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Ban The Beige!

Now this isn't a rant as such... okay maybe it is slightly. But it is something that has annoyed me for some time now and I felt I needed to get it off my chest.

I'm talking BEIGE foundation samples in magazines, ladies! Just WHY?!

Of course these beige samples will suit a large portion of people (I am guess) but what about the rest of us that are lighter and darker than beige? Surely it would make more sense to have a random mix of samples in magazine so you can either - have a shifty look through the other copies of the magazine you are buying to find a sample shade that is close to your skin tone. Or even if you didn't really care at least you would stumble across a foundation sample that would be able to try out now and again!

So out of curiosity I decided to swatch a few foundation samples to see if I could possibly try the foundation on my actually face without looking like an oompa loompa or and extra from Geordie Shore.

Foundation sample swatches chanel clarins

As you can see err, there is a slight difference in the foundation swatches and my own skin, but to be fair I am very pale in winter. But still I would have ZERO chance of trying any of these out on my face... I would literally look like I was wearing a face mask!

But maybe the brands have done their research into what foundation shade is most purchased, which is always around the 'beige' region.

Or maybe I am just being unrealistic and it would cost them too much to provide different shades for free foundation sample, seeing as they do have to pay to place the samples into the magazines in the first place.

I just think things like this need to evolve and change a bit! Variation is good and it means that at least some of the time we will find a foundation sample that we can try!

Would actually love to know if anyone matches up with the 'beige' foundation samples quite well.

Fee xo.

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+3 Vote up Vote down

Ms Red · 688 weeks ago

Amen Fee. This is one of my biggest bug bares about samples in magazines!!

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sarah · 688 weeks ago

HAHA i agree i would love to be able to try the samples but there's no chance. i guess as well as the cost issue for companies the samples are really to test the formula rather than the colour?

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Bettina@BeautySwot · 688 weeks ago

I had to read this post when I saw the title... I have reviewed and worn both the Chanel and Clarins foundation samples that you have pictured here in posts - both shades were wearable on my skin so I am quite happy and yes they did suit me, take a look :-)

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Shu · 688 weeks ago

Fortunately for me 'beige' usually matches my skin tone quite well... but only on my tanner days! I was just thinking that if they can't provide a range of tones per issue, surely it would be better that they should provide slightly lighter tones in winter, then 'beige' at other times?

1 reply · active 687 weeks ago

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Leanne · 688 weeks ago

I have to agree being ghostly white myself... but what I tend to do is try the far-too-dark sample on a day that I don't need to leave the house, just to get an idea of application, texture, wear etc then if I like those aspects I can go and out try the paler shades!

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Joanna · 688 weeks ago

I have no hope in hell of ever matching the beige samples - I'm an NC15 in summer and slightly paler than that in winter! What I personally would prefer would be if they could give away samples to those that request it - via a facebook page maybe? And then you could select your colour. I'm 21 and as I love my makeup I do spend on high end brands fairly frequently, yet when I ask they never give me any samples - I assume as they think I'm just trying to get something free and will never buy the full size, since when my mother goes in she's given loads of them and she refuses to spend above a fiver for foundation!

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Hayley · 688 weeks ago

I guess they just go with the majority of skin tones which is the only fair way if they want to keep costs down.at least everyone gets to see the texture or how it looks/feels on the skin but in an ideal world a magazine would contain 3 samples, light, medium and dark to cover almost everyones skin tone! it would also mean that we could blend the light and medium to make a sand type colour which would be amazing but I highly doubt the companies would ever spend that much on their free samples :( x

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vicky · 688 weeks ago

Beige usually matches me but seen as its the formula your trying if it doesnt and I want to try it normally mix in a little bit of white foundation to lighten it up

vicky - www.tryingfortheimpossible.blogspot.com

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colourblastme 20p · 688 weeks ago

Oh, it's like reading something I would have written! and it's not just in magazines! I'm so OBVIOUSLY pale and even the ladies at the stores when they give me samples they're alwas so dark for my skintone. but now I've learned my lesson and I always check before taking it home. I really can't trust them and they are supposed to know what they are doing, but clearly don't! (at least my mom is a "beige" and she can wear them!)

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nicoletta · 688 weeks ago

Im quite lucky as most of the freebies seem to be a similar shade to my skin but you are totally right in what you say. Surely they would be better off with a voucher for people to go and pick up a sample from a local store with a choice of colours x

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Mademoiselle Lala · 688 weeks ago

LOL! I don't even bother opening them... What happened to an English rose idea? :) X

mademoiselle-lala.com

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@MsBubu26 · 688 weeks ago

I usually don't mind, as it is a shade that I can usually work with my own. I happened once or twice that the shade was too dark, and I was a bit annoyed. But I saw that as an opportunity to test the texture of the foundation, not to actually wear it on a regular day.

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@Convo_Pieces · 688 weeks ago

Ha ha, yes! Every time I get a foundation sample it just has to go in the bin as I'm soooo not beige!

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Kam · 688 weeks ago

haha the other night I decided to try all the foundation samples I had from magazines, then scared my brother with my face in varying shades of yellow and bright orange. I'm really pale and knew none of the beige samples would be the right colour, but I thought I'd see what the texture and whatnot was like. I actually really liked the Rimmel 'wake me up' one, but I don't think they even make a shade light enough for me anyway.

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Shannon · 688 weeks ago

I totally agree with this post. I'm as pale as a milk bottle and its so frustrating when you quite innocently come across testers, yet can't try them because they're 6 shades to dark. :(

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Laura Summer · 688 weeks ago

These usually do match my skintone, I bought the wake me up foundation in the sample shade and the Chanel matched me really well too even though I am lighter than normal now. In summer the samples are too light for me but generally I don't notice as many foundation samples in summer? I agree it must be annoying for the rest of the population though

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vanessareedphoto 12p · 688 weeks ago

This is funny because it's one of those things I've always thought and just figured I was the only one who noticed! Even if you are more pale in the winter, those colors are extremely dark! I think I MIGHT be able to actually try some of them and I have an olive complexion which is (to my knowledge) not dominate... at least in most areas. (Although so many people fake tan now days... maybe we are actually won!) I have seen before where companies will do samples of different shades but they're typically very small samples where you can only test the shades but wouldn't have enough to wear. Who knows they do they do this... like you said probably because of the cost behind everything. I usually just use the samples I find to test the consistency of a product and see if it seems like something I would like to try!

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Stacey · 688 weeks ago

I have to say, the samples I get in magazines are usually either a good match for me or in one shade too light or too dark...sorry! I can see what you mean from those swatches. They all look very orange on you which makes me think my face must look orange too but it doesn't, honest!xx

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Jennifer · 688 weeks ago

These would be too dark for me too but it is a good opportunity to try them out on days when you are at home to see how the texture works on your skin.

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Kerry · 688 weeks ago

I couldnt agree more! Im unsure which skin tone would even suit a beige foundation. I recently got a sample of the Clarins and Rimmel foundations, in beige, and they were far to orange for my pale skin, to orange for my friends more olive skin, and even to dark for my friend, who is spanish! I am totally on your ban the beige bandwagon! xx

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Hollie · 688 weeks ago

Hallelujah! I'm very pale like yourself, think NW15 in mac and I tried the Chanel foundation sample yesterday and it was SO orange! I had to remove it and do my make-up again with my trusty laura mercier tinted moisturiser. I got so excited for the samples in the Marie Claire magazine and I can't even use them :(. I agree that variation is needed especially for darker skin tones which you hardly ever see samples for.

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missrachelphipps 11p · 688 weeks ago

You are totally right, I have boxes of these I don't have a hope with - I wear the Chanel foundation you have here, and the swatch makes me laugh! That is 30 Beige, I wear 12 Beige Rose, and even 20 Beige Rose, the next shade up is almost too dark for me!

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Lucy · 688 weeks ago

I feel exactly the same way!
Im mega pale and its so annoying when you want to try out new products:/

Makeup for Biochemists

xx

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jenny · 688 weeks ago

They are all oompa loompa compared to me; the first thing one of my friends said to me today was that I looked like a ghost! x

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Harriet · 688 weeks ago

I agree, but they would probably be better by just putting a advert, and then saying "Go to our website and order your free sample!" or something like that, then that way you can pick the right colour for your skin ( or close enough ). I would love this since I am pale all year, so I can`t ever get away with it. I often just swear by E.L.F products, they always match my skin. :) ( And cheap!)

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