Usually, I have to undergo several weeks of preparation before I can muster up the mental courage to embark on a foundation shopping trip. The first step is furiously scrubbing off the residual makeup that’s caked on the empty bottle of my foundation to try and decipher the shade name. It’s usually something arbitrary and food-related like cocoa or mocha, but that’s a conversation for another day.
Then I make a hit list and map out the brands that I know have more than 10 shades in their range (or at least one that they deem appropriate for darker skin tones). When I finally make it into the shop, I’m already weary by the time I decide which foundations to swatch.
Then I find it: a seemingly good match. Well, it’s a good match until I take it home and head out into the sun and realise my face has oxidised into a shade of brick red. While foundation is actually one of my favourite makeup products, shopping for one is not my favourite activity.
