♥ Foundation Color Adjusters ♥

 Hey everyone! I'm sorry that it has taken me this long to make another post. I have been doing a lot of research for this one! Today I wanted to talk with you all a little bit about foundation color adjusters. What are they? How do you use them? What options do you have as far as price point, brand, and availability? This may be a long one so stick with me! All pictures are from Google images. No copyright infringement intended.

 Many of us struggle at one time or another to find our shade in a foundation. Sometimes we may even miss out on trying a new product simply because we can't find a color to match us. This is where color adjusters come in. Most of us know by now through reading blogs like this one or searching through videos on YouTube that it isn't just about whether your foundation is too dark or too light. Every foundation has an undertone. Be it neutral, pink, orange, yellow, olive, red, grey, or beige. Now I won't be getting into great detail about color theory in this post(that's a whole other story), but I will explain some basics of color adjusting and which color cancels out which other color. So let's get started!

What are they?

 Simply put, color adjusters are highly concentrated pigments in liquid, cream, or powder form that are used to change the undertone in a foundation, concealer, etc.

How do you use them?

 Color adjusters(especially in powdered pigment form)are not meant to be used alone or to be used in the same manner as color correctors. If this is attempted it may cause skin irritation or, depending on the color used, staining of the skin. Rather, color adjusters are meant to be mixed into your base products(foundation, concealer, blush)in very small amounts. When used correctly they can change the undertone of your product. Is this making sense so far? Let me give you an example.

 Say that I have medium skin with an olive undertone but the foundation I bought, though it's the right shade, comes off a bit more yellow than I would like. Now, simply adding in green would make a yellow-olive toned foundation which can make the skin appear sallow and make you look sickly. So instead of trying to add in olive we first need to neutralize the yellow undertone. You may remember the term "contrasting colors" from grade school. The contrasting color to yellow is blue or purplish-blue. Which makes sense when you think about it since yellow mixed with blue makes green or in this case olive. So, if I add a few drops of a primary blue color adjuster it will neutralize the yellow and give me a more olive toned foundation. Phew! You still with me? Let me give you one more very common example.

 Let's say that I have fair skin with yellow undertones. Again, the foundation I bought is the right shade(dark/light enough)but it is too pink for my skin and makes me face look unnaturally pink compared to my yellow neck and body. So I need to neutralize that pink. Because if I simply added yellow, before neutralizing the pink, my foundation would become orange and I'd look like a sun-deprived oompa loompa. Rather than doing that I would add in a few drops of a green color adjuster to take out the pink since pink is just a lighter tint of red. Then, if I need to I can add in a drop or two of yellow color adjuster in case it looks too neutral. And I'd do the same thing if my skin were light, medium, dark, or deep.

 Now whether or not you want to adjust your entire product at once is up to you. If you prefer you can make your mix fresh daily(or as often as you wear foundation). Sometimes this is best if the foundation has been sitting for a while untouched and nearing it's expiration date while the adjuster is still fresh. But, it's up to you and how fast you go through a foundation. If you have trouble remembering which colors are contrasting then go ahead and Google "color wheel" on Google images. You'll get thousands of pictures. Just select the color of the undertone in your foundation and simply look directly across from there. Whatever color that is is the color your adjuster will need to be. If you would like a more detailed post on which color neutralizes which and understanding the color wheel please leave me a comment to let me know.

What are my options? Are they expensive? Where can I get them?

 There are many options out there from high end brands to stage makeup brands. I have yet to find an actual adjuster at a drugstore. They range anywhere from under $10 to over $20(US currency). I'm going to show you a few options that I have come across and I'll link you to where you can get them. Also keep in mind that the kind of adjuster you need depends on the formulation of your foundation. You can't mix a water based adjuster with a silicone based foundation or vice versa. And if your foundation is marketed as "waterproof" or "water resistant" you will need your adjuster to match. I will list the price and consistency with each product I mention. And, don't worry if you don't see one that suits your needs here. There are many others out there. You just have to look around!


Ben Nye Creme Color:

 Price: $5.99
Consistency: Cream

These are available from camerareadycosmetics.com. They ship internationally. Even if your country is not listed on their shipping list you can e-mail your order to them. They will send you your bill via PayPal and ship it to you. They cannot guarantee your order if your country is not on their shipping list, though. This is one of the most affordable options I have found. They have primary blue, green, red, and yellow as well as white available if you want to lighten the tint of your cream foundation, concealer, or blush. Ben Nye also offers a primary stack for $12.00 but it does not include a green and is grease based.

Kett Hydro Color Theory:

Price: $16 each or $80 for all 5
Consistency: Liquid

 You can also get these from camerareadycosmetics.com or you can get them from kettcosmetics.com. These are water based and highly pigmented. They're great for using with liquid water based foundations. Kett also offers their Hydro Proof Airbrush Color Theory Series which, as the name suggests, are waterproof and cannot be mixed with water based foundations. It is alcohol based. Unfortunately the Hydro Proof adjusters are available to be shipped to USA residents only. Airbrush makeup make great color adjusters because they are formulated to be very opaque and you need only a few drops.


Mehron LUX Airbrush Makeup:

Price: $21.95
Consistency: Liquid

 This is available at mehron.com. Like the Kett Hydro Proof this is waterproof and water resistant. Unlike Kett this ships worldwide. So, again, this can be mixed with any waterproof liquid foundation or product. And, it sets matte so it's a better option for oily skinned people. This is quite pricey but you do get 2.5 ounces(75ml)compared to the Kett Hydro Theory where you only get 0.5 ounces(15ml)or the Hydro Proof where you get only 1 ounce(30ml). So it's a good value if you intend to use it a lot and more accessible worldwide. Plus it is water and green tea based and formaldehyde and paraben free.

Temptu Pro Adjuster:

Price: $25 each for full size or $50 for 7 piece starter kit smaller size
Consistency: Liquid

 These come in a 1 ounce(30ml) or 4 ounce(120ml)size. They are silicone based and can be mixed with any other silicone based products. You can get them from camerareadycosmetics.com or from temptu.com. They ship internationally.

OCC Pure Cosmetic Pigments:

Price: $14.00
Consistency: Powder

 These are 100% pigment. No fillers. Pure color. Not all primary shades are available on occmakeup.com but they have blue, white, black, and amber. You can find more shades of it on Ebay like a yellow and green. MAC pigments work too. So do Make Up Forever pigments. Just be careful because some colors do stain even when mixed. You can mix these with either a powder or liquid mineral foundation. OCC ships worldwide.


 I hope this helps some of you out there who have trouble finding your right shade. There's no need to miss out on raved about new releases. We have adjusters! I think this covers one adjuster for every texture of foundation. I tried to cover them all. There are many more out there so don't give up. Just keep searching until you find what you need. Comment down below if you have any questions for me. Have a lovely day!