Q. I would like to update my foundation as my skin tone is changing from winter white to having a bit more colour. But I don't know what to do now with no way of trying different shades or finishes.

A. This is a dilemma for many people with all the retail outlets closed. However, there are some options we can suggest.

Firstly, a genius idea from Bobbi Brown with their Foundation Shade Finder. Once you get on the page, scroll down through the many shade options and find the bit that invites you to chat with a Bobbi Brown-trained make up artist who will help you upload a photo of yourself and then have a chat about your best options. (When things return to normal, there are other ways of doing this, outlined at the top of the same page, but right now these don't appear to be working smoothly, we’re told.) NB As with many brands, Bobbi Brown now offers a huge spectrum of shades for every skin tone and different types of foundation – hallelujah for that.

Two more thoughts: firstly, if your current foundation suits your skin type and you like it, there are ways of adapting that. According to make up artist Nadira V Persaud, ‘adding a few bronzing drops to your current foundation is a good economical solution’.

Thing is to add less rather than more to start with so you can gauge the shade. You can always up the amount – trickier if you add too much…

Nadira likes The Body Shop Honey Bronze Drops of Sun, a real beauty steal at £12 for 15ml. A more pricey option is Cosmetics a la Carte Complexion Enhancer/£42, but this acts as brightener, primer, hydrator and colour corrector (phew!) in one small bottle. It comes in three shades: choose Rosekiss for very pale skins, advises Nadira, or Sunkiss for a golden glow.

We have long been fans of Dr Hauschka Translucent Bronzing Tint/£29.50 for 30ml, which you can use ‘neat’ on bare skin or add to foundation or moisturiser.

Chantecaille Radiance Gel Bronzer/£36, now comes in a 20ml travel size; used over bare skin it gives luminosity and a smooth, even finish, thanks to a new polymer. It’s also designed to mix with foundation.

Also do consider Cover FX Custom Enhancer Drops, £21/ 15ml, and Clinique Face Bronzing Tinted Gel/£17.10 for 50ml.

If your skin is good enough for very light coverage, Nadira is a big fan of Origins Ginzing Energy Boosting Tinted Moisturiser SPF40/£32 for 50ml, which promises a sheer, perfecting veil of colour that leaves skin flawless. ‘This is amazing!  It gives a radiant glow with sheer cover in a slow release formula,’ she says.

Secondly, for an alternative to your foundation, please check out multi award winning Erborian CC Crème SPF25/£38, on our latest Award winners here. This ‘magic product’, as one tester dubbed it, adapts to your individual skin tone, giving a smooth, bright, natural-looking finish that covers small blemishes. ‘Do moisturise well beforehand,’ suggests Nadira. (Although some of our testers found they didn’t need much.) We love this product and pretty well the whole Beauty Bible team has it in their make up bags.

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