New York City-based makeup artist Nam Vo has already blessed the beauty world with tips for achieving her signature #DewyDumpling look. Now, she’s helping us find the perfect foundation shade with a brand-new skin tone-matching technique. Instead of matching foundation shades to the usual recommended areas—your neck, jaw, or the back of your hand—Vo discovered that the best place to swatch is actually your cheekbone.
Specifically, Vo suggests matching foundation to the highest point of your cheekbone, where you would add highlighter. According to the Instagram-famous makeup mogul, this is the “median” skin tone of your complexion, which is comprised of a few different tones. The perimeter of your face is the darkest due to skin exposure, so matching to your forehead or chin isn’t the best method. The center of your face, however, is much lighter. The highest point of your cheekbone is said to have the least discoloration, making it truest to your skin tone, according to Allure.
Vo even shared with Elle her method for applying foundation and concealer. Rather than using a brush, she spot-treats her face with the foundation by dabbing it on with a finger. Then, she rolls and bounces with her beauty blender. According to Vo, a beauty blender is best for applying foundation because it presses the foundation into the skin. Then, instead of applying concealer just under the eyes, Vo drags her concealer brush down towards her cheeks to create a lighter appearance.
While Vo does have several makeup tips and tricks under her belt, she believes skincare is the most important—healthy, glowing skin will not need as much makeup. Much of her “dumpling skin” routine, which refers to bright skin achieved by highlighter and natural hydration, involves prepping the face with moisturizers and serums before applying any makeup.
Aside from drinking plenty of water, Vo suggests using hydrating moisturizers as much as possible. Additionally, plumping serums will help to lift the skin. The right highlighter will really emphasize hydrated skin—Vo shared that she uses powdered highlighter because it is the most pigmented.
Have you tried Vo’s trick for finding the right foundation shade? Let us know in the comments!
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