Choose the makeup base
Choosing the right foundation or makeup base is vitally important for Indian, Black, and African skin types. Why use foundation? If you have darker skin, you are more likely to have uneven skin tone and pigmentation marks. The foundation helps to even out skin tone and cover pigmentation scars. Here are some tips on choosing the best foundation shade for black skin.
First, choose three foundation colors that most closely match your skin tone and try them on your jawline. Make sure there is no other face makeup on your skin and be sure to test in natural light. The shade that blends into your skin and becomes ‘invisible’ is the one to choose. Do not test foundation shades on your hand as the skin on your hand may be a different shade than your face. Also make sure the hue matches your chest and neck area – you don’t want to look like you’re wearing a mask! Dark-skinned women also tend to have slightly darker or lighter skin in different areas of the face; choose the shade that best matches most of your face. Choose a foundation with yellow undertones as it is universally matte for dark skin.
If you’re shopping for foundation online, look for companies that provide samples or testers of foundation so you can try it out at home.
Do not try to brighten or lighten your skin by applying a lighter shade of foundation as it will make your complexion look unhealthy and unnatural. If you want to illuminate your skin, apply a sheer loose powder with light-reflecting properties (if the powder isn’t sheer, it should be a shade or two lighter than your foundation). This method subtly brightens your complexion without altering your skin tone. The reverse also applies: don’t use a darker foundation to look more tanned, use a matte bronzer instead.
As for coverage, make sure you choose a foundation with more coverage than usual as black skin tends to be uneven and more prone to pigmentation spots. A mattifying and oil-absorbing formula is recommended as darker skin tends to produce more sebum and is oilier. One form of makeup that ticks all the boxes is mineral-based makeup.
Should you use foundation? It depends: if you want to neutralize a sallow or yellowish complexion, use a lavender foundation under your foundation. If you need to use concealer, choose a shade that is a shade or two lighter than your foundation. Apply to specific problem areas with a concealer brush and apply foundation on top.
Choose colors of eye shadows, cheeks and lips
The darker your skin, the more intense the tones you choose for your skin should be. Go for warm colors and don’t wear colors that are too light – that delicate pale pink blush shade may look good in your compact, but it will ‘set’ as a pale powder on your darker complexion. A darker shade achieves a better “pure color wash” effect on your skin tone.
For lip colors, choose colors like plum, burgundy, berry, wine, bronze, and copper. Choose lip products with a matte, shimmer or sheer finish; avoid any frosty product. If you wear lip liner, choose a shade that closely matches your natural lip color.
conclusion
With these tips, you should have no problem selecting a skin-flattering makeup. The most important thing to remember is that you should wear makeup to enhance your beautiful tanned complexion, not completely change it.
