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Makeup Lines designed for WOC too dark for me?

post #1 of 8
2/10/13 at 9:04pm
Thread Starter 

Am I the only person who feels like I am too light for makeup that is designed for women of color? I’m African American and Asian, and about an NC 40-NC 42 in MAC, and I’ve always bumped into the roadblock that whenever I want to try a line formulated for women of color (Like Black Opal), they don’t have anything in my shade.  I tend to go towards these brands sometimes because of my really yellow/golden undertones, and most regular makeup lines foundations and other face products (like bronzers), make me look orange.  I want to try the Covergirl queen collection’s Bronzers (because I hear they are awesome) but the only shades I see are MUCH too dark for my skin, even though they look like the perfect matte bronzer for me. Perhaps it’s just the location I’m in? A lot of the drugstores I go to cater to women darker than I, just because more darker skinned women live in that area. Not that they don’t carry the foundations in my skin shade, but it seems the same shade is on the shelves for a long time, and once they run out, they don’t ever restock my specific color. 
Does anyone have any foundations they can recommend me? Once again, I’m about an NC 40-42, with strong yellow undertones, who tends to get redness around my nose and mouth. I’d love some drugstore, but high end is fine too.
Thanks! 

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post #2 of 8
2/10/13 at 10:51pm

Funnily enough I just posted a similar thread, my first thread - http://www.specktra.net/t/182673/holy-grail-foundation-for-woc-or-do-you-like-me-have-a-problem-really-figuring-out-what-really-really-is-the-right-shade-for-different-occasions-day-night-pictures

 

What kind of skin do you have (dry, normal, combination, oily, etc?)

 

I have oily skin, so I sometimes use Revlon ColorStay for Combination/Normal/Oily Skin which has I think 20 shades, but they also have a Revlon ColorStay for Dry/Normal Skin but I don't know if that has as many shades. For a drugstore brand, I think ColorStay is a great value.  I got mine at Ulta.

 

If you want to spend more, you may want to check out Make Up For Ever, sold at Sephora. 

 

My personal favorite is Mary Kay Medium Coverage Foundation but I think it is for combination / oily skin, I don't know if that describes you.  It's the most natural looking on me.  You may want to try it out anyway even if you are not combination / oily because it isn't really too mattifying, I don't think.  Since Mary Kay not really sold it might be a little difficult find a sample to find your color if you don't anyone that sells it.  I know my color so I bought new ones on Ebay for cheap.  I saw samples being sold there too so you might want to buy a few sample cards to test out.  Also I have seen some Mary Kay being sold in a beauty supply but I don't know how many do that.

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post #3 of 8
2/11/13 at 12:28pm
Thread Starter 

Well my skin fits under combination, I don't exactly get oily but I break out on my t-zone when I do break out. I do have dry spots around my nose and on my cheeks, so I guess that fits combination skin. Unfortunately for me, the one time I tried revlon colorstay, I got a really bad cystic pimple (it hurt SO bad), but I don't know if that was the foundation, or the Rimmel primer I used underneath it (which I can hardly call a primer because it did absolutely nothing accept feel like extra product on my skin). I'll get my correct shade (I got it when I was just starting out in makeup and didn't know what my shade was, so it's much too light) and try a little bit on my skin to see if it breaks me out. I also remember having trouble blending it because it dries quickly, but I probably won't have that problem now that I'm better at makeup.
I actually don't like the whole Dewy look but then again, the two foundations I tried that classified as Dewy literally had sparkles in them (Revlon Photoready, which I had a terrible time finding a match for, and even then it has this grey undertone to it), and... the True Match Lumi foundation. I can work with the True Match because it's not as sparkly as the Photoready and since I don't have severe acne, it's something I throw on with a little bit of concealer and go. I think the Lumi was the only foundation that I've tried that was decent. I want to try the Make Up Forever Matte foundation, because I like to put on my foundation and sort of build up from there. I feel like Matte foundations give me more options, like how much contouring I want to do, without shimmer or sheen getting in the way.
I'll look into the Mary Kay foundation because I heard it's good, and it seems that Fashion Fair (which my mom uses, she's an NC 45) does have a shade that looks remotely close to my skin tone in the summer (It's called Honey I think). I've only seen it online so I'll have to swatch it to see, I hope it does match because it's the lightest shade they have available. 

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post #4 of 8
2/11/13 at 12:29pm

OP, I disagree that you are too light for those lines. For example, Black Opal makes colors like Heavenly Honey and Kalahari Sand which may be close to your skin tone. My sister is NC35/NC40 and she wears Black Opal in Heavenly Honey, and their mineral powder (sadly discontinued recently) in Light. I don't know if you are going to places that do not carry the full line, but perhaps you could try online? I say that because Black Opal has a nice shade finder on their site where you click on the shade which most recembles you and get recommendatins from there. My sis also wears a CoverGirl Queen liquid foundation, but I cannot recall the name/number.

 

I have only mentioned those brands because you did, but have you tried Iman? She has an asian model on her site and has what colors she wears listed there somehwere.

 

I know looking online makes it difficult but you can actually see all certain lines have to offer, and can make a more educated decision based on the full line, instead of the leftovers at the store.


Edited by sagehen - 2/11/13 at 1:52pm
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post #5 of 8
2/12/13 at 12:06am

Reading sagehen's suggestion of Cover Girl Queen reminded me that I've been wondering if the Queen Collection is discontinued?  I never see it anymore but I recently moved to a new city so maybe that's why?  I checked the Cover Girl website though and saw very few Queen Collection item describtions though.  Anyone know?

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post #6 of 8
2/12/13 at 10:12am

Not discontinued - just hard to find. Neither their website nor any store websites are really accurate with what they carry. I am lucky to live near a couple stores who carry the complete line. I like their matte powder for touchups.

 

walmart.com has the best selection as far as buying online, but I know that's only helpful if you know what shades you want. also, if you have another color that you know works, try findation.com (not affiliated)

 

Queen Collection is definitely not discontinued. They just added two new products to the line, one of which is a foundation.


Edited by sagehen - 2/12/13 at 11:13am
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post #7 of 8
2/12/13 at 10:30am

The Covergirl Queen collection seems to be easier to find in more "urban" areas. At least that has been my experience here in Miami. It's everywhere in North Miami but hard to find in Aventura. 

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post #8 of 8
2/12/13 at 4:00pm

You can find yellow based foundations that are not marketed for WOC. I'm not as light as you are, but I typically find foundations marketed to WOC too orange / red & heavy in texture . If you want drug store brand, Im sure you can find a color with loreal true match. you can typically go in Ulta & color match yourself.  im btween nc42 & nc44 for mac foundations ( which i dont use, but for reference), & I wear lancome teint miracle ( more dewy, "lit within" look) & teint idole ( more of a satin finish)  bisque9w & have recently found a great match in Estee Lauder double wear honey bronze 4w1.

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