What is the best foundation? If only I had a euro for every time that question has been asked of me! But what if the best foundation isn’t available in your shade? That would be pretty frustrating, right? And that’s how many women of colour have felt for a very long time. As a makeup artist, I find it extremely frustrating when I find a foundation I would love to use in my kit but its shade range is too limited. The texture is perfect, the staying power is perfect and the finish is perfect - but when the shade choice lets it down, it’s just not worth the investment for me.

As I work with many skin tones, I need to work with foundations that have shades available from the lightest, right through to the deepest, with realistic undertones. In my last Heyday feature, I spoke of my appreciation for MAC’s inclusivity and how they have been the leader in producing shades to cover a multitude of skin tones and how heartening it is to see other brands now following suit. Mac’s long-standing studio fix fluid and Nars Sheer Glow foundation are both available in 40 shades while Fenty Beauty boasts a boundary-breaking range of 50 shades in their Pro Filt’r Hydrating and Soft Matte Foundation.

Catering to every skin tone is essential for any makeup artist, but carrying 40-50 shades of foundation really isn’t feasible. Using inclusive brands allows me to carry a selection of shades from the palest alabaster to the deepest dark, and to mix them to customise colour for my clients. Creating shades comes naturally to an artist, but most women want to pick one shade that matches their skin and go.

But allow me to talk to you about adjusters. If you are porcelain-skinned you will be all too familiar with the orange and streaky, disappointing result you get when the lightest shade available to you in a brand is 3 shades too dark for you. And if you are dark-skinned the wrong foundation shade can look grey and ashy.

Some pro brands make adjusters which are a must in any makeup kit. But they can also be a lifesaver to anyone who struggles to find their shade. And our skin can change colour through the seasons, so having an adjuster helps you customise your own foundation without having to purchase different shades. Simply mix a little in with your foundation to create a perfect complexion match.

Pro brand, Face Atelier, describe their Ultra Pro Foundation as Age and Race Neutral. They have five adjuster shades including Zero Minus -a pure white shade to lighten. Zero Plus for women of colour with yellow/red undertones and Zero Plus Plus for blue/black undertone.

Some brand websites such as Tarte and Charlotte Tilbury now have a foundation finder along with useful colour swatch visuals to help you find your perfect shade. Or you can take the Fenty Beauty quiz! - a wonderful tool to assist you in your search for the Holy Grail.

So, what is the best foundation I hear you ask? Well, I think I’m going to have to dedicate a whole other feature to that age-old question. In the meantime though, I will leave you with some of my easily-accessible, inclusive brand and product picks for women of colour.

MAC

All Ages, All Races, All Sexes, is MAC’s philosophy. As well as being fully inclusive in their shade range, their Viva Glam Fund - which celebrated 25 years recently – has raised over 500 million US dollars globally in the fight against HIV/Aids. Only recently they donated 10 million US dollars to Covid-19 relief efforts to support communities of colour affected by the pandemic. Did you know that 100% of every Viva Glam lipstick you buy goes to the Viva Glam Fund?

Fenty Beauty

Created by Rhianna to close a gap in the market and launch a line where everyone is included. She focused on a wide range of previously hard-to-match skin tones and worked on formulas that work on all skin types. Suffice to say, she succeeded in her mission.

BECCA Cosmetics

Cruelty-free Becca, was founded in 2001 and in recent years I have been drawn to the brand for their glowing complexion products both for bridal and beauty work. The Australian brand, inspired by light and luminosity, also excel when it comes to shade matching within their complexion products. Their Backlight Priming Filter is probably one of my most-used Illuminating products and is a great universal shade.

Charlotte Tilbury

In Charlotte’s own words ‘’Give a woman the right makeup and she can conquer the world’’. And conquer the world she did! It seems every woman covets Charlotte Tilbury products and being both cruelty free and inclusive it seems that pretty much every woman can. Colour coded eyeshadows and online tutorials make the looks feel achievable and the products easy to use.

Nars

Makeup artist Francois Nars launched a range of 12 lipsticks in Barney’s in New York in 1995. The brand is now known for a much broader selection of products including the iconic blushers Orgasm and Deep Throat whose names alone are enough to make you … well, blush! Sheer glow is probably the foundation in my kit I reach for most. Its buildability makes it versatile and allows me to play with coverage. Radiant Creamy Concealer is the perfect pairing with Sheer Glow to correct and disguise imperfections. Exhibit A powder blush is a beautiful vivid orange-red and looks amazing on dark skin. Don’t let such a strong colour discourage you. Red tones work wonders to lift deep complexions and look much more subtle once applied.

Bobbi Brown

When Bobbi Brown launched her brand in the 90s she informed us we should be wearing foundation with yellow undertone. We were all ears! And thankfully other brands began to take note. Complexion products have always been high on the Bobbi Brown agenda and the brand’s 43 complexion shades range from Alabaster through to Espresso.

Cover FX

Focusing mainly on complexion products, Cover FX have a great range of shades. Power Play foundation comes in 40 shades while Custom Cover Drops are available in 30 shades. Custom Cover Drops are part of the adjuster family and as the name suggests, they can be customised to your coverage preference by mixing with a moisturiser to create your own tinted moisturiser or they can be mixed with another foundation to adjust the colour.

Anastasia Beverley Hills

Famed for her brow products, Anastasia’s now extensive range hosts a multitude of products and foundation shades. My must-have Brow Wiz comes in 11 shades for blondes, redheads, brunettes and raven haired beauties. Metallic and matte shadows come in an array of highly-pigmented, vibrant shades that look spectacular on dark skin.

Danessa Myricks

Okay, so Danessa’s products aren’t as easily accessible as the others but I couldn’t leave her out. I was lucky enough to be invited to attend her Masterclass last year and see her work her magic in person. I also got to see the product results. She is a queen of beauty makeup and after developing product lines for Benefit, it was only natural she would go on to create her own brand which ‘aims to touch all faces equally from fair to deep complexions’.

Available at love-makeup.co.uk

Ailbhe Lynch, June 2020.