foundation for dark skin

[xraisonxdetre]

Hi! I just found SN and ordered a sample of the medium coverage white foundation and buttery gold. I wear NC 45 in MAC. To get my color I had to add a 4:1 ratio of color to white, and I think this kind of dilutes the coverage...is there anything that can be done about this? Or, is that the only option with dark skin? Should I maybe try the heaviest coverage since with the amount of color I will have to add to balance the heavy white, it might become more of a medium coverage?

Here is a picture of me..any help will be appreciated!

Thanks!

[JenW]

How are you applying it? What kind of brush are you using? I strongly recommend a flat top for heavier application and you might need to try a few layers. Even a wet application might help (spritzing your brush or swirly bowl and then applying).

When the foundations get darker, there is less of the ingredient that makes it truely a heavy coverage because that ingredient is white. The pigments themselves will have a fairly heavy coverage if applied in the best way.

Another thing that might help is to use a bit of Deep Ebony in your mix. I am thinking like 1 Deep Ebony: 3 Buttery Gold: 2 Ivory. I would probably play around with the application method first, though, since you have a color match. The Deep Ebony is just much darker than the Buttery Gold and will allow the use of more Ivory in your mix. Heavy Ivory is worth a try.

[xraisonxdetre]

I was using a foptic because I don't like the cakey look I get when using a flat top, but, I will try that and see the coverage I get. The ebony sounds like a good idea since it will get me the darker color and will allow me to use more of the ivory.

I am seriously LOVING this makeup and am SO excited about finding this Thank you so much for the quick response-this REALLY helps!

[JenW]

By design a dual fibered brush is not supposed to apply in a heavy coverage fashion. If you feel the flat top applies too cakey, try a kabuki. I also highly recommend a swirly bowl of some kind. It helps to load the brush evenly when applying and you can tap your brush on the side to get rid of the excess foundation.

Another nuance of mineral makeup is that it takes about 20 minutes or so for it to blend with your skin. It also seems that this affects darker skintones more than fairer ones. The oils in your skin will slightly darken the pigments. That 20 minutes of wait time can sometimes be the difference between looking ashy( a good match will often go on lighter than it ends up looking) or cakey. It does take a certain amount of experimentation to figure out what works best for you.

[xraisonxdetre]

I like the swirly bowl idea! I think that with a kabuki might work well

Is a 4:1 (color:white) ratio usual for dark skin tones? I feel like this is so odd compared to like 1:20 that I've been reading about!

[royalgoddessbeth]

I am fair-skinned, and I don't exactly have the same problem that you do. BUT, I was using Karen's foundation when all she had was the Original coverage. I did what I called a damp application when I used that formula- I used a swirly bowl, loaded up my brush, tapped the excess and then I spritzed the loaded brush with water. This made a heavier look when applied.

By all means, try out the Deep Ebony- because it's the darkest of all the color bases. If you need extra yellow in it, try getting a little of the yellow pigment powder, too. That way you might be able to use more of the dark base.

Here's another idea- which works well for me coverage-wise.....because I like to do things very quickly.

I have the Zinc Finishing powder. It's sheer, and it's not supposed to be "coverage", per se- but I think it does offer a bit of coverage. I'd try tinting that with some of the foundation base and use it as a primer. It makes for a smooth canvas for your foundation application, and I also think it does well with oil control as well. That way, you'll have a few imperfections already "covered" when it's time for your makeup application.

I have found that my holy grail routine consists of one of Karen's moisturizers, Zinc Powder, Foundation, and then Tempt Tryst perfecting powder.

I no longer use the medium coverage by itself...in fact, my ratio right now is approximately 2 Original: 2 Glow: 1 Medium, which is merely to point out in passing that my current foundation mix is only a bit beefier in coverage than the original formula. I've found that using the products as I suggested, I only need one thin layer of each. It even conceals my rosacea, too.

[JenW]

I like the swirly bowl idea! I think that with a kabuki might work well

Is a 4:1 (color:white) ratio usual for dark skin tones? I feel like this is so odd compared to like 1:20 that I've been reading about!

I think you are just right for darker skin. Most of the foundation recipes you have seen are for the fair gals. Also, the darkest color bases are Peach, Olive, and Deep Ebony. Ebony is the lightest and Golds are just a little darker than it. I wonder about Olive now that I have written this........... You might want to give it a sample, too, just in case the Deep Ebony is not right. The Peach will be too pink/red for you.

[xraisonxdetre]

Jen!

I just received my order with peach and deep ebony. I swatched the pure bases and the deep ebony was really pink but ashy on me, and the peach ended up kind of orange, so I picked peach because I thought orange would be better than pink. I put just a PINCH of peach with the medium ivory and mixed it (to make the ivory not sooo white haha) and then put in the buttery gold and it ended up darkening it A LOT! It works SO well! Basically, I needed to "neutralize" the white, so with the peach it became more brownish. My ratio is now 1:1 (ivory:buttery gold with a pinch of peach). I think I actually added too much peach because it is a little bit too dark, so I think I might add some oil control blur or maybe some glow, not sure. It is all a work in progress haha!

As for the brushes, I've now been using a kabuki to put on foundation and oil control blur and then the fiber optic to put on glow and tempt tryst. Does that seem better?

[JenW]

It sounds like you are on the right track. The right brush makes a huge difference. Let us know if you need help with anything else!