Makeup

Your Foundation Soul Mate Has Arrived

Can the Sephora Pantone Color IQ really pair us with our perfect shade of foundation? We tested its matchmaking skills

by Allie Flinn | 1 COMMENT

PHOTO 3/5

Allie: Color IQ 2Y01 I've been hooked on foundation since the first time I was allowed to put bareMinerals on my face. As a seventh grader with bad skin, getting compliments on how glowy I looked was a huge confidence booster. To this day, I've tried dozens of different brands, shades and formulas -- not because I haven't found my match (I've found several) but because I'm always on the lookout for the next best thing. I will admit to my fair share of foundation faux pas (with skin this pale, it's hard not to end up orangey at least once in a while), and I am totally clueless about "undertones," so I like the idea of taking the guesswork out of finding a foundation.

My shade turned out to be 2Y01 (almost the lightest shade out there). There were so many options for me to choose from -- I had no idea so many brands could match my pale skin! Still, I ended up not completely happy with my foundation. Don't get me wrong, the shade was spot on. But instead of my usual multi-step process, I decided to try a BB Cream (Tarte BB Tinted Treatment 12 Hour Primer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 in Fair), thinking I would like it if I knew it was the right shade. But, like all the BB creams I've tried before, the formula just didn't have the coverage or staying power I'm used to.

Undeterred, I decided to visit my local Sephora store on my own to see if someone who wasn't a Sephora PRO could give me an accurate reading. In short, yes! At first my reading came out a shade darker than my original, but after a few adjustments, I ended up back at 2Y01. We tried out a few foundations and, after using the filter to figure out what kind of coverage I wanted, I am happy to report that I have found my match (Marc Jacobs Beauty Genius Gel Supercharged Foundation, in 10 Ivory Light)... at least until the next foundation comes along.

SEE NEXT PAGE: Emily: Color IQ 1Y04

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