Between two foundation shades? That doesn't mean the brand failed you. On deep skin, it often means your exact match sits between two neighboring shades.

This guide shows you how to mix two neighboring foundation shades into a custom match: how to test if mixing is right for you, the step-by-step method, how to shift your mix with the seasons, and the mistakes that leave you muddy or orange.

Not sure which two shades to start with? The Find Your Shade quiz gives you a closest match. Your second shade is the neighbor on the side your skin leans toward.

Why deep skin so often lands between two shades

Skin isn't one flat color. Your jawline and hairline can be deeper than your forehead. Your color shifts through the year, often deeper in summer and lighter in winter. Any shade range moves in steps, and your skin can land between them.

Blending two shades from the same formula is a normal way to close that gap. It's also a practical way to keep a base matching as your skin shifts through the year.

The quick test: is mixing right for you?

1. Draw a stripe of your closest shade along your jawline, down onto your neck.
2. Next to it, draw a stripe of the neighboring shade: the one just lighter or just deeper.
3. Blend both with a clean finger or a My TBrush – Foundation Brush, then look in daylight. If one reads slightly light and the other slightly deep, mixing is your answer.
4. Wait 10 to 15 minutes and check again. If you want the full method, see our guide to checking a foundation shade match in daylight.

How to mix your match, step by step

1. Pick two neighbors. Choose shades that sit next to each other in the range, for example MTC445 and MTC446. Shades that are far apart give you a different color, not a fine adjustment.
2. Start with one pump of each. Put them on a clean palm or a mixing plate. The My TFace – Lite As Air Liquid Foundation is built for 1 to 2 pumps per application, so one of each is a full face.
3. Blend until streak-free. Use a clean brush or fingertip until you can't see two colors.
4. Swatch on your jaw and neck. Check by the window. Adjust the ratio: more of the shade that looked closer, less of the other.
5. Write down your ratio. Keep a note on your phone, such as "equal parts" or "two parts of the first to one of the second," so you can repeat it. Mix a small batch and apply your usual 1 to 2 pumps' worth.

Shift your mix with the seasons

Once you have a ratio, you don't need a new bottle every time your skin changes. In summer, add more of the deeper shade. In winter, lean toward the lighter one. Small ratio changes keep your base matching all year.

Match your concealer the same way

The My TFace – Lite As Air Liquid Concealer also comes in 24 shades. Pick the one closest to your mixed foundation. A concealer much lighter than your face tends to read gray on deep skin, which is one cause of ashy under-eyes. For under-eye and dark-mark coverage, see our concealer routine for hyperpigmentation and dark circles.

Mixing mistakes that muddy your match

• Mixing shades that are far apart. You get a new color, not a fine adjustment.
• Mixing more than two. Every extra shade makes it harder to repeat.
• Mixing different brands or formulas. They can separate or blend unevenly. Stick to the same formula.
• Judging on your hand. Always test on your jaw and neck, in daylight.
• Skipping the wait. If a mix looks right at first and turns orange later, read why foundation oxidizes on deep skin.

If the mix still looks a little off, the problem may be undertone, not depth. Our guide to reading undertone beyond yellow versus pink explains how to tell.

Custom, not compromise

Being between two shades isn't a problem to solve by settling. Mix two neighbors, write down your ratio, and adjust it as your skin changes. Your base should match you, not the closest bottle on the shelf.

👉 CLICK HERE to shop the My TFace Lite As Air Liquid Foundation, and start with the Find Your Shade quiz to pick your first shade. For the whole process, read our complete foundation shade-match guide for deep skin.

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