Makeup Tips for Black / African / Dark Skin?

[WheresMyUmbrella]

Heh, I didn't even know this thread existed-which says a lot. I tend to go very natural as far as makeup goes, with usually none at all. Hello school and work!
Does anyone know of a good concealer, especially for undereye circles? I'd love to wear eyeliner but my eyes end up looking tired, dark, and evil after a few hours. Any advice or brand names?

I don't have super-dark undereye circles, but I the MAC studio finish concealer in NW40 (my complexion is similar to Gabrielle Union / Aisha Tyler). Looks just like skin!

When I need more coverage for hyper-pigmentation, blemishes, etc I use Dermablend cover creme in #5 1/4 - cafe brown.

 

[marlasinger]

After working together for over a decade, I insisted on providing my services as Veronica prepared for her 40th (yes, 40th!) birthday celebration. When she isn't working the runway and red carpet, she favors a simple approach to beauty, so I began by selecting Prescriptives Virtual Skin liquid foundation for a glowing, natural finish. Then, I filled in her brows with my favorite eyebrow pencils from Damone Roberts. I began using a dark brown pencil (Minx) then lightly adding strokes of soft black pencil (Miss Ross) in areas that required added definition, such as the tail of the brow. Topping this look off with tons of individual lashes from MAC Cosmetics make her eyes stand out without liner or shadow. And finally, using a sheer gloss (sans liner) makes this look glamorous, yet understated!

http://blog.samfine.com/

 

[Belle Princesse]

It's not much, but I scanned the feature MUA page in SBH, I have loads more issues if anyone is interested they feature different celebs make up artist every month.

Sorry I don't know how to make it bigger!

 

[marlasinger]

That's a nice page. I haven't picked up that magazine in ages, the layout is much nicer now.

 

[octoberchild]

Thanks for the post. I'd love to see some scans in here

It's not makeup but I did just buy the Rx for Brown Skin regime from Sephora. So far I really like the way makes my skin feel.

I'm thinking of buying the Rx for Brown Skin regime from Sephora. How is it working for you? What results were you hoping for and did you get those results? Thanks

 

[kimair]

i'm also interested in hearing more about your experience with the rx for brown skin line...
i've been searching for a great moisturizer that is oil-free, skin clearing and has an spf (a seemingly difficult combo)...

 

[marlasinger]

The Rx for Brown Skin is still working well for me and I've been using it for almost a month now. I use the "Clear & Healthy" line.

The cleanser has a creamy look but the texture is more gel like. You wet your face first and then apply it (I only use one pump -- it is a large bottle.) It doesn't lather but it seems to do a good job removing my makeup. It reminds me a bit of the Cosmedicine foaming cleanser in that way. I don't expect it to wash away clean but it does.

The toner is pretty basic. Nothing special but I have no complaints. It is in a spray bottle, which kind of bugs me.

The moisturizer feels really nice going on. My skin has gotten more sensitive as I've gotten older but I've had no problems with this one. One pump does the trick and it has a slightly velvety feeling going on but it doesn't feel heavy at all.

I'd recommend it. I would buy it again and it's one of the few products that I would use until it is finished.

ETA: My skin is oily in the t-zone and I don't break out often. Most of my breakouts are due to reactions from ingredients in skin care products. For some reason "all-natural/organic" type products will make me break out. I haven't had any reaction to this line.

 

[octoberchild]

^^^ Thanks for your reply! I'm still considering whether or not I want to purchase from the line, but I'm glad to hear that you recommend it

 

[glamazon386]

I'm an NW45 as well and I have not really had any problems with color recs once I found the right foundation. As far as anything else on my face goes, I just do trial and error to find what I like. I don't steer clear of any color.

 

[marlasinger]

I tried Revlon's new Custom Creation foundation in the darkest shade combo available and so far, it works really nicely. I turn the dial a bit lighter for my undereye area and use the full color for the rest of my face.

 

[kimair]

My naked, unadorned face.; Bad: Too Faced: So much bronzer I shine like a disco ball.; Good: M.A.C.: I felt natural, but with good coverage.

All I Want Is Foundation That Matches

Too light. Too red. Nothing at all. Playing at the beauty counter is depressing when your skin color is out of the range.

For many women, navigating the beauty counters is about choice. Do you want a makeover? Some new lip gloss? How about a concealer? The options seem endless. Unless you’re at the darker end of the black scale. The brush-wielding makeup artists don’t even approach. No need to. They don’t have my shade anyway.

The thing is, I’m a beauty person. I’ve been getting my hair and nails done since I was 9; brows started in high school. I tried every god-awful makeup trend as a teen. All of this is to say I’ve always been a consumer in the most obsessive sense. My taste is more sophisticated now, and I can usually afford to buy what I want, but the ability to spend still doesn’t grant me the access to items I want.

I’m also, obviously, a beauty editor, and the lack of cosmetics—particularly the basics, like foundation and concealer—for my skin tone has always bothered me. When I ask companies about extending their lines for women of color, I’m usually told some version of “we’re working on it,” or shown one or two dark shades. Counterside makeovers can be humiliating; I end up in whiteface or am told point-blank they don’t have my color. And it’s great that former supermodel Iman has developed a makeup line for women of color, but I want variety.

I decided to test the current situation. Without identifying myself as an editor. I spent a few days in the stores, scanning the offerings and telling the counter people that I was looking for a foundation, some concealer, and a few new spring colors. I also asked for makeovers.

At the Bloomingdale’s Giorgio Armani counter, the darkest shade is 12.5; the woman tries it on me. It’s too red. She goes down to 11; it’s so-so. And what about summer, when I have a tan? “We can fix any problem,” she says, mixing bronzer into the 11. Which makes it lighter.

I go to Yves Saint Laurent Beauté at Barneys. The man at the counter swabs me with a few options; again, I think I look too red. He says it’s perfect. Even for summer? “You don’t need anything in the summer,” he says. Well, I think I do. But he says I don’t.

At Chanel, I pick up a bottle and ask, “Is this the darkest shade you have?” The counter woman nods and says, “Unfortunately. I’m sorry.” She calls out to her colleague at the Shiseido counter—a dark-skinned black woman—to see if that line has anything. The woman looks up, sees me, and laughs in a friendly way. She suggests Armani (been there) or Nars.

I walk by T. LeClerc; nothing. At Bobbi Brown, the makeup artist takes out the company’s four dark tones, but seems skeptical. So am I. I thank him and walk away.

I go to Bergdorf Goodman. At La Mer, the lovely blonde woman looks at her options and says, “I think all of these are going to be too light, but let’s give it a shot.” I am now officially depressed; every darker woman reduced to two, maybe four, shades at most of the high-end, mainstream beauty lines. Prescriptives, though, is great; they mix and match to get a perfect shade, and the colors they put on me really suit. Same for the M.A.C counter at Henri Bendel. I’m feeling better.

I decide to try a smaller, boutique line. At Macy’s, I check the Too Faced counter, where the gentleman tells me I am absolutely Caribbean Cocoa. That is the darkest shade they have—but it’s sold out, so he makes an aggressive case for a bronzer-only look. I leave looking like a disco ball.

Over a dozen makeup counters, four makeovers, and one crying fit later, I call the companies to see what’s being done. Some are on the defensive. Chanel declines to comment. The Nars vice-president of global marketing, Alec Batis, gives me the corporate line. “Nars Cosmetics provides every woman with the tools she needs to feel beautiful—whether it’s evening out her skin tone, defining her eyebrows, or wearing the perfect lip color, Nars’s goal is to cater to every woman’s needs, and to flatter every skin tone.” He adds, “Francois Nars worked with Naomi Campbell at the start of his career and created shades especially for her skin tone.” That’s great, but … Campbell is one black woman, and we get much darker after her.

Gillian Gorman, vice-president of marketing for YSL Beauté, is more helpful. “The challenge for all skin tones—and this isn’t just women of color—is the amount of melanin, which affects the undertones in skin. Whether you’re more red base, pink base, or yellow base, it’s a challenge to find the right base to neutralize any undertones you want to knock down. Particularly in African-American women, melanin can come through strongly in the lip and chin area.” She’s also frank: “We have more work to do, but we have gotten better.” She points to the Perfect Touch line, launched in September 2006 with three or four shades for very dark-skinned women. “They’re not among our best sellers. Women are just now beginning to trust us.”

“You can cover, say, 80 percent of light skin tones with six shades of foundation,” says Sarah Robbins, Bobbi Brown’s global vice-president of product development and marketing, as she explains the complexities of light, medium, and deep coverage to me. “As skin tones get deeper, they get much more complex in tonality, so six shades don’t cover that complexity in depth. It takes longer to get it right.” She’s clearly empathetic, but there’s also business to consider. “What’s difficult is to rationalize making SKUs [stock-keeping units] when you don’t know how many women you’re going to be able to service. We want to service everyone, but the reality is that it’s very difficult to do.”

Everyone was lovely, everyone tried, everyone has good intentions. YSL, Chanel, and Nars are launching darker shades later this year. Bobbi Brown can’t put a timetable on their latest. Still. Makeup shopping is supposed to be fun, but getting rejected time after time made this the most emotionally draining story I’ve ever done.

nymag.com

 

[marlasinger]

That surprises me. I think I'm about the same complexion as the author but Armani's LSF is one of the nicest I've ever tried.

 

[Aby]

That article left me bittersweet, this is so real.

I went and still go through the same ordeal to find make-up that matches my skin tone.

But living in France, I can truly say that choice improved and increased a lot over the last decade.

When I was a teen, the only make-up brands available here were Fashion Fair and Naomi Sims and only in some locations and of course it was pricey. Or you could only find some cheap products with unspecified ingredients in the North of Paris.

Now, there's more choice, thanks first to MAC and Make-up Forever but I still find it really hard to find a good foundation.

I thought I had found one in the Maybelline range (True Illusion, true cocoa) but it was discontinued.

I think I might test the Armani range. I have a lipstick from the brand that is perfect. The fact that Pat McGrath developped it also appeals to me.

Otherwise, I use Black up's blush n°5 and Make-up forever concealer.

marionnaud.fr & sephora.fr

 

[kimair]

i agree marla...
i use armani's LSF in 11 and it works fine...
but i have noticed that some of the newer foundations from armani only go up to 9...

aby...i miss black up...
i picked up some eyeshadow and blush from this line when i was in nyc a few years ago, but i can't find it in sf...

 

[retailqueen]

thi is a great thread.
I'm thinking of quitting foundation all together and going to tinted moisturisers.

I'm on the dark side and i've been wondering what type of blush shade would look good?
I still want a natural look, nothing OTT.

Any advice is welcomed!

 

[MizBlue]

Yay, this such a great thread!!
great idea, love the recommendation for Tia's Blogspot
Shake your Beauty'
keep em coming people!!!:heart


Veronica face is amazing, beautiful makeup!

 

[WheresMyUmbrella]

I spend most of my time on foundation; once you've perfected the canvas, everything else just falls into place. I used Full Coverage Foundation because it's smooth-to-apply, easy - to - blend, emollient formula allows me to achieve the most flawless coverage. I also prefer créme formulas because they last longer... especially when I'm working on 14-hour commercials or 20-hour videos.

After foundation, powder and bronzer were applied, I turned my attention to the eyes and began drawing my signature brow with a brownish black Eyebrow Pen. Then, to add definition to the eye, I used soft shades of brown shadow instead of the obvious pencil liners that can smudge throughout the day. Lastly, I topped this look off with a #4 Lash. After applying the false lash, I fused it with Marie's natural lashes using Plushlash mascara; this extra step really makes them look as if they're her own.

Finally, using everyone's favorite Lip Pencil, I lined the mouth and applied a nude lipstick to conceal any discoloration on the lips. And no nude lip would be complete without a glossing of Laquer for a naturally glamorous finish.

Any true artist knows that one cosmetic line could never satisfy every cosmetic need, especially when most cosmetic lines aren't developed with women of color in mind. For that reason, I also used a few additional products during my M•A•C appearances.

To add warmth and color to cheeks, I adore NARS blush in Taj Mahal. This burnt orange shade is infused with flecks of gold, which make it must-have for any brown skinned woman. To add a bit of shimmer near the inner corner of the eye, I used a glitter liner from Lise Watier in Gold. This nifty liner comes in a wide variety of colors and allows me to apply glitter quickly and easily around the sensitive eye area. In addition to using Plushlash mascara, I turned to Chanel Sculpting Mascara Extreme Length to address Marie's bottom lashes ...

• MAC Full Coverage Foundation in NW50
• MAC Eye Brow Pen in Stud
• MAC #4 Lash in black
• MAC Plushlash in Plushblack
• MAC Lip Pencil in Chestnut
• MAC Lacquer in Varneesh

• source: blog.samfine.com

 

[WheresMyUmbrella]

My favorite Iman Cosmetic products used to create this look are: Second to None Stick Foundation in Clay 2: This oil - free, silicone based formula is one of the lightest créme sticks on the market. Luxury Mineral Enriched Semi Loose Powder in Clay Medium Dark: This silky, mineral infused semi - loose powder will keep your complexion shine free, fresh and flawless. Luxury Blushing Powder in Sunlit Copper: These silky powder blushers provide true color with a natural looking, long-lasting finish. Perfect Lip Pencil in Espresso: A creamy texture lip liner that helps prevent feathering. And Luxury Lip Shimmer in Brownie; bringing high-shine gloss that moisturizes lips.

source: blog.samfine.com

 

[WheresMyUmbrella]

Each time we prepare for a red carpet event, I make sure Vanessa's skin has a golden glow, which can be achieved by using powder bronzers such as Cargo Bronzer in Medium or Dark. Applying bronzer on the cheeks, forehead and bridge of the nose provides a soft, subtle shine. Just make sure to avoid the center of the face, especially the undereye area, where shimmer can make pores and fine lines appear more prominent.

After your face is sufficiently bronzed, turn your attention to body makeup with a product that has become every artists favorite, Scott Barnes Platinum Body Bling . To achieve a natural glow, I usually mix a bit of body lotion with my "bling" to make it a little less platinum. I also like to wait until a client is fully dressed to address the exposed areas of skin (in this case Vanessa's arms, back and chest) and tissue off the excess, so it doesn't transfer onto her clothes during the night.

source: blog.samfine.com

 

[WheresMyUmbrella]

I got several emails from my SYB Babes begging me to find out the name of the hot pink lipstick Alicia Keys wore at the Grammy's. Girls, I got on it, and I can tell you with the utmost authority that the shade was Dior Addict Ultra Gloss in Fuchsia Poplin ($24.50). Huge thanks to the Dior girls for tipping me off!

source: tiawilliams.net/blog/