How To: Mixing Pigments to Match Skin Tone

A colleague recently asked me if it was difficult to mix pigments to match a skin tone.

Nope. It may take a little patience, but it's fun and even quite relaxing.

Today, I'm going to show you how to match your own skin tone.

With a mere 4 components, it is possible to match any human skin color – from the fairest of fair to the darkest of dark – a mere 3 pigments and white are all you need.

Those components are pictured above.

Sound too easy to be true? How about giving it a try and seeing what you think.

Shall we get started?

Necessities

• Brown oxide
• Sienna oxide
• Yellow ochre oxide
• Titanium dioxide or zinc oxide
• Container for your mixture
• Dedicated whizzing implement  (Visit this post for a tip on what to use)
• Measuring spoon
• Cotton swabs

A quick note on measuring spoons.

Whether you want to make a small or large portion, use the same measuring spoon size for each color. I wanted only a small-ish portion (enough for a years use), so I used the 'TAD' size of the teensy measuring spoons you see above (equivilant 1.2 ml).

Tip: Start with very small amounts - much less than you think you might need. The unavoidable process of fine-tuning the color means you will be adding more as you go and your final batch is going to be bigger than expected.

Basic Amounts

Here's how to mix a basic caucasian skin color

• 1 level spoon sienna oxide
• 1 heaped spoon brown oxide
• 3 heaped spoons yellow ochre oxide
• 5 heaped spoons titanium dioxide or zinc oxide

These portions are pictured at the top – photographed before fine tuning the mixture to my own skin tone.

Because my own skin tone lies somewhere between 'ridiculously fair' and 'ghostly', I had to triple the amount of white before I had a match.


More Skin Tones
For very fair skin: add more white
For darker skin: add more brown
For very dark skin: add more brown and sienna
For a more yellowish skin tone: add more yellow ochre
For a more reddish skin tone: add more sienna

Method

Add your pigments to your whizzing machine.
Whizz until the color is even.
Check the color

How To check the Color

• Dip a cotton swab into the mixture and transfer to a bit of non-stick paper
• (Do not dip your fingers into the mixture!)
• Test the color on your face in natural daylight. (you don't have to go outside, but stand near a window with your mirror)

Here's a peek at my color adjusting process. On the far right (we're reading from right to left in this photo) is a bit of my 2014 color mix (I used up my 2015 mixture making this).

The first test (2016/1) was way too dark. But the third try was spot on. As a matter of fact, it was more spot on than my mixture from 2014 (which was a titch on the yellow side).

Finishing Up

When you are happy with the color, transfer it to an air-tight container and LABEL IT with a date.

Be sure to clean your whizzing implement. I do this by running it with cornstarch a few times until there is no trace of color left. Carefully remove any remaining powder with a soft brush.

That's it!

Did you end up with a huge portion of foundation color? No worries! Next time, we're going to take our basic foundation color mixture and use it to make perfectly matched highlighter, blush and shadow-sculpting skin tones.

Stay tuned for more make-up making fun!

PS: This entire process took me an hour from start to finish. I admit I am practiced,  but not that practiced. I only mix foundation colors once a year.