Favorite Foundations for Dark skin
This is for y'all that are getting into makeup, this is for y'all that wanna look cute outside of work without looking overdone (y'all can’t always be on fleek at the grocery store…it needs to be said), or for y'all that WANT to look fleeky and en pointe. And this is ESPECIALLY for y'all that are grinding at the club,sweating all over your damn selves while trying to look put together and get your money in.
As you guys may know, while brands have gone a LONG way in expanding their shade ranges, buying makeup when dark skinned is a bit of a pain in the ass…and its worse when your skin tone is deeeeeepp and when you’re not “middle of the road brown” like myself. So I figured I’d compile a list of foundations that I’ve really liked. For reference, I’m an NW58 and I have normal skin. I’ll post a picture of myself for reference and place asterisks next to foundations that are long wearing. For now, just pretend that I’m Lupita Nyong'o 😁
*Maybelline Fit Me Matte and Poreless: I’m in the shade 375 Java. This formula is pretty impressive for a drugstore foundation and the color match is pretty spot on. It’s squarely medium coverage and you can build it up to your liking (though I NEVER build the coverage of my foundations up…cake face is real). I’ve also noticed a difference in the size of my pores upon application…though it’s not a huge difference. The wear time is around 8-9 hours, True to the name, I stayed matte (though it has a pretty natural coverage)
L'Oréal True Match:I’m right in between C9 and 10…though I lean more C10 in the summer. Though I JUST learned that they expanded the warm series so I’m stoked to see if the undertones in that line lean more golden. I’d say that the coverage is the same as the Maybelline Fit me though it has SLIGHTLY less coverage. It has a very natural skin finish. The wear time is comparable to the Fit Me Matte and Poreless, though that foundation has some more staying power
* Black Opal True Color Stick: I’m in the shade Black Walnut. The color match is a little bit too olive for my liking so I find myself having to add red color adjusting drops to change the undertone. The coverage is medium to full and it has a demo matte finish. I hear that it has mixed results for oily girls but it’s been fine for me: the staying power is 8-9 hours
Affordably priced foundations you won’t find at drug stores/grocery stores:
*Sephora 10 HR Wear Perfection Foundation: in in the shade 65N Deep Ebony. This is the Toyota of foundations: its not flashy, it has a few minor kinks, but it gets the job done. The finish is very natural and skin like and I found it to have 9-10 hours of wear. The coverage is medium though I’m sure you can build it up to your liking. While it’s not dirt cheap, its not too bad seeing as how it’s sitting at Sephora for $20
*Ben Nye HD Matte Foundation: I’m in the shade Coco Soufflé though I can contour with Espresso bean (and when I get darker, it’s a decent match). DO. NOT. LET. PEOPLE. PLAY. AND. LIE. TO. YOU. This is FULL coverage. Y'all better tell me if someone is lying to you and tell you that this medium coverage. You only need to dip it lightly to cover your face though it’s VERY easy to get a natural coverage with it. The finish is demi-matte and the wear time is 12-16 hours. I’m serious. It’s also water proof, as I learned a few years ago when I was biking to work at McDonalds and was occasionally splashed with water from the smoothie machine. It’s $12 which is EXCELLENT for the quality and it lasts forever as a cream foundation. I’m too scared to use it everyday though seeing as how it’s made for theatre professionals. And you’d have to be an alien from outer space to not find your shade. There are over 84 different shades. If you live in Atlanta, you can buy this at Norcostco or find it online at MakeupMania.com (Camera ready Cosmetics is an option but their shipping is slow)
Mid to High End Foundations:
Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation SPF 15: I’m in the shade 10.25 cool espresso, which is my spot on match. Unfortunately, im the darkest shade in this foundation so for those of y'all whose skin tone runs deeper, you might have some difficulty getting a match. The coverage is light to medium and is very skin like and glowy in its finish. The wear time is 7-8 hours and the fact that it has SPF is a plus for me. I’m not sure how oily girls would fare with this though…
*Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Longwear Foundation: I’m in the shade 555 Suede C. I never thought I’d justify purchasing a hyped up $47 foundation (and I still refuse…I’m surviving off of samples lol) BUT this foundation does indeed live up to its claims. It has a medium to full coverage (though it’s not cakey) and a Matte finish that’s pretty natural looking and doesn’t leave you looking dehydrated or corpse like. The wear time is 12-16 hours and is pretty much life proof, surviving sweat and the breakthrough of oil from the skin. Hell i slept in this foundation and it still looked good
*Estée Lauder Doublewear Stay im Place Foundation : I’m in the shade 8n1, a shade so obscure that it’s not even available on the Sephora website nor in a lot of retail locations. If you’re around my complexion, you’re best luck is in finding it online. It performs pretty similarly to the Lancôme Teint Idole, but it’s a bit more full coverage and mattifying
*Kat Von D Lock it Foundation: I’m in the shade Deep 81 cool which is the darkest shade. This is an extremely pigmented foundation…which explains why some reviews have dismissed it as being cakey. It’s really not…but since it can be a bit difficult to blend at times, you’ll need to work with it. I do not apply this straight onto my face and blend from there, i put ONE drop on my hand, and blend from there with both a buffing brush and a beauty blender. It’s worth it though. The wear time is 12-16 hours, has a Matte finish (though it’s not suffocatingly Matte but you will not need to blot), and at $30, the price point isn’t as “bad” as some similarly performing foundations