Hello and welcome. This is a VERY necessary item. At least I think it is. I started wearing makeup around the age of 14 and when I started it was the WRONG shade for my skin tone. So! I am trying to speak for all the beautiful black women with brown skin who have as much difficulty finding makeup as I do. So let me give you a little background about me.
First of all, black is beautiful, and the darker the berry, the sweeter the juice! That said, at 14 she was a clueless little girl. When I first started wearing makeup, it was just lipstick and it started out being my mom’s fashion fair. My mother who is light-skinned and has a dark-skinned daughter. Needless to say, her lipstick did NOT match at all. I was even referred to as a dark-skinned Ronald McDonald by a previous ex-boyfriend!
So I think that brown-haired women need a little extra help because it’s harder for us to find makeup that matches in pharmacies, or makeup that is accessible. Also, Cosmo and Glamor and all of them are always talking about great spring makeup, but hey hey, did you forget that black girls like spring makeup too? So I feel your pain. I call myself a fan of makeup and I would like to offer my experiences, as well as some products that are FABO and not so much. So… without further ado, let’s get started!
JUST FYI: This is all the makeup I’ve ever had to use through trial and error, so I’m sharing my EXPERIENCE!
FACE: I find it hard to find a good foundation and full coverage makeup that is affordable, so here are some wonderful finds that I have found that are both.
1-Cover Girl Queen Collection Natural Hue Liquid Foundation – Spicy Brown
PROS: It’s good for blending skin tones that have yellow or red undertones, it spreads easily, and if you only need moderate coverage, it’s a good bang for your buck. It’s affordable, ranging from $6 to $8, and you can find it at most drugstores and supermarkets.
CONS: If you have dark spots and blemishes, it will NOT give you the coverage you need! Not even closed, okay? It also wears off quickly, so you’ll need to reapply it often. The bottle is upside down with a little spout so if you pour too much you can’t put it back in the bottle and in these tough economic times, er ‘little counts, right ladies?
Also, if you’re having trouble matching your skin tone because you have BOTH yellow and red undertones, or maybe blue and red, this collection may not be for you because there isn’t a wide selection to choose from, so you may must move on. . Other shades that are good for brown to dark skinned gals, and some of you folks! Rich Mink, Sheer Espresso and True Ebony.
2- Cover Girl Queen Collection Natural Hue Compact Foundation
PROS-It will give you more coverage than Liquid Foundation. That is all. That’s all I can think of.
CONS: Unfortunately, it spreads VERY quickly. It also has a slightly different shade than the liquid foundation, so it was harder for me to match my skin tone. Plus, when it’s hot outside, it cleanses IMMEDIATELY and reveals all the blemishes on my face! LOL, it also cleans on your clothes, stains your hands, everything. It’s also moderately priced, so if you want to look good for date night, to go somewhere cool, it’s a quick fix, but I wouldn’t wear it to the club, a carnival, anywhere that’s warm or sweaty. It also comes in the same.
3- Black Opal True Color Liquid Foundation – Black Walnut
PROS – Impressive coverage. There’s quite a bit in the bottle, so it’ll last you a long time. It’s a stand-up bottle with a generous opening, so if you pour too much it won’t be too hard to put it back in, so you can SAVE, SAVE, SAVE! I use foundation every day, sometimes I wash my face and reapply if I go out that night, and this bottle lasts me about two months or so. You’ll find it ranges from $8 to $12…depending on where you live. So it’s a great buy.
CONS: If you have combination to oily skin, USE POWDER and keep it with you! During these upcoming warm to hot days, it might look very oily on your face. But if you have blotting paper or powders with you, you should be fine. Also, it may be that MY skin tone changes, so if that is the case, ignore it, but I find that when I go to buy a new one, the tone may not match the old one, so keep that in mind.
Another downside is that Black Opal products can be a bit more difficult to find in stores than other products I mention. I don’t know if they’re not that popular or what, but every time I look I always find them at Rite-Aid or CVS. So, happy hunting. Other colors are good for brown-skinned girls… Carob, Suede Mocha, and Ebony Brown… And for those bordering on caramel with brown-skinned girls, Hazelnut!
4-Maybelline Pure Make-Up (Shine-Free Foundation with H2O) – Cocoa (Dark 3)
PROS- Very affordable, easy to find. Located in most drug stores, supermarkets, Wal-Mart. Costs range from $5.99 to $10, depending on the region. Full coverage, won’t clog pores, spreads easily.
CONS-Upside down tube, so you will have to be exact about how much is needed for your face, because if you use too much…it will be wasted. Limited colors for darker skin tones. They only have THREE shades for women of OUR color. Dark 1- Tan, Dark 2- Caramel and Dark 3- Cocoa. I have used Cocoa. It’s too dark for my skin tone.
However, the Caramel Dark 2 is too light. So if you’re pressed for money and don’t have the money to experiment, I wouldn’t waste my time on this product. They have FIVE shades dedicated to the clear ones, FOUR to the medium ones and only three to the dark ones??!!! Please leave this product alone, unless it is an EXACT match. Good luck avoiding the lady who tries to stare at you when you’re trying to sample the products in the store!
5- Black Radiance Color Perfect Oil Free Liquid Makeup- Cocoa Bean
PROS-Very affordable! VERY! Something accessible. It costs around $5.99-10, and you can find it at many beauty supply stores, CVS carries it. Spreads evenly, good coverage, get a lot for your money. Also, it comes in a jar with an open spout, so if you have too much, you can put it back in there. It gives you a nice matte finish.
CONS: Cocao Bean does NOT match my skin tone! But I also have weird undertones to my skin, so that might be why it’s so hard to match. When you apply this makeup it dries a different color, it’s crazy. There’s this… weird… applicator, I’m not sure what to do with it, but it basically got in my way. It says it’s good for all skin types, but I have very sensitive skin on my face and found that within thirty minutes my face was suffocating and I needed to wash it off. Other shades to try are Brownie and Mocha Honey.
6- L’Oreal True Match Super Blendable Makeup- Nut Brown
PROS-Oh my gosh guys, this makeup was amazing! Spread really, really cool! It blends beautifully with a yellow undertone. It really does justice to a brown-skinned girl. Light, so your skin breathes. Good coverage for girls with spots. Fairly easy to find, and I say that with hesitation, because 7 times out of 10 they will have everything EXCEPT the shades for brown skin. Um, I find them at Wal-Mart, Walgreens… and that’s it.
CONS: This product has SPF and I’m VERY allergic to sunscreen, so something terrible came out of it. A little hard to find. It is a little more expensive than the previous products mentioned. Hmm, I’d say around 10.99 and up. You may be able to find it on sale. Also, there isn’t much in the bottle, so use it sparingly if you can. Other shades to try… Soft Sable and Cocoa.
7- Revlon Color Stay Makeup with Soft Flex – Mahogany
PROS- Fairly easy to find in most pharmacies. The colors are good for dark-skinned girls. kind of affordable. A little on the high end but around 9.99-12.99 for this product. Coverage is ok…Not the best but if you are looking for light to moderate coverage this is a good product.
CONS: Now, I found that mahogany didn’t match my undertones as well. I know…. Again with the nuances. He dried off and made my skin look a bit grayish and chalky. There really isn’t a good selection to choose from for darker skin tones. It has SPF6, bad for me, but good for anyone who isn’t allergic. Also, again, if you don’t have the undertone problem… Other shades to try… Cappuccino and Mocha.
And last, but certainly not least…
8- Maybelline Dream Liquid Mousse – Cocoa (Dark 3)
PROS- OH MY GOD…I love this product! (sings the voice of the song) this is the current makeup that I’m wearing now! It definitely does what the commercial says. It covers your pores and gives you a great finish! Maximum coverage! I do NOT need concealer, well…maybe a little, but I don’t use any. It is very affordable, between 7 and 10 dollars. I found it at the Kroger grocery store, so it should be available at most drug stores. It has a nifty little nozzle that squirts out and is really convenient. It’s also a shake feeling, and I apply it with my fingers.
It just glides on and starts to cover all my pores and dark spots, and it’s not too heavy, I don’t have to put much on. The cap also comes off so if I get too much spray I can put it back in the bottle. There’s a lot in the bottle, and you don’t have to use much for coverage. I think I bought this bottle a month ago and I still have a little over half a bottle left. It’s great! I’m lovin ‘it. Hopefully this will be the end of the road for me, but it usually isn’t!
CONS: Again, it’s Maybelline, and you know they don’t suit brownies, so there are only three shades of this color, mentioned above Dark 1, Dark 2, Dark 3. Dark 3 of this particular makeup really works good for me Strange, Maybelline’s other product, Dark 3, didn’t work, but ok. That’s the only scam I can think of for this product so far.
So in closing, I know a lot of people are saying, what about MAC? MAC, first of all, MAC is not exactly what I would call easy or easily accessible. MAC is usually found at a counter in a department store, or a MAC store in the mall, and both close around 9 p.m. I’m a girl on a budget and can’t afford to pay $15-25 for a makeup that doesn’t really seem to last very long. And also, with my sensitive skin, MAC gives me a rash. I have tested the Studio Tech Compact on NW50. If you don’t mind paying a bit more, here are some other shades to try… NW45, NW47, NC50, NC55 and NW55.
PS I tried Clinique, the shade wasn’t worth mentioning because it made me look gray and gave me a rash. Fashion Fair is also good if you can find it, but again, a bit out of my budget at the moment, and can usually only be found at a department store or mall. I haven’t used it in years so I don’t remember the shade. But Fashion Fair offers LOTS of shades for us chocolates!
I hope this article has helped a lot. I will continue talking about blushes, concealers, lipsticks and glosses, mineral powders, bronzers, eye shadows… ahh! Most my favorite DEF eyeshadows and beauty hacks… some ghetto… Hope you enjoy! Happy hunting ladies.
