Hit me with your foundation recommendation: yellow-based.

December 21, 2014 7:30 AM

I'm looking for a yellow-based foundation that will cut some of the pink in my face.

I have some pink in my face that can be "erased" by foundations with a yellow, not a pink, hue to them.

Foundations that I'm currently using and that do not have pink in them:

- Revlon ColorStay Normal Skin liquid foundation in "Chamois / Buff".
- MAC StudioFix powder foundation in 'C2'

While I like both of the above, I'm looking to switch it up and bit and try something new; the studiofix is a bit powdery which is a drawback, and the Revlon is a bit browner than I'd like - not as yellow based.

Can you recommend one for me to try? Bonus points for drugstore brands, but I do love me a good Lancome or Estee Lauder once in a blue moon. A little less confident about unknown brands like Nars and Giorgio Armani ($$$), but I would certainly take a look at them in Ulta or wherever if enough people recommend them.

Thanks!

posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (38 answers total)

Do you use primer before foundation? The green Smashbox primer is designed to cover redness and makes a good base. The small tube (.4 fl oz / 12 ml) is usually pretty affordable and might actually be better value than buying the full size.
posted by kinddieserzeit at 7:40 AM on December 21, 2014 [3 favorites]

Best answer: Prescriptives has affordable custom foundation. Go to a store that carries it and they'll work with you on both foundation and powder. They also have a color called Real Gold, which may be perfect for you.

There are foundation primers in green that you can use to minimize pink/red tones in your skin. Physicians Formula makes them as does NYX, you can get that at CVS.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 7:42 AM on December 21, 2014 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: Primers are a great suggestion but I don't like them. Let's just focus on foundations, thanks!
posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome at 7:50 AM on December 21, 2014

I have a very pink face with a yellow base. Ponds BB cream in light cuts a lot of the pink without being a 'weird match' to my olive/yellow/pink skin.
posted by Kalmya at 7:59 AM on December 21, 2014 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Have you tried Lumene BB cream? I tried several other BB foundations/creams including MAC but didn't like them. This Lumene is great. I've used the Revlon Buff but it is a little too dark for me but the Lumene Light is just right.
posted by tamitang at 8:00 AM on December 21, 2014 [1 favorite]

I really like Shiseido's foundation, even though it's a bit expensive. I would recommend going to their makeup counter at a department store and trying it out. It's designed for Asian skin, and it matches my olive-y (though Caucasian) skin tone well.
posted by three_red_balloons at 8:01 AM on December 21, 2014 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Clinique Redness Solutions foundation is pretty great. If you buy it at Nordstrom you can take it back if you decide you hate it. They also have a pressed powder that is straight-up yellow, if that interests you.
posted by purpleclover at 8:02 AM on December 21, 2014 [4 favorites]

Best answer: Japanese BB creams tend to be on the yellow side, if you are willing to import and rely on blogs for colour recommendations.

I have also heard people complain that Bobbi Brown thinks everyone is super yellow. Becca seems to serve several undertones, as well as most mineral makeup.

I myself am a very fair neutral to slightly olive girl and Bourgois Healthy Mix and the serum version seemed very yellow to me, althoug I can only speak for the lightest colour.

Have you checked MakeupAlley?
posted by LoonyLovegood at 8:03 AM on December 21, 2014 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: (Don't mean to thread-sit - to answer your question: I have but I find it confusing - there's always a rave for a product, and a contradictory review, and everything in-between. I do look at the average ratings to get a sense, but I find it a time-suck, with nothing to show for it at the end, just more puzzlement. So I thought I'd ask ask fellow Mefites. I have fair skin btw. )
posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome at 8:07 AM on December 21, 2014

They have a forum as well where you might ask this question.
posted by LoonyLovegood at 8:09 AM on December 21, 2014

Response by poster: (Yeah, thanks, I'm aware of the forum, asking the question here, though. Cheers.)
posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome at 8:26 AM on December 21, 2014 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I tend to have pink areas on my face but yellow undertones and require yellowish foundations. It is not clear to me what kind of finish you're after (I assume not too matt based on the studiofix comment?) or what skin type you have - both will have bearing on suitable recommendations.

Having said that I'd like to 2nd that a lot of Bourjois is quite yellow, quite good and quite affordable. They have a range of products suited to different skin types and with different finishes. In particular the CC cream is brilliant and has fairly good staying power even on my oily skin. Especially on top of Clinique city block which turns out to work really well as a primer, too. I know you don't like them but I didn't buy this as a primer, I bought it as daily sun protection for my face and it turns out to have amazing primer properties as well.

I use shades 31/32 in the cc cream. Yes, I have both and I have to mix them on the back of my hand. 31 alone is too light and 32 is too dark unless I have been in the sun. So if your Revlon foundation ticks all other boxes but is too brown and the next lightest shade seems to be too light get it anyway and mix them on the back of your hand until you have the right shade. Alternatively, you can get white mixers to lighten foundation.
posted by koahiatamadl at 8:55 AM on December 21, 2014 [2 favorites]

Best answer: I am fair and pinkish (mild rosacea) and tested 18 yellowish foundations in August. By far the best for covering red was Bobbi Brown Moisture Rich. Runner-up was elf Flawless Finish, which is a drugstore brand. Good luck!
posted by Susan PG at 8:59 AM on December 21, 2014 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I like Makeup Forever foundation - it comes in a wide range of shades and with different undertones. NARS pulls a little yellow on me, so that might work for you. Bobbi Brown foundations are often described as being a bit yellow, so that might work. These are all pricey recommendations, but you can get samples at Sephora if you have one near you, makes it easy to try products under real world conditions. Both Sephora and Nordstrom have very generous return policies.

For drugstore, have you looked at L'Oréal True Match? They offer the different undertones thing and maybe the warm pale shade will work for you. And US drugstores take returns so that's convenient.

Hope that helps ... finding the right shade of foundation is a pain. Let us know what works for you!
posted by stowaway at 8:59 AM on December 21, 2014 [2 favorites]

I have the same problem, fair with some pink/red blotchiness. I'm not into makeup, and I work with people who don't wear a lot of makeup, so on most days I just use some blush to even out the color. It's not a perfect solution, but it makes me look noticeably better and takes about 5 seconds.
Bobbi Brown has written that everyone has yellow undertones, so I'm not suryprised to hear that people have complained that her foundations veer toward yellow (h/t LoonyLovegood). I tried some Bobbi Brown foundation at a cosmetics counter and found one I like called Light Vellum I think, and it does look like parchment. On days when I'm willing to invest more than 5 seconds I go with that. For the best coverage, I use one of those green powders or creams from the drugstore underneath the foundation. They really work!
posted by islandeady at 9:12 AM on December 21, 2014 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Confirming that Bobbi Brown extends to super-light shades. I tried 00 Alabaster and 0 Porcelain and ended up with 1 Warm Ivory, which is the first time ever that I haven't bought a brand's palest shade.
posted by Susan PG at 9:31 AM on December 21, 2014 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I'm pale but tend to run a pink, especially in the winter. I love, love, love Laura Mercier's oil-free tinted moisturizer as a foundation. My shade is Porcelain, which has just a touch of yellow to balance me out and just enough coverage without being heavy or powdery.

I can honestly say I never had spectacular skin before using it, but I get lots of compliments now. It looks really natural.
posted by mochapickle at 9:34 AM on December 21, 2014 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I got a "deluxe sample" of a breathtakingly expensive Yves Saint Laurent foundation in "warm ivory" that very effectively neutralizes the pink in my pale skin, and as an added bonus feels almost completely weightless. It's $60 a bottle, though, which makes me weep. However, my best suggestion is that if you have a Sephora near you, go in and have them try a billion foundations on you and give you samples of the top two or three, so you can try them over the course of a week or two and see how they perform for you in your everyday life.

Are you looking for a full-coverage foundation or something sheerer? Matte or dewy finish? Do you have sensitivities to silicones or other ingredients? I can maybe make some other recommendations based on those answers.
posted by KathrynT at 10:11 AM on December 21, 2014 [2 favorites]

It can be so hard to find the right shade -- when I find one, I do what I can to make it work.

If the Studio Fix is a good shade for you, try mixing it with something to give a nicer finish. My use a MAC foundation that's hard to apply smoothly and looks dull when dry. I add one part MAC Strobe Cream (illuminator) to two parts foundation, and the mixture glides on and then dries with a more natural look. Or try blending in a little moisturizer.
posted by wryly at 10:12 AM on December 21, 2014 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I am fair with pinkish tones and pink based foundations make me look weird. I also have combination skin where the dry bits can get very dry and the oily bits get very oily. The best foundation I have ever used - and I am a product junkie who was also a makeup artist and worked on beauty counters so I've had LOTS of chances to experiment - is Lancome's Teint Idole Ultra 24H foundation in 005. It is amazing - a little goes a long way, it gives a lovely smooth finish, great coverage but looks and feels natural, lasts all day, and the yellow base gives a beautifully even skin tone. Ask for a sample at your local beauty counter so you can try it for a day or two for free before you commit.
posted by billiebee at 10:16 AM on December 21, 2014 [5 favorites]

Best answer: I am pale and have a lot of red in my skin due to rosacea. Dr Jart water fuse BB cream works well for me in terms of evening out the redness.
posted by joan_holloway at 10:26 AM on December 21, 2014 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Hada-Labo BB Moist Cream is very yellow and dewy, which I figure you might prefer since you said you didn't like the 'powdery' finish of one of your other ones. I love love love this stuff. It is pretty cheap (basically a Japanese drugstore brand), and everything I've tried from them has hit it out of the ballpark. There are two colors, a paler version and darker version. They also have a BB Emulsion, which is more drying, but also has a wonderfully high SPF. (Heads up: these can be mislabeled on Amazon. You can tell which is which because the spf32 version is the more moisturizing CREAM, and the spf50 version is the EMULSION.) I've found the Asian BB cream/foundations/BB cushions to be fantastic, and worth the hassle of trying them sight unseen. You can get some super-helpful info on them here, if you're willing to stomach Reddit.
posted by thegreatfleecircus at 10:33 AM on December 21, 2014 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Sephora might be more helpful than Ulta if you're looking beyond the drugstore. They will help color match you (some employees are better than others at this) and they will give you samples of any foundation you want to try out to take home in little plastic jars (usually up to 3). They also have a fantastic return policy (keep your receipts). Tell them you're looking for a dewier foundation if what you didn't like about the MAC.

MAC C2 isn't super light, so you're darker than I am, but I am quite yellow (about NC10) and I've had really good matches in Becca's foundations.

You also might want to try findation.com, which will suggest matches to you based on foundations you already know that match you. It's sort of hit-or-miss (the more common your shade, the more hit, but I know most of the things it suggests for me are way too dark or pink or orange). There's also Temptalia's Foundation Matrix, which again I haven't had great luck with personally but others have.

(And again, I'll second the recommendation for a green primer to *actually* cancel the redness. "Covering" with yellow if your skin is not actually yellow-toned will never be as effective.)
posted by lysimache at 10:43 AM on December 21, 2014 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Is Bourjois available in the US? Their Healthy Mix Serum Gel Foundation is yellow-based and really, really good for the price.
posted by EXISTENZ IS PAUSED at 11:52 AM on December 21, 2014 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: (This one? Looks like ASOS has it, and possibly Urban Outfitters, Sears, or Walgreens may carry this line. Great answers so far many thanks!)
posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome at 12:24 PM on December 21, 2014

Tarte BB cream works for me and everything makes me look red. I imagine their foundations are worth a shot, although the bb cream is pretty good coverage.
posted by fshgrl at 12:29 PM on December 21, 2014

> This one?

Yep, that's the one! I first picked it up based on Lisa Eldridge's recommendation (it seems to be her go-to drugstore foundation for tutorial videos) and it's become my favourite. It's medium-coverage, and in the warmer months I mix it 1:1 with Maybelline's BB cream (which is otherwise too oily for me) to sheer it out a bit.
posted by EXISTENZ IS PAUSED at 12:31 PM on December 21, 2014 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I have red/pinkish face, I use Maybelline BB cream. It does a really good job of correcting the red and making me look nice and pale, my true essence. BB cream seems to be a good bet in this area.
posted by stoneandstar at 12:32 PM on December 21, 2014 [1 favorite]

I'm on the same quest, and I'm so glad that Bourjois is available Stateside. I've heard good things about the brand but didn't want to go through an uber-complex process to get it. The gel formula appeals, too (my lifelong oily skin problems have only been aggravated by perimenopausal hormone fluctuations).
posted by virago at 2:44 PM on December 21, 2014 [1 favorite]

2nd L'Oreal True Match, Shiseido, and Lancome for colours (can't speak to foundation formulations; I use concealers for redness and powder over top).
posted by cotton dress sock at 3:41 PM on December 21, 2014 [1 favorite]

Best answer: You know, Prescriptives really are the place to go for an *exact* match. I have very fair skin with pink undertones, and angry deep red acne.

As a teen I could always find a concealer pale enough, but since the undertones didn't match my skin, I would spend six hours or so trying to get it to look convincing from one angle in one room in one light, then turn a little to the left and have it all stand out again as big chalky blotches all over my face. The kind of gigantic, horrible mistake that has people asking you, "why would you do something like that? It only makes it worse." But, the product to make it better didn't exist.

As soon as Prescriptives came to the UK, I shelled out about six months' food money and got the right concealer from them.

I was immediately robbed of the purse that was carrying it, because I couldn't have nice things, or indeed adequate things. But for the brief period I owned it, it changed my life.

What I'm saying is, if you're having an impossible time getting the definitive foundation, powder, or concealer, go to them, even if it seems prohibitively expensive. Because then, you will know what your best-fit foundation actually looks like. You may even be able to get a cheaper dupe elsewhere after you shell out the first time. But even if you can't, Prescriptives still turns out to be surprisingly good value for money; just one tube of that concealer can last me up to two years.

Imagine how much you might spend buying and discarding duff foundations if you did it by trial and error.
posted by tel3path at 3:57 PM on December 21, 2014 [1 favorite]

I agree, Prescriptives are amazing. I have very hard to match pale yellow skin - most brands run from pinky-white (make me look either ill or red) to dark tan (makes me look dirty or orange), but Prescriptives matches my skin exactly.

I've also found Laura Mercier to be a really good match, and I find Clinique BB and CC creams are ok because they're quite sheer. The BB is more tanned, the CC is more pale, but both are close enough. Neither is pink.

I always get the makeup assistants to put a full face of whatever I'm considering buying on me, no extra primers or powders or blushers, and then I walk around for a few hours checking how it looks in different lights and from different angles. I have saved myself some terrible disasters that way - what looks amazing under store lights can look really dreadful outside (I'm looking at you, Clinique second-palest BB cream which is actually orange in daylight).
posted by tinkletown at 4:20 PM on December 21, 2014 [1 favorite]

Best answer: If you're open to drugstore makeup too: as a pale gal on the yellowish end of the spectrum, I use Cover Girl's Classic Ivory. Regular Ivory is pink, but Classic is yellow-hued.
posted by a fiendish thingy at 9:42 AM on December 22, 2014 [1 favorite]

I am a pale yellow person with no peach tones and a pink overlay from constant skin irritation. NC15 in Studio Fix powder. The best thing I ever found for coverage and niceness without primer was This BB cream. I'd still use it but I am sensitive to something in the fragrance. The original imported Asian BB creams really have much more coverage than the copy versions. Tarte BB cream feels nice, if you don't need as much coverage.
posted by monopas at 10:14 AM on December 22, 2014 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thank you so much for your answers - wow MetaFilter is a wealth of information. I went to CVS and Walgreens and found the Lumene BB cream at both, bought at Walgreens (thanks tamitang). I've only tried it one day and I usually reserve judgement until I've road-tested a foundation at least a week, but I thought it was effective. I love being able to pick up a foundation at the drug store when I'm running errands, rather than a special trip to dept. store. (I may revisit the Cover Girl Classic Ivory - a staple of my late teen years. Everything old is new again! :D )

I am memory-banking Lancome's Teint Idole Ultra 24H for a birthday or other special occasion.

Additionally (and because I am a foundation hound) I ordered the Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation from ASOS.

Thanks again for your thoughts. I think I'll also have to revisit primers, given the enthusiastic rec's in this thread. Cheers.
posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome at 7:25 AM on December 23, 2014 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Update: I have now tried Cover Girl in Classic Ivory (more yellow-based than the Ivory) and Bourjois Healthy Mix in 'Vanille Clair'/Light Vanilla. I like the CG but it's a bit too pigmented for me (visible line on jaw area), however, I LOVE the Bourjois Healthy Mix, it's got good coverage and is sort of glowy (not matte). This is a great foundation thanks for the tip. (In my excitement ordering it online I think I accidentally got the one without the "serum" - I'll try that one once I've used up this bottle.) And the price is right.

For future readers - I bought from ASOS who do not charge for shipping and they were quick, would order from them again. I also plumped for a Bourjois blush but that's incidental.

(BTW never walk into Walgreens and ask if they carry Bourjois line - they look at you like you've grown a second head.)
posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome at 9:53 AM on January 5, 2015 [1 favorite]

Hooray! Bourjois make excellent blushes for the price, too. Their baked blushes are classic, but I especially love their cream blushes in Healthy Glow and Rose Tender.
posted by EXISTENZ IS PAUSED at 6:48 PM on January 6, 2015 [1 favorite]

Just for future readers based on your update - the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum has less coverage and, for me, less staying power than the standard Healthy Mix. YMMV.
posted by koahiatamadl at 1:41 PM on February 9, 2015