Measured: Coverage has no regulated scale. Judge it by what a single thin layer still lets show in daylight. Do not judge by the sheer, medium or full label on the box.
The basics
What to know about coverage
Coverage answers one question: after a layer of base, how much of your own skin still shows? Nothing about the scale is regulated, so one brand's medium sits where another's full does. The word on the box is a starting point rather than a promise. What sets coverage is pigment load, the share of the formula that is color rather than water, oil or silicone. More pigment per drop means more opacity and less light reaching the skin beneath.
Judge coverage by what one thin layer leaves visible in daylight, not by how a swatch looks on the back of a hand. Apply a single layer to one cheek, wait 20 minutes, then step to a window and check three things. Look at whether pores still read, whether redness has softened or vanished, and whether the edge along the jaw disappears.
Read the three bands as a ladder of what survives. Sheer keeps texture and freckles while softening color. Medium removes most discoloration and lets texture through. Full removes both. Every step up buys concealment and charges you in shade-match precision, blending time and the risk of looking made up in strong daylight.
