How to adjust your foundation if it's too light or dark, according to makeup artists

Picking the right base is hard enough without having to factor in our changing complexions.

You might have finally found the best foundation for you, and then summer comes and you’re contending with a golden glow from the neck down, and a chalky Casper hue from the chin up.

Knowing how to find your foundation shade is one of the trickiest aspects of foundation application, and the seasons just confuse things further. Whether your altered tone is the result of self tanning your face or (safely) enjoying the sun, it’s annoying having to buy a whole new foundation for a few months. So we've spoken to two makeup artists who shared how to alter your foundation shade throughout the year.

How to adjust your foundation colour when it’s too light

Whatever your base preference, be it full coverage or a sheer layer from the best lightweight foundation, we can all agree that we want our shade match to be flawless. Here, makeup artists Saffron Hughes and Ariane Young share straightforward tips on adjusting your foundation shade to create your perfect match.

1. Cocktail your formula

Adding a few drops of a warmer formula with your foundation before you apply it to your face can help add some depth. “Mixing in a liquid bronzer or a few drops of a deeper foundation can deepen the shade slightly,” advises Hughes. Apply a pea-sized amount of foundation to the back of your hand, add a few drops of bronzer or darker foundation, and mix it in. Go slowly, a few drops at a time to build up the intensity.

2. Get strategic with bronzer

Knowing how to apply bronzer is the secret weapon behind warming up your light base, according to Hughes. “Use your usual base sparingly, then bring warmth back into the face with your best cream bronzer applied around the edges of the face, across the cheeks and the bridge of the nose. This gives a sun-kissed effect that blends more naturally with a deeper skin tone.”

3. Blend blend blend

“Don’t forget to blend your product into your ears and hairline,” recommends Hughes. “That’s often where a mismatched foundation shows first, especially if your tone has shifted. A few extra seconds of blending with your best makeup brushes can make the whole base look more natural and polished.”

4. Check your undertone

“Sometimes it’s not the depth but the undertone of your foundation that’s off,” suggests Young. “If your skin has taken on more warmth from the sun, lean into peachy, golden undertones in your makeup to enhance the overall harmony of your look.”

Hughes recommends a warmer setting powder can have a similar effect, if you don’t want to experiment too much with new makeup shades. “A tinted setting powder with a golden undertone can also help soften the contrast and make the base look more balanced,” she says.

How to adjust your foundation colour when it’s too dark

1. Use shade alternating drops

“If your foundation is too dark, try adding a foundation lightening product to lift the tone slightly,” recommends Hughes. A lot of makeup artists use these to alter base shades rather than having to cart around hundreds of foundations in their kit. Mix in a few drops into a dab of foundation on the back of your hand - don’t mix them in with the foundation in the bottle. And as with the liquid bronzer trick, go steady to avoid looking too ghostly.

2. Lighten the formula

A high-coverage matte formula in the wrong shade will look very obvious, but lightening the load will help it look lighter and more natural. “You can mix your foundation with your face moisturiser to sheer it out for a more natural, glowy finish,” suggests Young. “Or try mixing it with another foundation or liquid illuminator to lighten the shade and coverage.”

3. Brighten the rest of your look

Adjusting the rest of your makeup can help balance the overall look, according to Young. “You can lighten up the look by brightening the centre of the face (under eyes, centre of the forehead, chin) with an ever-so-slightly lighter concealer to help bring balance.”