I've always liked the idea of custom-made make-up. It seems the perfect answer to my Number One make-up gripe: the fact that so few companies create powders, foundations or concealers suitable for black skin.
As with clothes, the downfall with custom-made is that it tends to cost more than off-the-peg ranges - it's the haute couture of the make-up world. But after more than 10 years of buying make-up, I still haven't found the perfect base, so I've given in and decided to give custom-made a try.
Prescriptives claims to be able to match any skin colour, and will customise a powder (£35) or a foundation (£40) for you in-store; for an extra £12, you can also have a pressed powder made up in the same shade. I opt for the loose powder.
While looking at my skin and testing a few base shades (there are five base shades for powders and six for foundations), Jason, the make-up artist, keeps me amused with tales of women who have brought in carpet tiles, asking for a direct match.
According to Jason, there are only four "colour families" when it comes to skin colour - yellow/orange, red/blue, red/orange and red. All skin tones fall within this range, irrespective of colour or skin type. I'm yellow/orange, apparently, the most common colour family - typical.
Once the colour family has been identified and a base shade picked, it's time to start mixing in other shades for the perfect match. There are seven colours that can be added to the base shade - yellow, blue, green, orange, red, purple and white - and there is a medium and a deep version of each.
Jason gets to work with a spatula and, to my horror, tips a fluorescent orange and a luminous green into the base shade, adding an oil control for good measure. At this point I should admit to two prejudices: I assume that a black person will know my skin better than a white person and that a woman will know what I want better than a man. I'm happy to say Jason proved me wrong on both counts. His powder was the perfect match. If you've got the money, and the time, custom blend is definitely worth a try.
