Which are the best makeup brands for dark skin tones?
Finding the right foundation for dark skin can feel like an ongoing battle. With popular high street brands offering only 10-15 shades and prioritising light to medium tones, it is no surprise that so many of us struggle to find the best makeup brands for our black and brown skin tones.
Thankfully, a growing number of beauty brands are recognising the demand for more diverse makeup ranges that cater to the whole spectrum of human colour.
Picking the right foundation
According to makeup experts, the best way to figure out the right foundation for your skin is to match your undertones. There are different ways you can determine your undertones so you can choose makeup that flatters your face.
The jewelry test. If gold jewelery suits your skin tone, you’ve probably got a warm undertone. By contrast, if your skin looks better with silver jewelry, the chances are that you have cool undertones. If both types of jewelry suit you, you’ve probably got a neutral undertone.
The jawline swatch. This one is simple enough: try the foundation on your face. All you need to do is patch test the foundation using the smallest amount of product possible. Assuming you aren’t allergic to it, pick two or three foundations that are very similar to your skin tone and apply them in a vertical stripe from your jaw your neck, because the two are often have slightly different skin tones. The shade that blends the best is the one to go for.
Below are some of the best inclusive foundation brands that will help you find the perfect shade for your skin tone.
Fenty Beauty
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We love the expansive shade-range of Fenty Beauty, and the liquid foundation is a case in poit. Its a soft matte, long-wear formula that streches to 50 shades. It’s oil-free and water resistant, so no need to frantically look for the Ladies’ to blot your face dry. There are plenty of different finishes available, so you aren’t restricted to matte.
Website: https://fentybeauty.com/
Beauty Bakerie InstaBake Aqua Glass Foundation
Number of shades: 30
If you want a smooth, even skin tone and a natural, healthy glow — this foundation covers all bases. The lightweight formula smooths out fine lines and blemishes to give you a luminous, dewy finish that stays put all day. Available in 30 shades from ultra-fair to deep-dark, Beauty Bakerie’s InstaBake Aqua Glass Foundation offers something for every skin tone. Plus, their handy online Foundation Finder will help you to understand your undertone and find the perfect shade for your complexion.
As well as creating gorgeous, bakery-themed products, this black-owned beauty brand is cruelty-free, paragon free and 100% vegan. Turns out you can have your cake and eat it too!
Website: https://www.beautybakerie.com/
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation
Number of shades: 44
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Available in 44 shades, 4 shade families and 3 undertones, the Airbrush Flawless Foundation is Charlotte Tilbury’s most diverse base range to date. The many shades have been carefully designed to colour-sync with your relevant skin overtones and undertones, making it one of the truest matching foundations on the market.
The iconic British beauty brand has been producing game-changing luxury cosmetics for nearly two decades now – and this foundation is no exception. Its full-coverage formula reduces the appearance of pores and smooths out any lines to create a matte finish this really is, well, flawless! Sweat, humidity and waterproof, this foundation has staying power – while its fresh, lightweight feel makes it comfortable to wear on long days. It even doubles an anti-ageing cream, so long-term use will keep wrinkles at bay. What’s not to love?
https://www.instagram.com/charlottetilburyskincare/
Pat McGarth Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Foundation
Number of shades: 36
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Developed by the queen of makeup herself, Pat McGarth’s Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfect Foundation is the pinnacle of luxury home cosmetics. The serum-like texture feels silky to touch and blends effortlessly into your skin, leaving a smooth satin finish that lasts all day. Retailing at £61, this foundation is on the pricier side – but one bottle will really last you. Just a few drops of its powerful formula will give you great coverage, with little need for reapplication.
Infused with Pat McGarth’s innovative Vita-Serum Complex, the foundation boosts the production of your skin’s secret weapon – hyaluronic acid. As well as having powerful anti-ageing properties, this naturally occurring substance has the phenomenal capacity to hold a thousand times its weight in moisture – so your skin stays hydrated, healthy and supple.
And the good news is, this prestige foundation boasts a broad colour range. Its 36 shades have been carefully curated to cater to the whole spectrum of skin types, overtones and undertones. So whether your skin is light, deep, or anywhere in-between, you can a enjoy catwalk-quality finish every day.
And the good news is, this prestige foundation boasts a broad colour range. Its 36 shades have been carefully curated to cater to the whole spectrum of skin types, overtones and undertones. So whether your skin is light, deep, or anywhere in-between, you can a enjoy catwalk-quality finish every day.
Website: https://www.patmcgrath.com/collections/celestial-nirvana
UOMA Say What?! Foundation
Number of shades: 51
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Founded by British-Nigerian beauty editor, Sharon Chuter, UOMA was developed on the principles of empowerment, inclusivity and self-expression. The brand is on a mission to “create a world of beauty that truly is for all of us” – and their Say What?! Foundation does exactly that.
The foundation offers an impressive 51 shades, divided into 6 skin colour groups or ‘Skin Kins’. Developed using the Fitzpatrick Scale, which measures the skin’s response to ultraviolet light, each Skin Kin has its own custom formula that caters to the unique concerns of your colour group. From ‘Black Pearl’, designed to combat dullness in dark brown skin, to ‘White Pearl’, developed to tackle hypersensitivity and redness in very fair skin, this foundation offers a vibrant matte finish for every skin shade and type.
You can shop the brand at CultBeauty.co.uk
Cos Box
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Cos Box is a twice-monthly beauty subscription box that allows you to discover new beauty products and even re-discover tried-and-tested ones. Each box contains at least four purposefully created, high-quality products from a selection of brands to suit the beauty needs of brown and black women. Get your Cos Box here:
Website:https://cosbox.co.uk
Black Opal True Color Soft Velvet Finishing Powder Foundation
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Black Opal’s finishing powder is making a big comeback, and for good reason, It offers a wide range of shades and is also hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic. Perfect for veery dark skins.
Website: https://blackopalbeauty.com/
So Merveille
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So Marvellous (So Merveille) lipglosses are, indeed, marvellous. Made from castor oil and grapeseed oil, they leave a silky smooth texture that’s also ‘long-lasting, and highly pigmented’. Try the So Melanin – perfect for dark skin tones and is very moisturising.
Website: https://www.somerveille.com/
With so many leading brands making proactive strides towards inclusivity, it seems that the beauty industry may be changing for the better. Have you noticed a difference? What challenges do you face in your quest to find make up that’s right for you?
Add your voice below.
