Makeup Tips for Black / African / Dark Skin?

[Aby]

All those brands: BB, Mercier are pricey. I don't know about US price tags but here their products are all over 30 €.

I always liked Gemey Maybelline liquid foundations in the cheaper range. I used Wonder Finish but the brand discontinued my tint (true cocoa).
I never suffered from breakouts using it.

I would also recommend Makeup for Ever but it's more expensive though I can't remember the price range.

I never liked L'oreal and couldn't find a color suited for my complexion anyway.

 

[marlasinger]

It's been awhile since I bought BB foundation but I think it was around $35 or 38 USD last time I bought some.

 

[WheresMyUmbrella]

wow this thread just saved my life.
i have been struggling to find the right foundation!
right now i am using mac- NC44, but im not happy with it. it doesnt seem to have the right undertone. its like, too red. my face looks completely different from my neck! ...

Mine is the opposite problem ... I have russet skin ,and shades that are even slightly golden make me look like a zombie. I can usually find reddish foundations, but concealer is impossible! Do brown concealers that aren't warm-toned even exist?

 

[marlasinger]

I bought a Kimora Lee Simmons concealer at Sephora awhile back that is way too red for me. If you want it PM me and I'll mail it to you for free. I only used it once and it's a stick so it would be easy to sanitize.

 

[angelfish]

im on the laura mercier website and im trying to figure out which would be best for me: the oil free foundation (liquid), the stick foundation, or the powder foundation.
so far i think the powder foundation looks best bc you can wet the sponge and it gives even more coverage. it's also oil free. plus i live in a VERY hot/humid climate and liquid foundation might get sweaty and gross. and of course ive got acne prone skin.
so what do you think should i go w/ the powder foundation?

jeez, $42, this stuff better work miracles..

 

[marlasinger]

No one in your area carries it? I think buying foundation without testing it first is too risky, unless it's a cheap drugstore brand.

 

[angelfish]

oh im gonna go check it out at sephora!
but i wanted to see what you guys thought would go with my skin type and all

 

[MizBlue]

wow this thread just saved my life.
I have been struggling to find the right foundation!
right now i am using mac- NC44, but Imo not happy with it. it doesn't seem to have the right undertone. its like, too red. my face looks completely different from my neck! its awful. i believe i have a yellow or olive undertone? (not sure.) my skin is the same color as the girl in my icon. i have combination skin, i also am also EXTREMELY acne prone and am battling scars and breakouts daily unfortunately.
So this thread has helped, now I have a better idea of where to look. I think I might try laura mercier or bobby brown. Anyone know what shades I should be looking for?
Also, what is the price range for these brands?
Sorry, but paying $30 for foundation is already a stretch for me so anything cheaper would be marvelous.

thanks ladies

I use toffee bronze, but when you go to the counter the sales/makeup artist
Should try it on you and you can decide what works for you.
Look at it in different lighting and you'll figure out if it works or not.
I love laura m, And I plan on using this for a while

As far as your acne, I suffer with the same problem but I get extractions every 2 weeks to a month until my skin gets better per my Derm's recs.
I also switched my skin care regime to mostly Clarins products and It really helps. I was a little skeptical at first but the products have helped my skin a great deal. Me esthetician comments all the time on what great improvement b/cos she knew how it was when I first started. I'm still going, I have an aptt on Thursday.

 

[angelfish]

thanks mizblue
luckily ive gotten hella samples over the past few days,
from make up forever,armani, bobbi brown and laura m
ive worn each for a day except the bobbi brown (thats for tommorrow), and out of those i would def say laura mercier felt the best on my face. make up forever was too cakey(but i was using the matte finish, so maybe that had something to do with it.)
armani was nice and shimmery but the samples didnt match my shade exactly.
laura m oilfree foundation in Suntan beige was a *tiny* bit dark in certain lighting which is annoying, but it felt marvelous, it just glided on so nicely.
so i dunno, ill try the bobbi brown tomm and then make my final decision.
this is seriously a chore.
thank god for samples.

 

[marlasinger]

scanned by me from Lucky

 

[angelfish]

ive got some unopened sample packets of bobbi brown moisture rich foundation and luminous moisturizing foundation in Honey and Warm Natural that were way to light for me.

if anyone is interested i can mail them to you

 

[Aby]

I have that issue of Lucky. One rare makeup page that interested me for once!

I liked the natural, 70's vibe of it and of course the woman demonstrating the makeup is so atypical in fashion mags.

She has the kind of look I want to achieve.

 

[Sugarmama]

I can never find the right colors of foundation or concealer. They're too red, too yellow, or too ashen looking.

 

[kimair]

i can never do "nude" lips...i look ridiculous...
it has to be bronze-y or tawny...

 

[Aby]

Me either...I'd look "ashened" with pastel-like color.

 

[MizBlue]

thanks mizblue
luckily ive gotten hella samples over the past few days,
from make up forever,armani, bobbi brown and laura m
ive worn each for a day except the bobbi brown (thats for tommorrow), and out of those i would def say laura mercier felt the best on my face. make up forever was too cakey(but i was using the matte finish, so maybe that had something to do with it.)
armani was nice and shimmery but the samples didnt match my shade exactly.
laura m oilfree foundation in Suntan beige was a *tiny* bit dark in certain lighting which is annoying, but it felt marvelous, it just glided on so nicely.
so i dunno, ill try the bobbi brown tomm and then make my final decision.
this is seriously a chore.
thank god for samples.

Welcome angelfish, oh its too bad about Laura M cos out of all foundations that I have tried, I liked LM the best.
On Monday, I was @ Eizabeth Arden for 1/2 a day for my B/day and was able to get a free makeup consultation with my package, The artist did well and she tried their foundation on my face, it felt good and looked like it matched but when I went out in the sun, it looked a bit dark. I'd say give E. Arden a try too.
Good luck and let us know what worked

 

[WheresMyUmbrella]

Nude lips make me look dead. I have to go either a few shades darker, or the same shade as my skin but rosier.

 

[marlasinger]

Small bit about her foundation here

scanned by me from Allure 8/08

 

[Aby]

Thanks!

 

[SanDiego]

The perfect nude for women of color is SPITE lipglass from MAC. I am dark skinned and I love it, Also I like Lust which has a little more pinky hue.