How Do You Color Match? Sephora Beauty Director Helen Dagdag Shares Her Expert Tips

We interviewed Helen Dagdag because we think you'll like her picks. Helen is a Sephora Beauty Director. E! has affiliate relationships, so we may get a commission if you purchase something through our links. Items are sold by the retailer, not E!. Prices are accurate as of publish time.

I love shopping for makeup online, but to be quite honest, color matching without an in-person visit to Sephora's Beauty Counter always leaves me feeling baffled. Just when I think I clicked on a foundation shade that best matches my skin, my next pick looks like it could also work. There I am, stumped. Stumped and foundation-less.

But, my color matching confusion is now a thing of the past. We chatted with Helen Dagdag on all things color matching, and the Sephora Beauty Director delivered. She simplified everything from how to find your undertone, online tools and tips you can use to identify your perfect shade and some of her favorite foundations and concealers from Sephora Collection, Makeup by Mario, Haus Labs by Lady Gaga and more. 

Scroll ahead to read Helen's tips and tricks to all things color matching.

First up, what is an undertone?

"Undertones speak to the overall warmth or coolness of your skin tone," Helen says. "Undertones are generally referred to as cool/pink, warm/golden/yellow or balanced/neutral. Skin tone is more about the depth of your skin and is usually referred to fair, light, medium, deep, etc."

While finding your undertone can be tricky, Helen says some people like to look at their vein color, which is either green or purple.

"Personally, I like the white shirt trick," she says. "You put your skin against a white shirt and see if it appears more pink/red or golden/olive."

"Sephora Collection Best Skin Ever Foundation and Best Skin Ever Concealer are both amazing because they have a huge range of 50 shades (with 1:1 match for foundation and concealer) and the undertones are clearly labeled on each," Helen shares. "These products both have a natural finish that allows for flexible coverage, too. "

What is color matching?

"Color matching is what you do to find your best shade for a complexion product," Helen shares. "Usually, you apply stripes of different shades of foundation, tinted moisturizer or concealer on the skin and see if it seamlessly blends in. If so, you've got a color match!"

"Surreal Skin by Makeup by Mario has 30 shades and also has undertones denoted on each shade— c for cool, w for warm and n for neutral," Helen explains.

Why is your undertone important to consider when color matching?

"Your undertone determines which shades to check out when color matching, as you want to go for something that will blend seamlessly," Helen shares. "Many brands offer shade families that have slight variances based on skin tone and undertone— for example, they will have three medium skin tone shades with each undertone: pink, yellow and neutral."

"Triclone Skin Tech Medium Coverage Foundation with Fermented Arnica by Haus Labs by Lady Gaga is another line that has a ton of shades with the undertones labeled," Helen shares.

"For concealer, it's important to consider color correcting," Helen continues. "Peach cancels out blue which is a great trick for undereye darkness, and yellow cancels out red tones like blemishes or rosacea."

She recommends this Sephora Collection full coverage multi-use concealer. For those who experience a change in skin tone with the seasons, she recommends mixing darker and lighter concealers so you don't have to buy an entirely new bottle.

How do you color match?

Helen recommends matching your face in a few different spots.

"I like to swipe onto the jawline as well as the forehead because most people have different depths on their face," she says. "Also, swipe on your décolleté as this will ensure the foundation is working with your skin tone on your body, too. If you are truly perplexed by what is the best match, go with one that works on the center of your face and then add depth and dimension with bronzer."

In addition, she recommends letting the foundation dry on the skin before determining your match.

"Much like paint, foundation often changes in tone after it is dry," she says. "From there, you can blend the edges out to see what melts into your skin tone. Sheer formulas are easier to match because they flex across multiple skin tones, which is also why tints generally come in less shades. Luckily for those who love medium to full coverage, many brands offer 30+ shades in those formulas so you can find your best match."

"If you prefer powder, be sure to check out Sephora Collection Matte Perfection Powder, which comes in a lot of shades for a powder foundation and also has the undertones listed," Helen says.

How do you color match online?

"Sephora has online tools to help you find your foundation formula and best shade if you are not able to go in store," Helen says. "If you already have a foundation shade that you love but are interested in what other brands might also match, you can start with the ‘Find my Shade' tool on Sephora.com."

Helen explains that all you have to do is input your current foundation and shade, and the tool will give you a description of your skin, along with recommended brands that have similar shades.

"If you have ever been color matched in store with ColoriQ, then your shade is linked to your Beauty Insider profile which makes shopping online a breeze," Helen says. 

Helen shares that the "Basma Hydrating Foundation Stick is a great option for anyone who likes cream formulas." The foundation stick offers buildable coverage and a natural finish, along with hydrating ingredients like apricot butter, vitamin E and aloe vera extract. "This comes in 40 shades and the descriptions online indicate the undertones," she says.

Want more beauty insight? Check out 27 go-to sunscreens that your favorite celebrities swear by.

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