When it comes to finding foundation colors that match my skin tone, I sometimes feel like a brown Goldilocks. Paul & Joe foundation? Too yellow. Maybelline Pure Makeup? Way too pink.
I’ve struggled to find the right in-between shade that doesn’t make my face look ashy or sallow. If you have the same foundation color woes, then you just might dig my two new fave foundations, Becca Luminous Skin Colour tinted moisturizer ($40.00) and Becca Stick Foundation ($39.00). Both create a perfect, natural foundation look for neutral skin tones.
Becca Luminous Skin Colour in the shade Nut, with Becca Stick Foundation in Coffee
Becca Cosmetics, an Australian line known for its extensive range of foundations and powder shades, can help you achieve a flawless, natural-looking and long-lasting foundation look. But be forewarned, Becca believes you’ve got to use multiple products: primer, tinted moisturizer, stick foundation and powder.
In addition to foundation for neutral skin tones, Becca has a wide range of foundation colors — pink, yellow and warm shades — for other skin tones. If you have skin with a neutral tone like I do, with skin that’s neither pink/red nor yellow/gold dominating your skin color, it can be really hard to find a foundation because so many of them are rarely true neutral.
Combining several $40 products seems like an expensive, time-consuming endeavor. The skeptic in me originally thought this was just clever marketing, but after a few weeks of using both the Luminous Skin Colour tinted moisturizer and the Stick Foundation, I’m really digging this combination because the color matches my skin perfectly. They’re also easy to use and don’t break me out.
How to work it
I’m a total lazy beast, so here’s my quick and dirty guide to how I use Becca foundation. These steps take about four minutes if I’m in a hurry.
1. Prep skin with moisturizer and sunscreen.
2. Blot excess.
3. If I have time, I’ll start by applying a layer of Laura Mercier Oil-Free primer, but I usually skip this step.
4. Apply 1-2 pumps of Becca Luminous Skin Color all over face with fingers.
5. Put a few dabs of Stick Foundation on fingers and rub between fingers to warm up product. Apply only to areas where color needs to be evened out; on me that’s the red patches around my nose, on my cheeks and between my brows. Smooth and blend into skin until obvious lines are covered.
6. Apply Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder all over to set foundation.
When applying foundation, I usually like using the MAC 182 brush, but, with Becca products, fingers work better. The Luminous Skin Colour has a thinner consistency and matches my skin tone more closely than Laura Mericer’s Tinted Moisturizer does. It doesn’t look like it’s sitting on top of my skin the way Laura Mercier’s tinted moisturizer does, and I don’t need to worry as much about blending the product with my 182 brush to create a natural look. The Stick Foundation has a thick and waxy consistency, but, again, the color matches my skin so well that warm fingers are all I need to blend it easily and perfectly into my skin.
Neutral Territory
For me, the defining difference between the Becca foundations and Laura Mercier’s tinted moisturizer is color. I’ve always known that Laura Mercier’s “Almond” shade was close to my natural skin tone (albeit a touch too pink), but I liked the coverage and just assumed I’d never find anything closer. But Becca’s Stick Foundation in the Coffee shade is truly neutral, with no dominant yellows or pinks, and melts right into my skin.
Other neutral colors in the Becca Stick Foundation line are:
Light to fair
Latte – pink-neutral/light to fair complexions
Fair to medium
Praline – neutral/fair complexions
Banana – neutral/fair to medium complexions
Tahini – neutral/fair to medium complexions
Medium
Macadamia – neutral/medium complexions
Brulee – neutral/medium complexions
Mallow – neutral/medium complexions
Tan
Toffee – neutral/light tan complexions
Coffee – neutral/tan complexions
Honeycomb – neutral/light tan complexions
Golden Brown
Truffle – neutral/golden brown complexions
Chestnut – neutral/warm brown complexions
Almond – neutral/rich warm brown complexions
Chocolate – neutral/deep chocolate brown complexions
Dark Bronze
Molasses – neutral/very dark bronze complexions
Espresso – neutral-warm/very dark bronze complexions
You can peep all the Becca shades on Sephora.com, where the massive Becca blowout sale continues.
Side note: Don’t the makeup gods have a sick sense of humor? I finally find foundation that matches my skin perfectly and snag it on sale at a deep discount (SCORE!) on Sephora.com … but, of course, the only reason I get it so cheap is ’cause Sephora’s phasing out their entire Becca inventory. CRAP! I did find a few online sites still carrying the line, though, like Dermstore, and the Becca Web site, so all is not lost.
Stick Foundation: Easy, like Sunday morning
I’ve only used liquid foundations in the past, so I thought a stick foundation would be hard to use. I was wrong. I love that I don’t have to spend a lot of time blending. Another thing that surprised me is how the formula can be so thick yet feel so light on my skin. It doesn’t migrate or streak, and it never cakes. I like sheer to medium coverage, so I don’t use much, but if you like a heavier foundation look you can easily layer the product to achieve more coverage.
Even if you don’t have a neutral skin tone, the Becca foundations are worth checking out. They perform well, have a great color selection and are easy to use. With so many colors, you’re bound to find something that works for you!
Pretty young things, repeat after me, say “Nah, nah, nah nah!”
Why are you staring at this old school pic of MJ?
Today I have Michael Jackson’s “PYT” stuck in my head:
Now it’s stuck in yours too, isn’t it?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Hi Karen,
I’m so excited to see this post. I’ve been using Becca’s TM and stick foundation since September, and it’s love. Previously I used LM’s oil-free for “dressy” skin days (still do), but was looking to find an easier option for every day, one that provided a bit more coverage than just straight up TM.
And just like you I normally do steps 3-5, right down to using LM’s powder. Unlike you I’m fair-cashmere+praline is my combo. I had to order the stick foundation from becca’s website directly, since praline was already gone from sephora. I had no problems with the service, and it shipped/arrived reasonably quickly.
oh, and no MJ for me-all that is in my head today is “Santa Baby”.
Hi Karen
You read my mind! I recently recived the Best of Becca Palette (piccy on my blog) its GORGEOUS. I really wanted to try out these bases but they are pretty expensive, plus there seems to be so many steps…but I am so tempted.
I am a NC35, yellow based I wonder what shade I would be? I would have to buy it blind you see…
I love stick foundations great if your lazy like me. I am torn between buying a Becca Stick foundation of the RMK one (I love RMK bases!). Torn, I am, Torn!
(You know what else is weird? I was reading about WWII about Swizerland being neutral territory, and there you go and mention it! Weird!)
Hi Miss Amanda,
Yay! You and I are like foundation twins…well, almost, ‘cept for the color 🙂 I was really surprised how easy stick foundation was to use! I don’t know how I could’ve lived so long without it.
Have you tried any of the Becca powders? I think that, along with the Watermelon Beach Tint and perhaps a few cream blushes, are on my list 🙂
Hi Rowena,
That palette is too purty for words! I know that the foundation seems complicated but trust me, it’s really easy (and I’m the LAZIEST PERSON when it comes to makeup, seriously).
I just looked at the Sephora site and if you’ve got more yellow tones I’m guessing you are either Caramel or Honey. If you have to buy it blind, then get it from retailer that will let you return it, fo’ sho.’ The Becca web site sounds like a good place, because although return shipping isn’t free the policy seems fair.
ohhh, and WEIRD that you read about Switzerland today! Honestly, what are the odds? Slim to none, I’m guessing! 🙂
The MAC Studio Stick was the first foundation I ever bought. It’s definitely heavy duty, but just like you said it “feel(s) so light on my skin”. And I like that the coverage is buildable. Yay!
Hi Mrs. Lynne,
I’ve never used the MAC Studio Stick before. Do you use primer underneath?
Yeah me thinks you are right. I’m in the UK, they are prissy b***hes when it comes to returns.
I got a tokidoki bag! Your right people are talking to me in the street more, I think it might be because I look like a tourist.
Hey K. The only primer I use on an all-look basis is for my shadows and sometimes my lashes. The one I do have for the face is the Smashbox Photo Primer and that is so wonderful to the skin. Silky and smooth, I’m sure you know. I don’t use it all the time though because I hardly have the need to have my foundation last long since I’m really only at the grocery store, hah. Normally it’s just moisturizer that I have under. The studio stick alone on my skin works wells. I only have to touch up my T-Zone mostly.
Hi Karen! I love your website. Reading it for a coupla months now. I’m in Australia and like you I have difficult colour :p I got Becca’s stick foundation (in Syrup) for myself and it’s awesome. In fact I love their whole line. Have you checked out their Concealers? They have something like 30 shades, with 2 consistencies in each compact.
Glad your foundation woes are over!
p.s: Not sure if you’re a fan of glittery stuff, but Becca’s glitters are terrific. Amazing colour. I use it as a liner mostly.
OH Rowena,
It’s cause you look like a *cute* tourist! Which bag did you get? I hope it fits lots of lipgloss.
That sucks that it’s so hard to return stuff! That’s totally not fair, boo 🙁
Hey Mrs. Lynne,
I’ve never tried the Smashbox primer but have heard good things about it. I’ve tried Laura Mercier’s, Tarte’s and Lola’s. I can’t really tell the diff, to tell you the truth!
If you ever get the chance def try the Becca stick foundation! It’s awesome.
Hi Sal!
It’s always such a treat for me to meet readers, so thank you for saying “Hi!”, it’s great to meet you!
It sounds like Becca foundation is a staple in your kit! I am so glad I found it, too. I dunno if I can live without it now! I’m quickly falling in love with the Becca line. I can’t wait to try more of their products. I’ve never tried the glitters before – do you put a primer on before you apply it to your lashes, or do you just wet your brush?
Karen. Smashbox primer is sooo lovely. If you’ve ever tried Clinique’s Turnaround Concentrate Visible Skin Renewer, the primer has that same feel. Baby’s bottom soft! Makes you just want to stroke your face all day it’s so smooth.
I was in Sephora yesterday and cruised the Laura Mercier’s counter and passed by Becca, but I had no idea what to look for so not much time was spent there. I’m such a newborn to the rest of the face aside from eyeshadow that I’m just tapping into getting to know the Sephora lines. And boy is that a lot of homework. Thank goodness for blogs like yours! But now that I know, I will definitely check into it. Thank you for the suggestion 🙂
Thanks girl! I hope you try it, as the colors are lovely. Next time I head to Sephora I’ll peep that primer. I just hope it doesn’t break me out!
I hope it doesn’t either. But I’m sure you’ll let us know, hah.
Yah I will, and I’ll do it in sordid detail (sigh) that will border on the “too much information” category.
I used to wet my brush to use the stuff, but I recently got this ‘eyeliner activator’ thing from a theatre makeup brand here called Masquerade. I use a drop of it on my linerbrush and dip into the glitter, tap the excess, and it becomes a lovely creamy liner. I’ve got colours Mazikeen and Nyx.
p.s: Trivia time! They’re all named after fairies. lol
The website isn’t working anymore!
Hi Sal,
Nyx was also the Greek goddess of night! 😉
Oh creamy liners, me likey! I want to try. I got a gift certificate to a website that sells Becca so that just might be one of the products that I’ll get.
Hi Saira,
I think I was updating when you visited earlier. It’s working now, come back!