid the sun like it’s going to kill me. i blister after 5-10 minutes. so unhealthy.
YES! I have a combination skin, very dehydrated. I use a radiant formula in the winter (True Radiance – Clarins) and a sheer formula with a natural finish in the summer (Skin Illusion – Clarins). I also adjust my powders: for the cold days I use Poudre Majeure Excellence (loose) from Lancome and in the summer: Ever Matte from Clarins. There is only one thing I use all year round: Guerlain Meteorites.
During summer I pretty much only use BB creams or tinted moisturizer (if I wear anything at all on my skin) because I have combo/oily skin and my skin is almost always going to be oily during the summer so I can’t wear anything heavy. During the winter time I can wear my thicker, more long-wearing foundations. Since most BB creams and tinted moisturizers are more sheer, I don’t have to worry about them not matching my skin tone.
No I don’t really adjust my foundation for the seasons as I am very fair. In summer I try to stay out of the sun as it gets way too hot.
Absolutely – it’s necessary unless I can manage to get tanning in the winter. Canadian Seasons = indoors, outdoors, indoors, outdoors constantly!
It’s not so much change formulas as it is changing primers! An oil free primer works wonderfully in the summer, but the Hourglass No. 28 Primer Serum is needed underneath my tinted moisturizers for my really dry skin, especially in fall and winter.
I wear the same (light) color year-round, but adjust the formula depending on the weather and condition of my skin. I naturally have very dry skin, but keep it in check by exfoliating, wearing masks, and moisturizing. I live in a very hot and humid climate, so in the summer, I wear a large variety of foundations and tinted moisturizers (that depend on the days’ activities). In the winter, I layer Origins A Perfect World Skin Guardian under MAC Studio Sculpt mixed with Face and Body (or Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer). This helps keep my skin protected from the cold weather and skin-hating heaters.
I just use whatever seems right for my skin at the time. I use sunscreen all year round and I’m not an outdoorsy person at all so my skintone doesn’t change but sometimes it’s more oily, other times it’s more dehydrated so I’m constantly mixing and matching different primers and foundations to suit my current skin needs. At any one time I’m rotating about four different foundations and a few primers until, usually, I rediscover old favourites and change everything up. I’m someone who likes to be prepared for any eventuality so even when I travel I take about three foundations minimum! 😀
Depends on how much sun I get. Lately, that has not been much due to lifestyle and religious use of sunscreen, especially on my face. But I find my body darkens just from everyday exposure. For that slightly darker body color, I use a sheer foundation (Estee Lauder’s Invisible in 1CN1) to match my face. Love that foundation, but they don’t have a color light enough for my winter skin. If we go on a tropical vacation where my body darkens quickly despite sunscreen use, then I have to bring darker foundation, concealed, powder, etc., so that my face matches my body. I used to do that with 2 or 3 Bobbi Brown foundation sticks, but they have become too heavy and yellow for my drier skin. Samples also get me thru these brief time periods, as do darker shades of tinted moisturizer to mix with an everyday one to get the perfect shade. For this I use Clinique’s Moisture Surge tinted moisturizer in shades 1 & 2. BTW, the Clinique one in shade 1 was the only successful match I’ve ever gotten from Sephora’s color IQ foundation matching system, and I’m sure that’s because the color is very forgiving and probably works for a variety of skin tones. My current favorite foundation is MAC’s mineralize moisturizing foundation now that they’ve added more NW shades. They’re really not that pink at all. As a matter of fact, NW 18 is downright yellow! But NW 15 is a very good match for me. NW 20 was very dark as I remember, I’d probably have to mix it for non vacation summer use, but I haven’t had the need to purchase it yet. Another good foundation for travel for those with dry skin, is Nars Radiant Cream foundation. If you don’t buy the useless compact, its tiny, easily fitting into travel cases, and it applies very quickly. The colors tend to be darker than the liquids by the same name, that’s why I use the Mt. Blanc I bought in summer. Pricey for the amount you get, that’s why I didn’t pursue it for daily use, but perfect size for travel, or to keep in your purse. Guess I’ve gone way beyond answering the question, but hopefully my experimentation will help others with fair, slightly cool toned skin!
I’m a WOC and I have different ranges of colors in my face so I usually mix two shades all year. In the summer I do get a bit darker, but either way in most brands i’m the last or second to the last shade. So I can’t really change shades.
I change shades with the seasons, although I am pretty pale all year long. This year I am trying a Mary Kay foundation, so I used Ivory 6 over the latter part of the summer when I had a little time out in the sun, then this month I switched over to Ivory 4, and I have Ivory 2 set back for winter. I still end up mixing a little bit of each shade in sometimes, and play with my bronzer and powder to try to get a good match for my skin, but I can’t say that I’m completely happy yet.
not really. i just bronze up my face and neck a bit in the summer. ill tan all over my body in the summer a bit but my face comes no where near the sun so i just apply bronzer. seems to work just fine and i don’t mind my face being a little bit lighter than my body.
for me the total no no is having a face darker than your body plus the dreaded foundation line.
if i get mega tanned on my body…again my face stays light, then i mix my foundation with a really dark sample if some sort. last year i mixed foundation with a reeealy dark concealer and moisturizer. the year before that with a tinted moisturizer. you get the ideea.
i never throw away samples or things i bought that don’t quite fit. i can always find use for them ( hello contouring)
My skin shade doesn’t really change much throughout the year, (sometimes during the summer I will get a litter darker and loose the color in the winter, but most of the time it’s pretty much the same year round.) I do, however, change formulas during different seasons. For example, during summer I really enjoy a dewy finish and lighter coverage, and during fall and winter I prefer something hydrating for dry skin but with a more matte finish and a bit heavier coverage.
yes, I tend to stick to lighter base during warmer months and get heavier (possibly with nourishing benefits) base for winter
I may be the only one that does this, but I actually wear my heavier foundations in the summer and the lighter ones in the winter! Maybe it’s that I have more time to get ready in the summer…. For winter, though, my dehydrated skin LOVES dewy, serum-like foundations. Perricone MD No Foundation Foundation Serum (my HG), itCosmetics CC+ Veil, MAC Face and Body, etc. If I change tones at all, it’s from an NC25 to an NC30 and back. I don’t fluctuate much 🙂
During spring and summer, I tend to have oilier skin, so I only use powder foundation because it’s lightweight and doesn’t melt off my face. During fall and winter, I prefer liquid foundation because my skin gets drier and liquid seem to give me the moisture and natural glow I like.
I live in a beach town and am not as disciplined about sunscreen as I should be :(….so yes, I do use different shades for different seasons. My skin is also very oily in summer, and can get very dry in winter, so my formulas are also different.
Recently, I bought a fairly rich moisturizer/sunscreen combo and a very light cream-to-powder Benefit foundation and I’m going to give that a try. If it works, I can skip the heavy, emollient foundation this season.
definitely. in the summer i use a lighter type of foundation, or i will only put foundation on the parts of my face i feel need coverage and blend and buff it out. (i like tinted moisturizers as well). in the fall and winter i need to use more moisturizer (i love clinique’s sublimage – light enough to avoid breaking out, anti-aging and yet still keeps my skin from getting dry or getting cracks around my lips). i like MUFE’s HD foundation in 115 or maybe 117, I like MAC’s studiofix fluid in NW20 or NW15. ive been experimenting more with contouring in the past few months, so ill get 2 foundations, one that is a shade lighter (NW15) and one that is 2 shades darker (NW25 or 30) – seems to work very well.
i dont like to look like im wearing a mask, and i think that overdoing coverage in the summer will lead to a sticky meltdown, so i use a very light hand. and Studio Fix Plus is a must for any season for me.
… i love these questions, ive been learning so much from all these! Thanks, Christine!
oh ps i also do NOT go in the sun, ever. my skin is extremely sensitive and i will blister within 10 minutes. i use sunscreen year round on my face and avoid direct sunlight in the summer. lucky me i am a bartender and work nights mostly so im hardly even awake when its harsh sun time. my dermatologist said i have the skin of someone 10 years younger! yay! but i dont really need to change foundation colors bc of this. i just like using lighter formulas in the summer. i HATE sweating and i feel like painting on a thick layer of heavy foundation just feels disgusting.