Can A Universal Shade of Makeup Work For Everyone

We all hate trying to guess which shade of blush works with our complexion, or which color of lipstick really looks nice, or if this eyeshadow complements our hazel eyes, etc.

Makeup companies realize the frustration and guesswork that goes in trying to select cosmetics. So some experts try to offer us a simple solution---universal shades of makeup. In other words, one product fits all.

It sounds almost too good to be true, and yet, we easily fall into the trap and buy the makeup, because we are tired of trying to pick the perfect match. And many times, we are disappointed.

Can a universal shade of makeup really work for everyone?

How about a success rate of 97% for all skin tones?!

That's how Cover Girl rates their TruShine Lipcolor collection. The makeup giants at CG, using a special device called a spectrophotometer, measure the visible wavelengths of the skin. And this instrument claims to be able to determine the exact skin color and undertone of hundreds of women. Based on those stats, CG offers a collection of 24 sheer lipstick shades for every 97 out of 100 women.

Oh, really? Hmmm. Let's put Cover Girl's TruShine Lipcolor to the test.

We first saw Bahamian beauty Rihanna wearing TruShine Lipcolor in Powderpink Shine ($6, drugstores). Rihanna claimed it was one of her favorite shades---a soft, pale pink. And it looked so natural on her.

So with CG's 97% match to all skin tones, we thought we'd give it a try.

We ended up looking like a pair of frozen, icy lips--- almost a deathly shade for our Mediterranean light olive skin tone. Nope. The universal shade did not complement our skin tone. We were quite frustrated. We were out 6 bucks. But there is a money back guarantee with Cover Girl's TruShine Lipcolor collection.

Our advice: Take your time and try different shades of makeup. That is really the only method that works by trial and error. Sometimes, you're blowing a few dollars here and there, but when you find the right shades, your face will know it. Don't always trust the makeup companies to do all the work for you, because they are not always right. There is no 'one size fits all' in the beauty world. And thank goodness for that.