Let’s take a look at a topic that’s crucial for every makeup artist out there: paring down your foundation range within your makeup kit. I’ll share some valuable insights and tips on how to carry fewer foundation shades without compromising on versatility and effectiveness.
how to condense foundations in your pro makeup kit
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In This Episode We Cover:
- Understanding skin tones and undertones is essential before minimizing your foundation range
- Implementing the strategy I share below can allow you to simplify your kit without compromising on versatility or coverage
- Custom mixing and adjusting foundation shades can enhance your color theory skills
Episode 79: Show notes
It’s always exciting to find new ways to optimize and get more bang for your buck in your professional makeup kit.
And one of the hottest topics among my coworkers always happens to be the actual makeup kit. It always feels like a sneak-peak highlight working in large teams, to pop your nose into their makeup station, check out their skincare combos, and ask what their favorite products are.
And it’s also one of the best ways to grow your product knowledge and become exposed to new brands.
Chatting with other artists also helps you decide what to include, what to exclude, and, more importantly, how to make it all lighter without compromising on quality or versatility.
Today, I want to dive deep into a subject close to my heart and very practical for all makeup artists, both seasoned and new—condensing your foundation ranges to save space and reduce weight in your kit. Trust me, after years of lugging around ten-ton bags across the planet, this is a game-changer!
And the methods I want to share with you might be new, a tad controversial, but indeed logical and VERY necessary.
Because (drum roll) you don’t need to carry every single foundation in a range to feel prepared for any job you may get as a professional makeup artist. You just don’t.
It’s a waste of product (I guarantee you’ll throw bottles out before you empty them onto faces) and it’s a waste if your back, neck, knees, and every other joint or muscle that gets strained every time you drag your entire kits in and out of your car each day.
Color Theory, Always Color Theory
To follow suit with my foundation condensing theory, we must first discuss your favorite, long lost friend, color theory.
And first off, let’s talk about understanding skin tones and undertones.
Before you streamline your best foundations, you need a solid grasp of categorizing skin tones into very basic groups.
Groups such as fair, light, medium, tan, and deep. Doing so is the best way to simplify foundation ranges, and help you minimize the shades of foundation you can work with. (and help you finally invest in that luxury brand of makeup products you’ve always dreamed of using, but could never work out how you could pay for 27 shades at 100 bucks a pop).
Good news is you don’t need all 27 shades to be well stocked and prepared. You just need to know how to mix and match, and to use your eyes for a while.
And to take it one step further, each of these can be broken down into cool, warm, and neutral undertones. This foundational knowledge will allow you to choose a range of foundations that can cover a wide spectrum of complexions.
The Five Shade Foundation Strategy
Yep – I’ve come up with a strategy I like to call the “Five Shade Foundation Strategy.”
The essence of this plan is selecting five key versatile shades from any foundation brand that you can mix to cater to a broad array of skin tones and undertones.
I know this might ruffle some feathers as this can feel somewhat limiting, but it truly simplifies your kit without sacrificing the ability to match almost any skin tone.
The shades I recommend are:
- Fair with cool undertones
- Light with warm undertones
- Medium with neutral undertones
- Tan with warm undertones
- Deep with cool undertones
This approach enables you to invest in higher-end brands without forking out a lot of money.
By starting with these core shades, you have the flexibility to mix and match, creating custom blends tailored to each client. The benefits are numerous: less weight, fewer products to manage, and an opportunity to master your color theory and blending skills.
Let’s peek into some of my go-to foundations and how I break them down using this strategy.
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation
One of my absolute favorites is the Armani Luminous Silk Foundation. I have used Armani on all skin types, mature skin – a dream, and yes, dry skin, combination skin, even oily skin, and I guess that’s why I truly love it. It just seems to work for me, all the time. It even softens and diffuses fine lines on the skin, too.
Obviously, it’s no plastic surgeon, but it definitely is some kind of makeup magic.
Here are the 5 Armani Luninous Silk foundation shades I recommend starting with in your minimal makeup kit:
shade 2: Fair, Peach
Fair with cool undertones.
Shade 4: light, golden
Light with warm undertones.
Shade 6.5: medium to tan
Medium with neutral undertones.
shade 8.75: tan to deep, golden
Tan with warm undertones.
shade 12: deep, red
Deep with cool undertones.
shade 15: very deep, neutral
Very deep with neutral undertones.
Okay, so that’s actually 6 shades, but I really felt 6 gives you a more well-rounded selection and range of shades to have you covered for varying skin tones from fair to very deep. And to allow you to mix these in completely different combinations, to color match however you need to.
Of course this is simply a suggestion, a starting point, and if you feel compelled to build on this collection, then absolutely go for it! I just want to get you started with just a few key shades.
Cle De Peau Radiant Cream Foundation
Another gorgeous brand I’ve recently fallen in love with is the Cle De Peau Radiant Cream Foundation. This is definitely a high quality, high-end luxe foundation formula that will also be kind on all skin types. Probably one of my new favorite cream foundations (in a tube, that is).
For the delicious, delightful Cle De Peau luxury full-coverage foundation (that still maintains the most lightweight formula), here are the shade selections for you:
i10: very light ivory
Fair with cool undertones.
O20:light ochre
Light with warm undertones.
B30: beige
Medium with neutral undertones.
040: Medium ochre
Tan with warm undertones.
B80: Deep beige
Deep with cool undertones.
B100: rich deep
Deep with cool undertones.
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Face Atelier Ultra Pro Foundation
Lastly, I can’t leave out the ultra lightweight, highly pigmented liquid foundation from Face Atelier – the Ultra Pro Foundation.
There are so many reasons I love to talk about Face Atelier a lot and the Ultra Pro full coverage foundation range within the many pages of The Makeup Refinery. If you are just starting out, and stocking your pro kot for the first time, then dare I say this might just have to be one of your makeup artist kit essentials in terms of a reliable, affordable all-rounder – such a good choice to begin with.
Here are 6 shades of Face Atelier Ultra Pro Foundation to begin with:
shade 1.5 Lace
Fair with cool undertones.
Shade 2 Ivory
Light with warm undertones.
shade 4 sand
Medium with neutral to warm undertones.
shade 6 honey
Tan with warm undertones.
shade 9 toffee
Deep with cool undertones.
shade 11 mink
Deep with warm undertones.
And if you’re on a skinny jeans-tight budget, I’m a big fan of the Maybelline Fit Me Foundation, as you may well know. But they also have a million and seven different shades in the range, and I don’t want to keep you all day.
Perhaps I’ll dedicate an entire episode all on it’s own to Maybelline and the delightful Fit Me range – may she always be in existence (I’m bowing my head as I say these words).
Now that I’ve promised a full episode for this beloved drugstore brand, know that it also fits beautifully into the Five Shade Strategy. For such a low cost, easy-entry point range as Fit Me, you truly can create a flawless look with your complexion. And depending on the skin type you’re working with, you can play with either the Matte version, or the Dewy version, or a combo of both.
Oh Maybelline thank you for gifting us these super-cheap foundations for all different skin types!!
Now when I get carried away for my no-holds barred love of all things Maybelline Fit Me, I must add this littlet caveat.
If you are working with high-profile clients. If you are working with A-listers, the main cast on your next movie project, whatever that high-profile gig may be.
You might not want to pull out your prized 6 buck bottle of Fit Me joy. I know its great, but it also has it’s place when you are a working professional. And come to think of it, thats yet another reason I do love it so much.
For my background kits, that have a much higher product turnover, this is a logical good choice. Because no matter the makeup look you are creating you can fly through the products, replace them feasibly each year or so, and not cry too many dollars down the drain when you go for the inevitable replacement that comes around.
In fact, having a go-to, ultra low entry point foundation that you love and trust is a really good idea at the best (and worst) of times because it means you CAN say goodbye to a whole range and not have spent a small fortune in the process.
Whether you’re just starting out as a small fish in a big pond of beginner makeup artists, or you’re a big fish seasoned pro in a small pond, reducing your foundation range to a core selection not only lightens your load but also enhances your skill set. And this should be the case, regardless of how little or how much you want to spend on a few good quality products.
And remembering these key things can help force you to become proficient in mixing and matching, which inevitably makes you a better artist. And remember, adding adjusters like primary colors and varying shades will supercharge your possibilities without adding significant weight.
Before I wrap up, the process of condensing your foundation kit while maintaining its efficacy isn’t just about practicality—it’s about pushing your creativity and resourcefulness to new heights.
So here’s to lightening your load and sharpening your skills one foundation bottle at a time. And here’s to the endless creativity that makeup artistry inspires!
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