Women who know how to make the most of color reward themselves with tremendous confidence. One of the most crucial decisions fashion designers make each season is the selection of color combinations for garments. Color selection in make-up can make a marked difference as well, yet some women are not tuned in about how essential it is in looking their best.

How many women do you encounter that might possibly be wearing the wrong foundation, eye makeup, and lip and cheek colors? Do you ever suspect you might be among them? Unless a woman works with a professional make-up artist to get an opinion, it would be difficult for the untrained eye to determine the nuances of skin color and undertone.

In general terms, skin color is categorized as light, pale, medium, deep or dark and each classification has a companion undertone. Part of the process of identifying an individual woman’s most flattering foundation colors involves careful study of particular skin tones.

If you are curious about how skin attains its color, consider the following:
•There are four types of pigment to human skin: melanin, hemoglobin (oxygenated and reduced), and carotenes.
•Melanin represents the dark brown pigment that covers hair, skin and eye coloring
•Hemoglobin is a pigment that gives red blood cells their color. When it is oxygenated, it produces healthy skin color. Conversely, when it lacks oxygen, it gives skin a pale, bluish tint associated with unhealthy color.
•Carotenes give a yellow tone to the skin.

It is important to note that skin tones may change seasonally, and foundation colors need to be adjusted as skin tones begin to vary.

I recently invited a make-up artist with a company called Motives to customize my foundation. Because she was trained to blend foundation to match skin tones, she was able to create a not only the right formula for my skin tone, but also skin type, undertone and formula preference. I’ve been wearing my new foundation for over a month, and find it is light-weight and allows me to build the coverage I need to suit many occasions. I’m confident it is beneficial for my skin as the formula is enriched with Vitamins A and E, and also provides sun protection the equivalent of SPF 15. An additive called Sheer Silk enhances the formula so that I can experience the weightless and perfectly seamless look of silk each time I use my foundation. At $40 for the consultation and foundation, it represented one of the best investments I’ve made.

The Motives collection also included eye, cheek, lip color, and application accessories.
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Jackie O‘Neal writes a weekly column In the Name of Beauty™