Too light, too dark, lacking coverage, too compact, and not to mention the ingredients I'm putting on my skin—the search for the perfect foundation is a bit like the search for the perfect partner. It has to feel good, it has to suit me, and I don't want to make too many compromises. The search for the perfect match... Well, let me just start with the foundation.
Foundations – this is the difference between conventional and natural cosmetics
The purpose of foundation is to provide a base for the face and balance the complexion. Unlike conventional cosmetics, natural cosmetics are not permitted to use silicones or synthetic substances to create a smooth, even finish. Natural cosmetics rely on plant oils and minerals for this purpose. And this brings us to the most important difference between conventional and natural cosmetics .
Do you know what you're applying directly to your skin with foundation or lipstick? In conventional cosmetics, the answer is usually NO.
You could theoretically even eat a lipstick from a natural cosmetics line without ingesting chemicals and harmful substances. A foundation from a natural cosmetics line consists of oils, wax, and essences from plants and medicinal herbs, and may even contain a nourishing component. And the best part: everyone knows what's in it. From aloe vera and chamomile to white clay —all ingredients in natural cosmetics come from exactly that: from nature.
Natural cosmetics means:
– PURELY natural raw materials
– NO mineral oil products or mineral oil waste ( silicones , paraffins, plasticizers)
– NO synthetic preservatives ( parabens , formaldehyde)
– NO synthetic fragrances
– NO animal testing
– NO COMPROMISES , as all products still perform
Step 1: The tone makes the… Foundation
Who has ever stood in front of a foundation shelf with at least 40 shades from one brand alone? There had to be MY shade there... Okay, I'll take on the challenge. A rough selection is easy to find at first glance – somehow "beige" always works well for me. Or maybe "sand"?
A few minutes later, I'm lost between "true sand," "light beige," "golden beige," "soft sand," and "buff beige" – and nothing seems to quite fit. A mix would be best. But that's exactly what conventional makeup, and especially foundation, doesn't allow for. There's a reason why there are so many shades on the shelf – because with makeup containing synthetic colors, the tone always has to be a perfect match.
This is different with foundations with natural color pigments. Natural color pigments always adapt to the natural skin tone. Of course, there are also a selection of shades that differ in color. But to put it bluntly, if I have porcelain skin, I could also use shades with honey tones, or the other way around, if I have tanned or olive skin, I could also use the lightest shades. I would then always have a different effect on my skin. But the pigments would still always adapt to my own skin tone, highlighting it with a noble pallor or at other times with a sporty, sun-kissed look.
Conventional vs. natural cosmetics
Step 2 : Your skin undertone: How to recognize your individual skin color
Skin tone and skin undertone are two different things. We divide skin color into color worlds such as very light, light, medium skin tone, medium-dark skin tone, and dark skin tone. Skin undertone, on the other hand, has nothing to do with light or dark skin types, but rather is divided into cool, warm, and neutral. Here's how to get your bearings:
Cool skin undertone:
If you hold your wrist up to sunlight, your veins will appear blue or even purple, and your skin will have a pinkish-blue hue. Your sun tolerance is another indicator. If your skin burns easily and doesn't tan properly, your melanin levels are low—this also indicates a pinkish, bluish, or red undertone.
People with a cool skin undertone usually have light to medium brown hair, light green, hazel brown, grey or blue eyes, naturally blonde or reddish hair and a pale complexion with a tendency to freckles.
If this applies to you, you should focus on foundation shades that have bluish and pink undertones. You'll recognize them by descriptions like cool, natural rose, or rose beige. These makeup colors flatter you: pink, blue, purple, turquoise, or cool red tones.
Warm skin undertone:
If your wrist veins appear greenish, you have a warm skin undertone. Your skin has a more yellowish or olive-green complexion, tans quite quickly, and is less prone to sunburn – this is because your melanin levels are higher than those of people with cool skin undertones.
The warm skin undertone is usually associated with golden brown, dark brown or black hair and brown or green eyes.
If this applies to you, you should focus on foundations with a yellow undertone. You can recognize them by descriptions like golden, honey, amber, or warm. Gold jewelry probably suits you well, and colors like warm red, orange, brown, yellow, or yellow-green flatter you.
Neutral skin undertone:
Your veins shimmer blue-green through the skin on your wrist. You're the lucky one – your pink and yellow tones are balanced, and both color schemes suit you. Depending on which side you lean toward, you can match your foundation.
WARM & COLD - Your PERFECT MATCH for a natural radiance
We offer you a choice of five cool and five warm LIETH foundation shades to match your skin undertone. All shades with a number without a decimal point are cool tones, while all shades with a five after the decimal point are warm tones.
Still unsure which shade suits you best? You can also order our LIETH tester sachets. Gretel yourself and find your perfect foundation match.
Step 3: Your skin but better – Applying foundation correctly
Remember: Foundation's job is to neutralize your skin tone and eliminate discoloration. Harmonizing your complexion creates an even skin tone and conjures up a semi-matte finish.
The basis of every foundation is good care. Your skin should first be thoroughly cleansed. You can balance your skin's pH value with a toner or facial water. Then you can apply a good dose of moisture as the basis for your foundation. WEGEN , our Natural Priming Oil, is the best base for our LIETH Foundation - especially for dry skin. Precious oils such as rosehip seed oil, almond oil, rose geranium oil and plant extracts are the perfect priming booster. It's child's play to use. Shake WEGEN, apply half a pump first to your hand and then massage it into your face in circular movements. Wait a moment until the Natural Priming Oil is absorbed - done.
Brushes and sponges are ideal for blending conventional foundation. For natural cosmetics, however, it's recommended to apply the foundation with your fingers and fingertips. This allows the body heat from your hands to melt the oils and natural color pigments into your skin, creating a better bond.
First, apply a small amount to the back of your hand. With your other hand, spread the foundation over your face and blend it in. To do this, first spread the foundation a bit like lotion, then pat it in a bit. Finally, place both palms of your hands on your face and press them against your skin to warm it.
There is always the prejudice that foundations made from natural cosmetics are not opaque. We would like to dispel this. Because foundations with purely natural ingredients just work differently than conventional foundations. Layering is the magic word. Everything from a light primer to full coverage is possible. So if you like a foundation that provides more coverage, simply wait a few seconds after the first application and then add a few more dots of foundation to the desired areas. Instead of applying a cream, build them up with tapping movements. You can then set the foundation with a powder like the ILGE Translucent Setting Powder – this also makes it easier to apply other powder-based products like blusher or contouring powder. This sounds a lot more complicated than it actually is – we promise!
The development of our LIETH Foundations
Christina Roth is the co-founder and developer of our LIETH Foundation . As a professional makeup artist, she primarily applied makeup to models and stars for red carpets and fashion magazine shoots – where one thing was in the spotlight: pure glamour. UND GRETEL exists because, at the time, there was no natural alternative to the synthetic products she could use to meet the high quality standards of a professional shoot.
All of UND GRETEL's first LIETH foundation shades originate from this history. They were designed to add glamour to the skin, an elegance achieved through mostly pink pigments from the cooler undertone. LIETH was also developed with the understanding that the shades adapt very well to your skin tone thanks to their blendability and natural color pigments.
– 0.5 Light – Light skin with slightly warm undertones
– 01 Porcelain Rose – Very light to light, cool skin tones with pink undertones
– 1.5 Soft Light – Lighter skin with warm undertones
– 02 Porcelain Beige – Light to medium skin tones with peachy undertones
– 2.5 Golden Beige – Light to medium skin tones with warm undertones
– 03 Beige – Medium skin tones with pink undertones
– 3.5 Caramel Beige – Medium skin tones with warm undertones
– 04 Summer – Medium to darker skin tones with warm undertones
– 4.5 Hazelnut – Dark skin tone with warm undertones
– 05 Mocha – Dark to very dark skin tones
You can combine and mix LIETH foundations as you wish. You decide your look – we provide everything you need.
You won't find a swipe left or right for natural cosmetics foundation here—but you can browse the foundations in our UND GRETEL shop to see if you can find your perfect match. There are other specialists for that.
By the way, the TUNKAL Concealer is the best complement to our LIETH Foundation. As a multi-makeup tool, it helps with dark circles and redness, and also acts as a highlighter. The TUNKAL Concealer is now also available in two new shades – have you heard?
