Guide to Mary Kay® Full and Medium-Coverage Foundations

Selecting your ideal coverage & shade

What are the benefits of Mary Kay's® Foundations?

First and foremost, you should know that this product works best in conjunction with Mary Kay's® TimeWise® Miracle Set.  I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Good skincare is your first line of defense!  In addition to evening your skintone and perhaps covering a blemish or two, this foundation offers a MAJOR BONUS--->>PROTECTION!!  Protection from what?  Well, here's a little fact for you:  only 10% of the visible signs of aging (on average, mind you) is hereditary.  In other words, 90% of the visible signs of aging are from external forces; hence, you have some level of control.  What are these environmental factors?  Well, the sun is a biggy.  You should be using a liquid SPF before you apply your foundation (Try Mary Kay® TimeWise® Day Solution).  Environmental pathogens come in various forms, and this foundation is one way you can combat their affect on your lovely face.

Should I be using Medium or Full-Coverage?

To some extent, this simply boils down to personal preference.  However, if you're not sure, here's a good rule of thumb:  Those with combination/oily/blemish-prone skin go with Medium-Coverage and those with normal to dry skin, go for Full-Coverage.

How do I select the right shade?

The shade of your foundation should match the color of your neck.  We've all seen those women who go a few shades darker because they dig the tan.  Not a good plan.  If you want to add a glow to your face, go with a bronzer, not a darker foundation.

These foundations come in three general shades: ivory, beige & bronze. 

They are followed by a series of three numbers.  The first 2 represent the depth of your skin's shade and are scaled from 10 (being the lightest) to 80 (the darkest).

The third number is very important.  It represents the shade of your undertones.

0-Yellow    2-Olive    4-Pink    5-Really Pink/Red    7-Golden Orange    8-Warm Brown

So, to give you an example, I have a very light ivory skintone with lighter undertones of pink.  My shade is Ivory 104.  However, living on an island, I tend to get a touch of color in the summer and I leap all the way up to an Ivory 204 (yey for me!), sometimes an Ivory 200 if the sun has replaced my pink with a more bronze color.  Which brings me to my next point:

Is it necessary to have a winter foundation and a summer foundation?

For most of us, yes.  We're naturally darker in the summer and your foundation should match.

The following shades are available:

Ivory 100  104  105  200  202  204

Beige 300  302  304  305  400  402  404

Bronze 500  504  507  600  607  708  808

Truely, I have yet to come across a woman who does not fit in here somewhere.  Mary Kay® always does it right, that's why they have the #1 selling line in America.

A quick note regarding product shelf-life:

Please do not buy or use expired products.  Even if they're deeply discounted, pass them up!  It's not worth the potential risks, including but not limited to, skin irritancy.  Educate yourself.  For more information-->>Product Coding System

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