How to Choose the Right Makeup for Dark Skin Tones



Sara is a pro-makeup artist who's been working with some…
Your skin tone is an essential factor to consider when choosing makeup shades. Understanding your skin tone can help you find makeup products that complement your complexion and enhance your natural beauty. For example, makeup products that work well with dark skin tones can help create a flawless finish and a polished look.
In This Article
Key Takeaways
- Your skin tone is an essential factor to consider when choosing makeup shades.
- Understanding your skin’s undertone is vital in choosing makeup shades that complement your complexion.
- Choosing the right foundation shade that matches your undertone and testing it on your neck or jawline is crucial to ensure it blends seamlessly with your skin.
- Dark skin tones can look stunning with a range of eyeshadow colors, and blending well to create a seamless look is essential.
- Dark skin tones can pull off bold lip colors, and it is vital to consider the undertones of the shade when choosing.
- Blush can add a beautiful flush of color to the cheeks.
- To determine your skin undertone, look at the veins on your wrist, consider how your skin reacts to the sun, and look at your natural hair and eye color.
Makeup Tips for Dark Skin Tones
When choosing makeup shades for dark skin tones, it’s essential to consider undertones, color intensity, and finish factors. By selecting the right makeup shades for your skin tone, you can create a stunning makeup look that enhances your unique features and makes you feel confident and beautiful.
Choosing the right makeup for dark skin tones can seem daunting, but it can be an easy and fun process with a few tips. Here are some suggestions:
Determine Your Skin Undertone
To choose the right makeup for dark skin tones, it’s crucial to determine your undertone, which can be warm, cool, or neutral. Knowing your undertone can help you select makeup shades that complement your complexion. Once you’ve determined your undertone, choose makeup shades that match it. For example, for warm undertones, choose warm shades like gold or bronze; for cool undertones, choose cool shades like jewel tones. The same goes for eyeshadows, lipsticks, and blushes.
Choose The Right Foundation Shade
Finding the right foundation shade is crucial for creating a flawless makeup look. It’s vital to avoid shades too light or dark, as they can look unnatural on a dark skin. When choosing a foundation shade, it’s best to test it on your neck or jawline to ensure it blends seamlessly with your skin. Look for shades that match your undertone; don’t be afraid to mix shades to create a custom match.
Consider the finish of the foundation as well. Matte foundations can be great for oily skin. In contrast, dewy or luminous foundations can give a beautiful glow to the skin.
Use a Highlighter
Highlighter is a makeup product that can add a beautiful glow to dark skin tones. When choosing a highlighter, opt for shades that complement your undertone. For warm undertones, gold or bronze highlighters can add a warm, sun-kissed glow to your complexion. For cool undertones, silver or icy highlighters can give you a cool, shimmery effect. Finally, apply a highlighter to your cheekbones, nose, and brow bone for a radiant, youthful look.
Enhance Your Eyes with Eyeshadows
Dark skin tones can look stunning with a range of eyeshadow colors. Warm shades like gold, copper, and bronze can make brown eyes pop, while jewel tones like emerald and sapphire can complement green or hazel eyes.
When applying eyeshadow, blend well to create a seamless look. Use a light color on the lid and a darker shade in the crease for depth and definition. Feel free to experiment with different finishes, like shimmer or matte.
False lashes or mascara can also help enhance your eye look. Instead, opt for volumizing mascara or lashes with a flared shape to open up your eyes.
Play with Bold Lipstick Colors
Regarding bold lip colors, dark skin tones can pull off various shades. Red, plum, and berry shades are particularly flattering, as they can add color to your face. When choosing a bold lip color, consider the undertones of the shade. For warm undertones, look for reds with orange or brown undertones. For cool undertones, choose reds with blue or purple undertones. Use a lip liner to define your lips when applying bold lip colors. Avoid too light or pastel colors, as they can wash out your skin tone.
When choosing a bold lip color, consider the finish as well. Matte shades can be long-lasting and bold, while gloss or sheer finishes can create a more playful, flirty look.
Use Different Lip Gloss Shades
In addition to lipsticks, lip glosses can be a great option for dark skin tones. Glosses with a shimmery or metallic finish can add dimension to your lips and enhance your overall look. When choosing a lip gloss, choose shades that complement your skin tone and undertone. For example, warm undertones can wear shades of gold or bronze, while cool undertones can wear shades of silver or icy pink. Neutral undertones can wear a range of shades but should avoid colors that are too pale or too bright.
Add a Pop of Blush
Blush can add a beautiful flush of color to the cheeks. Warm shades like peach or terracotta can complement dark skin tones.
When applying blush, smile to locate the apples of your cheeks and apply the color there. Blend upwards and outwards for a natural look. Be sure to use a light hand and build up the color gradually.
Consider the finish of the blush as well. Matte shades can provide a subtle flush, while shimmery or luminous finishes can add a beautiful glow to the skin.
How to Determine Your Skin Undertone?
Determining your skin’s undertone can help you choose the right makeup colors that complement your skin. Here are some ways to determine your skin undertone:
- Look at the veins on your wrist: If your veins appear blue or purple, you likely have cool undertones. If they appear greenish, you likely have warm undertones. You may have neutral undertones if you can’t determine whether they are blue or green.
- Consider how your skin reacts to the sun: If your skin tends to burn quickly and doesn’t tan much, you likely have cool undertones. If your skin tans easily and rarely burn, you likely have warm undertones.
- Look at your natural hair and eye color: People with warm undertones tend to have brown or hazel eyes and warm hair colors like red, orange, or yellow. People with cool undertones tend to have blue, green, or gray eyes and cool hair colors like black, brown, or ash blonde.
- Try on jewelry: People with cool undertones look best in silver or platinum jewelry, while people with warm undertones look best in gold or rose gold jewelry.
- Test foundation shades: When trying foundation, consider whether shades with warm or cool undertones look best on your skin. If you have difficulty determining your undertones, try a foundation with neutral undertones to see if it works well with your skin.
Remember, these are just guidelines and not hard and fast rules. Your skin undertone may be a combination of warm, cool, or neutral undertones, so it’s always best to try different colors and see what works best for you.
How to Apply Makeup for Dark Skin
Conclusion
Understanding your skin tone is essential for choosing the right makeup shades that complement your complexion and enhance your natural beauty. Factors such as undertones, color intensity, and finish must be considered when choosing makeup for dark skin tones.
Choose a foundation shade that matches your undertone and blends seamlessly with your skin for a flawless makeup look. Experiment with highlighters, eyeshadows, and lip colors complementing your skin’s undertone. For warm undertones, opt for warm shades like gold or bronze; for cool undertones, choose cool shades like jewel tones.
Matte foundations can work well for oily skin. In contrast, dewy or luminous foundations can give a beautiful glow to the skin. False lashes or mascara can enhance your eyes, while blush can add a beautiful flush of color to your cheeks. To determine your skin undertone, look at the veins on your wrist, consider how your skin reacts to the sun, and look at your natural hair and eye color.
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Sara is a pro-makeup artist who's been working with some of the biggest cosmetic brands. While makeup is Sara's passion, she also enjoys travelling the world to enrich her beauty career.