Buying foundation online without testing it first is a gamble. Get it wrong and your face looks a completely different colour from your neck. Get it right and it disappears into your skin like it was made for you. Here is how to find the right shade — every time.
Step 1: Know your skin tone
Skin tone is how light or dark your skin is overall. There are six categories:
Fair → Light → Medium → Olive → Tan → Deep
The easiest way to check: look at your forearm in natural daylight (not artificial light — it distorts colour). Which of the six best matches the inside of your wrist?
Most people can identify their skin tone fairly easily. The next step is where people often go wrong.
Step 2: Find your undertone — this is the important part
Undertone is the subtle colour beneath your skin's surface. It does not change with sun exposure or seasons. There are three:
Cool — pink or blue undertones
Warm — yellow or golden undertones
Neutral — a mix of both
The easiest test: look at the veins on your inner wrist in natural light.
• Blue or purple veins → cool undertone
• Green veins → warm undertone
• Both equally → neutral undertone
Why does this matter? If you have warm undertones and buy a cool-toned foundation, your face will look grey or ashy. If you have cool undertones and buy a warm foundation, your face will look orange. Getting the undertone right is more important than getting the exact shade right.
Step 3: Choose your Farmasi foundation
Now you know your tone and undertone, here is which Farmasi foundation to choose:
Air Glow Foundation — available in 10 shades from C02 (cool light) to W18 (warm deep). The C shades are for cool undertones, N shades for neutral, W shades for warm. Dewy, natural finish. Best for normal to dry skin.
VFX PRO Camera Ready Foundation — full coverage, matte finish. Available in multiple shades. Best for oily or combination skin and anyone who wants maximum coverage.
BB Beauty Balm — lighter coverage, more like skincare with colour. Available in 6 shades from Light to Deep. Good for minimal makeup days.
Shade codes explained for Air Glow Foundation:
• C = Cool (pink undertone)
• N = Neutral
• W = Warm (yellow/golden undertone)
• The number = depth (lower = lighter, higher = deeper)
Step 4: Test in the right place
Most people test foundation on their hand or wrist. This is wrong.
Your hand is a different colour from your face. Always test on your jawline — the boundary between your face and neck. The right shade disappears into your skin at the jawline. The wrong shade creates a visible line.
Test in natural daylight. Artificial lighting (especially yellow indoor lighting) makes shades look warmer and can mislead you.
If you are between two shades: go slightly lighter for a more natural daytime finish. You can always build up coverage; you cannot take it down.
The fastest way — use the AI Shade Finder
If you want to skip the guesswork entirely, use the Farmasi AI Shade Finder.
It takes under 2 minutes. Answer a few questions about your skin tone and undertone, and it recommends your best foundation match across the Farmasi range — including specific shade codes you can order with confidence.
Over 80% of people who use it find their shade is an exact or very close match. For an online tool with no camera required, that is impressive accuracy.
Browse all foundations: Shop Makeup
Try the AI Shade Finder: AI Beauty Suite — free, no sign-up needed
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