For Asian, Latina and black women - and any other shade in between - it can be a challenge to find the perfect shade of makeup to match skin tone. Other challenges might include controlling shine and oil or concealing darker pigmented areas. Luckily, many cosmetic companies have cropped up which address these concerns while offering an array of shades for all hues. Many are available in drugstores, and some higher-priced brands are sold in department stores. Fashion Fair is a department store mainstay for women of color and was created in 1973 by the publisher of Ebony and Jet magazines. It offers an unbelievable array of foundations, powders, crème-to-powder makeup and concealers that do a great job in getting a customized look. It offers skincare regimens for oily, maturing, dry and combination skins as well. Bobbi Brown's expertise in the cosmetic world is unquestioned, and among beauty reviews, her products rank high among women of color for its array of colors and innovative products, like her foundation stick. Bobbi Brown cosmetics tend to be "earthier" in color as well, complementing and highlighting the beauty of darker tones.
You'll find newer brands such as Black Opal, Cover Girl's Queen line and Iman, the eponymous line created by the gorgeous supermodel, who had trouble finding shades that matched her skin when she first started modeling. Black Opal is known for its very dark shades, sometimes a challenge to match. And with most of its line costing less than $10 an item, the price is definitely right. The Queen collection - shilled by Queen Latifah herself - offers some awesome oil-absorbing products, including its compact foundation, which is offered in a dozen colors. Iman's line gets rave reviews from users and the media; in fact, Iman Second to None Cream to Powder Foundation nabbed Allure's Best of Beauty Foundation for African-American skin for its opacity and silky finish. Iman also took the 2011 Essence Magazine Award for Best in Black Beauty. The line's Web site is particularly helpful in putting together eye, cheek and lip colors for beautiful palettes that look gorgeous on women of color.