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If you are a woman of colour, you know first-hand, the challenge of navigating the makeup aisles to find shades suitable for your skin-tone. If you are a dark-skinned woman of colour, that challenge becomes even greater. Hence, in addition to what you already know, here are a few tips that may be helpful:

Use brands made with black women in mind

Products for women of colour are Sleek products, which was created in England and focuses on the blacks. IMAN, which was created by a Somalian woman called IMAN and is actually the first product for women of colour. If you are on a budget, other makeup brands that offer a variety of colour options for black women include Covergirl Queen Collection, Revlon, Black Radiance, Black Opal and Shea Moisture.

Foundation for Dark Skin

Working with your skin’s undertone will help you determine which foundation is perfect for your dark complexion. If you’re testing foundation in person at a beauty counter, start by switching colours from your cheek to your jawline — keeping the colour of your chest in mind. With darker skin tones, faces are typically lighter than the body, so when testing colours, you want to make sure the shade matches your body as a whole. To ensure a perfect match, it’s best to test two to three shades alongside one another — wait several minutes to let the foundation warm up and mix with your complexion. Then, you can decide on what shade looks the most natural

Try using Bronzer

Don’t let anyone tell you that you shouldn’t rock a bronzer! What you want to look for is a product that will highlight and enhance your skin tone for that lit-from-within glow. Look for a neutral bronzer like IT Cosmetics Sunshine in a Compact, Anastasia Beverly hills glow kit or any other nice and affordable bronzer you can get from a drug store and apply it to your forehead, temples and upper cheekbones for an instantly warmer complexion.

Eye Shadow Shades

Down to picking the perfect shadow shade, any rich shade will really make your eyes pop! Jewel tones like purple, bright blue, emerald green or a deep burgundy stand out against your complexion, while gold and bronze tones instantly warm your skin tone and brighten up your eyes. Always remember to apply a shadow base before your shadow, to make your shadow pop out some more. Stay clear of white (or off-white/cream) and pale or frosty colours as they can give your skin an ashy or dry appearance. As for the shadow finish, use soft shimmer or demi-matte — if you prefer a matte finish, go for deep neutrals like nude or chocolate.

Wear flattering lipstick colours

Just like the neutral bronzers, dark skin tones can have just as much fun with lipstick! A glossy pink or violet looks fresh and spring-like! A bold matte lip will really make your pout stand out while berry hues instantly warm up your complexion. Women with warmer undertones look stunning in peach, orangey-red and even chocolate brown shades. Flattering shades for ladies with cool complexions include purple, pink and reds with blue undertones. Either way, feel free to experiment.