How to get free foundation for a month! {Tips: Shopping for foundation}
Birds do it, bees do it….even educated….oh wait…sorry, wrong song. I guess actually only humans do it….birds and bees would probably know better! Me, I took a long time to learn that I should not just buy the very first foundation handed to me by a friendly beauty consultant. URGH.
Gals…the struggle is real. I have wasted so much money on the wrong shades! I end up giving some of them to my daughter to play with, though that tends to backfire. ‘Mom this colour doesn’t suit me, can’t you go to Clinique and get me the right shade?’ Say what? lol. Um no my child. Ain’t nobody going to see you looking like Casper (or in any makeup actually), so you can just rock that look in the house! She is never impressed, though for now she claims her makeup days are over. She peaked young I guess.
Wow, off topic…. Okay, so when I would approach a makeup counter I had absolutely NO idea what shade I was. I would go, get matched, buy immediately. 2 days later I unwrap my new gem, put it on, leave the house and when I catch my reflection in the car I wonder WTF I have just done. Thankfully now I am a bit more knowledgeable, so I know more or less where to start in terms of colour. A lot of gals however still rely heavily on the consultant to match them though. So here are some tips:
- Always go with a bare/makeup free face if you know you want to be testing foundations.
- Don’t go with your heart set on a specific brand. We have different skin types, so the foundation that looks amazing on Katie, may not suit your skin and in turn, may not look amazing on you.
- If you have a foundation at home that you do wear, take the bottle/tube with you so you can compare the shade to the new one you’re trying out, just at first glance to make sure you’re on the right track.
- I will go one step further and say, pack your favourite application tool in your bag as well. A damp beauty sponge or a brush, whichever you use. (This is not a must though.)
- Once the consultant has matched you, ASK FOR A SAMPLE. Don’t just buy it, because you feel she’s spent her time on you. That is her job. Guilt is just going to cost you money if you end up not loving it.
- Now go home, wear the foundation for the day and also check to see what it looks like in natural light. Foundation in store under all those lights, look totally different in natural lighting sometimes.
- In the comfort of your own home, use your sample and do your makeup as you usually would and test it out again.
- Check during the day:
- Does it cling to any patches?
- Did it oxidise?
- Does it crack anywhere?
- If you’re an oily gal, is it making you shine or keeping you matte? (vice versa for a dry skinned gal)
- Are you happy with it overall?
- Once you’re happy, then by all means, go back and purchase the foundation.
I am obsessed with my L’Oreal infallible 24hr matter foundation, but one day I just wanted to try something different. I went to the Estee Lauder counter and got matched in the Double Wear. I went to Lancome and got matched in the Teint Visionnaire foundation (I was feeling really fancy!). I then realised there was a Red Square close to my house as well and went to get tested again for Clinique (but they had no testers in my shade) and a different Estee Lauder foundation that I didn’t even know about. Loved that one the best! I also recently picked up a sample of the new Revlon Youth Fx Fix and Blur foundation, that I loved in store, and then at home I realised I looked like a pink marshmallow.
I’m not telling you this so that you can be a cheap skate and live off samples (please don’t do that LOL). I was terribly intimidated when I started wearing makeup and I ended up buying all sorts of crap I didn’t need, just because I was too shy to say ‘No, I don’t like this’! No gals…I work hard for my money and makeup is expensive, so if they want my money, they need to be prepared for me to test their products.
This guideline doesn’t just stop at foundation. I ask for samples of new creams that I am interested in as well. I have heard that Smashbox even had samples of their eyeshadow at one stage! That wasn’t in PE though, but that is fantastic. I wish more companies would have that option. Nothing worse than spending hundreds on an eyeshadow and realising you hate the formula.
I hope you gals found this post helpful and that it encourages you to speak up next time you are halfway to paying for ebony shaded foundation when you are in fact ivory toned 😉
18 Comments
Nadine
Awesome post. I did not know that I could ask for testers.
Sometimes those cosmetics girls can be really intimidating.
Simone
Yes they really can be so rude at times. I just tell myself I am the customer and they want my business. You hold the power, not them!
Juwayra
Loved the post. Definitely going to get matched. Last time I just bought the foundation and wasn’t happy when I got home. Thanks.
Simone
I have bought from Clinique, Revlon and many others…. one use and I realise the colour doesn’t match me. So frustrating. Though thankfully now we have those shade adjusting drops as well, but dang it, they are pricey.
MomOfTwoLittleGirls
Thanks for this. I am so bad at make-up. It all just intimidates me. I would love a make-up make over/lesson where someone can just figure it all out for me then teach me how to do it myself. Dreaming I know! Great tips and I will definitely remember this.
Simone
I was the same, always intimidated. Not anymore…though maybe still at a MAC counter for some reason. lol.
Venean
This is such an awesome post, really. I am also one of those buy it and get out. And also feel guilty if they try it and don’t buy it. And then still to ask for a tester – but you are right. It’s expensive and by golly that’s why they have them there.
Simone
I know, we’re the same my friend! lol. But no more…we will ask for our samples!
donna
now after all the giggling I can type…. vader my friend you are hilariuos… ” she peaked young I guess” ek lag lekke.
this post has been written as if it were for me lol .. well this and every other very educational informative post about make up lol.
totally loved it and totally needed it as you know… so this girl needs to go get matched. thanks Moni… ♥♥♥
Simone
I meant to put in this post, I even go to The Body Shop and they give samples…the liquid peels are amazing! I sampled them first then bought the one I liked. Got a sample of a newer one and I am going to purchase that as well.
Thanks for reading….glad you enjoyed it 😉
Lynette
Such a great post for beginners Simone. I didn’t ask you could even ask for a sample from Estee Lauder – might try that next time I need foundation. But I got a few as PR the last two weeks.. lol so at this stage I don’t need anymore. (Won’t stop me from buying more .. lol )
Simone
Estee Lauder actually give you a week’s worth of foundation to try out at home. It’s a great idea!
Simone
Love this
Simone
Thanks 🙂
Nimmi
Wonderful post! I usually struggle on my own to find a foundation shade because I feel obligated to buy if the saleslady goes through the effort to match me so number: “Once the consultant has matched you, ASK FOR A SAMPLE. Don’t just buy it, because you feel she’s spent her time on you. That is her job. Guilt is just going to cost you money if you end up not loving it” really hit home.
At this stage, the only high end foundations that I will be able to get my hands on are samples.
Simone
I think so many of us have this ‘buy out of guilt’ syndrome. This applies for drug store as well. They give samples at Dischem as well.
Pingback:
Pingback: