9 Perfect Makeup Tips For Dark Complexion

Hi everyone,

Choosing the right type and style of makeup for complexions that lean towards any side of the colour spectrum can be challenging. One has to ensure that the skin doesn’t look too dull, pale or ashy after one has applied makeup. In this post, I have put together a list of useful makeup tips that you can follow if you have a dark or dusky complexion. Some of these tips and tricks will bring out your natural radiance and will help you use makeup to enhance your best features.

Here are 9 perfect tips for dark complexions:

1. Always prep your skin with moisturizer: Moisturising your face is a very important step in your skincare and makeup routine, and you should never skip it. If you don’t moisturize your face adequately, the dry and patchy bits will show through your makeup and give your complexion an ashy and uneven look. Recommendations: Clinique Dramatically Different Moistruizer and Gel.

2. Pick a primer suitable for your skin type: Using a good primer that is meant for your skin type can help your makeup apply evenly and last through the day. Assess your skin type and then choose between an oil controlling, pore minimizing and hydration boosting primer. Recommendations: ELF Tone Adjusting Face Primer, Becca Ever-Matte Poreless Priming Perfector

3. Never skip sunscreen: It is a common misconception that those with darker complexions don’t need to use sunscreen. However, contrary to popular belief, sunscreen is as essential for darker complexions as it is for lighter ones. So make sure that you use sunscreen underneath your makeup on a regular basis. Recommendations: Lotus Herbals Sunscreens.

4. Choose the correct shade and undertone of foundation: Choosing the correct shade of foundation is extremely important. Never use a foundation that is any lighter than your skin colour, as this can make you look ashy and unnatural. Find the exact shade, undertone and formula to match your skin tone and type. Recommendations: Fenty Beauty Pro Filter Foundation, Maybelline Fit Me Foundation

5. Bronze your skin: You might think that dusky and dark complexions don’t need to use bronzer, but a little dusting of bronzer can instantly give your face a warm, natural and radiant look. Recommendations: ELF Bronzer Palette, Lakme Sun-Kissed Bronzer

6. Use a champagne or gold-toned highlighter: To add a boost of radiance, you can use a cream highlighter. However, make sure to pick a highlighter that is champagne or gold toned in order to avoid an ashy complexion. Pink and lavender-toned (cool toned) highlighters are best reserved for lighter and cooler skin tones. Recommendations: Makeup Revolution Highlighter Palette, Becca Champagne Pop Shimmering Skin Perfector Poured Crème Highlighter

7. Contour your eyes with warm tones: To add dimension and depth to your makeup look, you can warm up your eyes with a little bit of chocolate brown eyeshadow. Adding a warm gold to your lids is also a great option. For a more elaborate eye look, you can experiment with richer shades like emerald green and maroon. For regular days, a soft brown pencil eyeliner works well to give you a polished look. Recommendations: Maybelline Expert Wear Eyeshadow Quad Emerald Smokes, Colorbar Emerald Green Eye Pencil, Makeup Geek Bitten Eyeshadow Pan

8. Opt for warm and rich shades of lipstick and blush: Lipstick and blush can be the stars of your makeup look. There’s a whole range of lipsticks out there that has been formulated for darker complexions. Brick reds, burgundy, deep pinks, warm browns and a whole lot of other lipstick shades suit dark complexions especially well. Make sure to match your blush to your lipstick shade for a polished makeup look. Recommendations: Colorbar Brick Red Lipstick.

9. Set your makeup with the right powder: When it comes to setting your makeup, it is very important for darker complexions to use the right kind of powder. If you’re using a translucent powder, be very sure that it doesn’t look ashy on your skin tone. Finding a compact or pressed powder that matches your skin tone exactly is ideal for setting makeup. Recommendations: MAC Matchmaster Shade Intelligence Compact, Colorbar Flawless Air Brush Finish Loose Powder