A new foundation comes out and you rush to the shops to get one and your shade is nowhere to be found. Online every one of talking about how wonderful it is and you feel completely left out. It leaves a bad taste in your mouth about the brand.
If you have dark skin, you have experienced this at least once, I know I have. It is one of the struggles on the right foundation. If your skin tone is as deep dark as Lupita then it gets even worse. Although there has been a lot of commentary on the number of shads in a range, the main issue is having enough shades that cater to dark skin. Even with a large shade range most makeup brands barely cater to dark skin tones. You may see a few token dark shades at the end of the line that usually doesn’t go past dark if you are lucky.
Since the release, Rhinnas’ Fenty foundation things seem to be changing. The Fenty’s release of a 40 shade foundation range on its first outing catered to the lightest and the darkest of shades. This caused a stir among customers and made other brands improve their offerings because it highlighted a significant gap in the market.
A good number of brands have a narrow range and doesn’t take into account the needs of dark skin and has been written about extensively.
So in no particular order here are some of the makeup brands that have.
- A wide range of shades, because having 40 shades is no use to me if 35 of them are in beige or ivory
- Have deep dark shades, because again a wide shade range without getting to the deep dark spectrum is not helpful since more black women are darker than caramel.
MAC Cosmetics Studio Fix Foundation
This brand is one of the oldest mainstream brands to carry foundations for dark skin and has been a fan favourite for years. Getting your first MAC studio fix powder or foundation was practically a coming of age moment for black girls. The popular Studio Fix Foundation is oil-free and lasts for up to 24 hours and now comes in 60 shades and is widely available.
Coverage: Full coverage foundation
Price: $30
Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Foundation
This is a foundation specifically formulated to last under harsh TV lights, so even if you are not a TV star battling the bright lights this is a great buy. Its ability to last under harsh lights also makes it a great choice for hot weather producing a flawless almost ethereal finish. In addition to having a 40 shade range that caters to deeper skin shades and undertones.
Coverage: Full coverage foundation
Price:$43
Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear Foundation
If it’s good enough for Lupita it’s good enough for me. A brand that has Lupita as its spokesperson is going to have deep shades right? Right. This popular foundation comes in over 42 shades and as you can see from the shade range it gets to the deep dark section. The only complaint I have seen is that the darker shades are not always carried in store and have to be ordered online. It is a lightweight none greasy matte foundation and even better still is transfer proof.
Coverage: Full Coverage Foundation
Price:$47
NYX Can’t Stop Won’t Stop Foundation
Since this is a drug store foundation you would expect a limited shade range. But NYX decided to put the higher end brands to shame by working with a YouTube influencer Alissa Ashley to develop an extensive range with 45 shades. This range covered the full spectrum of super light to deep dark. In addition to having a wide range of shades, it’s less than half the price of some of the brands on this list. It is a matte foundation that boasts about being 100% transfer-proof, so bye-bye clothing stains.
Coverage: Full coverage foundation
Price: $15
Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation
This is the foundation that started it all. This is the brand that launched with a bang and gave us shades from albino to Alex Wek and put other brands to shame. Fenty Beauty Pro Filter Soft Matte Longwear Foundation comes in 40 shades for the lightest of lights to the deepest of skin tone. Following its release, the darkest shades sold out consistently highlighting a huge gap in the market.
Coverage: Medium to full coverage foundation
Price :$34
Black opal true colour skin perfecting skin foundation
This a drug store foundation that caters primarily to dark skin. So although it has only 16 shades the shades cover the full spectrum one expects to see on dark skin. The stick foundation is a great multi-tasker and can be used as a concealer or contour. In addition, the packaging makes it easy to carry around with zero risks of spills or breakage. This is a favourite foundation of mine.
Coverage: Full coverage foundation
Price: $9.95
Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless foundation
A drug store foundation and the cheapest the list with a great shade range for dark skin. It is a full coverage foundation which comes in 40 shades. It also has blurring micro-powders which minimize the appearance of pores and absorbs oil giving a natural-looking matte finish. In addition to the wide range, it also goes to the darker end of the spectrum.
Coverage: Full coverage foundation
Price :$7.99
Do you use any of these? or have you been introduced to any new ranges? Let me know in your comments?
