Makeup tones that flatter women of color are usually deep, rich tones. To show off your natural skintone, select highly-pigmented makeup shades for more brilliant color. Specific color suggestions for women of color are divided into two different categories below: light-to-medium skintones and dark skintones. (Basic eye shadow contouring and color placement, along with blush and lip color placement, is the same for ALL skintones. Basic instructional color placement tips can be accessed through the author’s website blog.)
COLOR SUGGESTIONS FOR WOMEN OF COLOR FALL INTO 2 CATEGORIES:
1) Light-to-Medium skintones
2) Dark skintones.
Colors that accentuate and flatter LIGHT-TO-MEDIUM skintones are:
FOR EYES…
* High-pigment powder eye shadows in shades of Browns, Beiges and Coppers will add definition to the eyes.
* Use a liquid or pencil eye liner in Black.
* For eyebrows, select a tone that is the same shade or 1/2 shade lighter than your hair color.
* Finish with macara in Black.
FOR LIPS…
Hint: First apply your foundation to the lips to ‘even out’ the skintone on the lip prior to applying lip liner and lip color.
* Lip colors in Soft Peach, Raisin, or Coral tones will define the lips beautifully.
* For lip liner, select a tone similar to your lip color choice.
FOR CHEEKS…
Hint: To achieve most glowing results with your blush, select similar shades of blush and lip color.
* Blush tones in Peachy-Browns and Corals coordinate beautifully with suggested lip colors above.
FOR SHOULDERS, ARMS AND LEGS…
Show off your skin with Body Shimmer Powders in a soft warm tone.
FOR EXTRA GLAMOUR…
Use the eye shadow tones suggested above, then blend a charcoal eye shadow softly into the browns to add a sultry look. Apply a warm red or deep brownish-red shade to the lips and brush a coral tone on cheeks…and you’ve got your night-time glam look!
Colors that accentuate and flatter DARK skintones are:
FOR EYES…
* High-pigment powder eye shadows in shades of Dark Purples, Midnight Blues and Golds will add definition to the eyes.
* Use a liquid or pencil eye liner in Black.
* For eyebrows, select a tone that is the same shade or 1/2 shade lighter than your hair color.
* Finish with macara in Black.
FOR LIPS…
Hint: First apply your foundation to the lips to ‘even out’ the skintone on the lip prior to applying lip liner and lip color.
* Lip colors in Burgundies, Plums and Caramel tones will define the lips beautifully.
* For lip liner, select a tone similar to your lip color choice.
FOR CHEEKS…
Hint: To achieve most glowing results with your blush, select similar shades of blush and lip color.
* Blush tones in Deep Roses and Plums will coordinate beautifully with suggested lip color examples above.
FOR SHOULDERS, BACK, ARMS AND LEGS…
Show off your skin with Body Shimmer Powders in soft bronze tones.
For further high-pigment makeup color suggestions for women of color, please visit the author’s website and website blog.
WHY select highly-pigmented makeup colors? Makeup colors that look best for photography and stage are usually highly-pigmented, meaning they contain strong color pigments and are not sheer. A highly-pigmented makeup color product will allow the user to apply a small amount to achieve a bit of color or it can provide darker, dramatic color when applied more heavily. This allows flexibility for the user to achieve her preferred look. Along with being longer-lasting, the strong color pigment in highly-pigmented makeup colors will hold up against the harsh lighting from cameras and stage lights (no washed-out, ghostly makeup looks).
