Best foundation for Asian-American women?

August 14, 2005 11:40 PM

Who makes the best foundation for Asian-American women with yellow skin undertones?

I've tried numerous drugstore and department store brands, and have had little success with finding my perfect shade. Everything made my skin look too pinkish, or too orangey-ish. Which brands have you had the most success with? Thanks to everyone in advance:-)

posted by invisible ink to clothing, beauty, & fashion (16 comments total)

Some salon/spa places will custom-mix a foundation for you. It's more expensive than buying from a drug store, but it's generally in the same price range as department store foundation. The makeup artist starts with an array of colors in little bottles, and s/he will try different combinations together on your skin until one matches. This is a great option if your skin tone is hard to match with off-the-shelf products.
posted by rhiannon at 12:59 AM on August 15, 2005

They do this at Prescriptives. I don't use foundation, but I know several people that swear by this service. It doesn't cost any more than a regular bottle from their line, as far as I know, and it's worth the extra bucks to move up from the drug store brands.
posted by fionab at 1:01 AM on August 15, 2005

You'll be wanting to look at high-end lines, for sure. MAC might; I know they try. Bobbi Brown and Iman's lines cater to African-American women specifically, and women of colour generally. I'm not sure whether they include Asian women. Stockholm and SmashBox would be other avenues to explore. Possibly even someone like Shiseido.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 1:28 AM on August 15, 2005

I also have yellow undertones. Prescriptives is AWESOME. it is a bit more costly than the drug store but well worth it. Have them do a color match in the winter and summer as your skin color may change some.
posted by nimsey lou at 5:18 AM on August 15, 2005

Sheshido.Try Shiseido. They'll give you a sample to try if you visit thier counter. Expensive, but wonderful stuff - and most of it is fragrance free/irritant free, which is essential for me.
posted by dpx.mfx at 5:51 AM on August 15, 2005

You might also try Shu Uemura.
posted by missmerrymack at 6:30 AM on August 15, 2005

You might have some luck with Cargo Cosmetics, as a number of their foundations have yellow undertones.
posted by bachelor#3 at 6:41 AM on August 15, 2005

Just wondering...what difference for makeup would there be between Asian-American and just plain Asian? I'm curious why the distinction in the question.

Maybe Asian-American is more likely to have spent more time in the sun?
posted by Kickstart70 at 9:14 AM on August 15, 2005

Check out Maven Cosmetics. The company was co-founded by an Asian-American woman and specializes in make-up for diverse skin tones.
posted by Sully6 at 11:39 AM on August 15, 2005

I too have the yellow tones and had a heck of a time finding a good match. I did try Prescriptives and it was fine, but that stuff is 30 BUCKS for 1 ounce of make-up; it was just too insane for me, economically. L'Oreal True Match liquid make-up (click on linda evangelista for the color selection & some lame techno jams :-) works as well, if not better for me; and good news, it's only $8 at your local drugstore.
posted by ibeji at 12:46 PM on August 15, 2005

Lumene is a Finnish brand available only at CVS drugstores; their shades are incredibly neutral and lean toward the yellowish. Plus, you can return any makeup you buy there (and open!) that doesn't work out. If you really wanna research this, look through the product reviews at makeupalley.com, or better yet, ask the girls on the makeup board there. You'll learn more about foundation than you ever wanted to know.
posted by junkbox at 1:19 PM on August 15, 2005

I second Shu Uemura. I like it much better than Shiseido. I can't express how much. You may need to get some style references (say, Japanese fashion magazines) to understand the look that they design for, but if you have a fair Asian complexion it will flatter you very well. I've bought equivalent foundations from both companies and the Shu foundation was of better quality and better formulation, provided more even and natural coverage, and gave a really pretty glow. I got the Water Perfect Water-In Cake Foundation and their concealer. My sisters use their concealer and their pressed powder. The cake foundation was also a very reasonable price... about 35 dollars.

I also swear by their purple eyeliner.

Shu Uemura is sold through dedicated boutiques and through Neiman Marcus.
posted by halonine at 1:41 PM on August 15, 2005

Thanks everyone, for all the recommendations! I'll definitely be checking them all out.

kickstart70- My parents were born in the Philippines, I was born in the U.S. - hence, I've always referred to myself as Asian-American, and since I was asking the question for myself, that's why I used it. In hindsight, I guess I should have used the phrase "women of Asian descent" to be more inclusive, but it was really late at night, and my brain cells were pooped.
posted by invisible ink at 3:56 PM on August 15, 2005

MAC might be good too...if you have a Sephora near you, i try everything they have, and get their advice also.
posted by amberglow at 4:27 PM on August 15, 2005

Normally I'm not in favor of using "-American" terms gratuitously, but in this case it also implies where she lives, which is useful to the question.
posted by abcde at 11:09 PM on August 15, 2005

i use bare minerals and love it! you can buy directly from their website or from an ULTA store.
posted by clueless at 11:19 PM on August 27, 2005