The best makeup products for darker skin tones with Uche aka. @uchjn
We caught up with the base Queen, Uche Natori or more commonly known as @uchjn, to get her top tips on how to chose the best makeup products for darker skin tones and her routine to achieving her flawless, glowing skin.
Primers
"Prepping your base begins with skincare, if you’re not addressing your skin concerns before you even begin to prep, your makeup may not have the desired outcome. Prepping the skin is important because what’s a masterpiece with a poor foundation? Your face is the masterpiece, spend a little extra time prepping your base, people often underestimate how essential this is to the finished look."
"One thing I’ve found that ensures longevity is opting for a primer with no silicone, usually creamy in formula then following any areas I tend to get oily with a small amount primer with a mattifying finish. Don’t be afraid to mix and match primer to address different concerns on your face."
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RRP: £16.00Current price: £8.00
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Foundations
"The key to finding your ‘perfect’ foundation is in the undertone. More brands nowadays break down foundation categories by undertones which makes things a little easier. Often you may find your foundation appears ‘grey’ or something just isn’t quite right? This is likely due to incorrect undertone, and sometimes the wrong foundation match all together. My top tips for finding your ideal foundation are:
- There are a few ways to work out your undertone at home. For example; ‘green’ appearing veins may indicate a warm, golden undertone. Others have said: ‘light or white metals such as white gold, platinum and silver will look flattering on those with a cool skin undertone. Yellow-ish jewellery such as gold and copper will work for those with a warm skin undertone."
- Get shade matched at a few concession/beauty counters. Most counters offer ‘testers’ so you can try before you buy. This will give you a few options to decide between. Also, it’s helpful to see how a foundation wears throughout the day; pay attention to what it looks like in the store and in day light. Walk around the shopping centre with it for some time before you commit.
- When trying a new foundation, it’s good to look out for ‘oxidation’. This is the process in which the shade becomes slightly darker with wear. Some foundations oxidise. The best way to combat this is to get a shade lighter which should oxidise to your ‘ideal’ shade.
- If you find your neck is darker or your face is darker etc., I always recommend matching your foundation to your chest. This is how I’ve matched foundations for years. You may need to bring the product down your neck (things may get messy but nothing a good wash won’t solve) and you’re good to go!"
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RRP: £41.00Current price: £32.80
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RRP: £39.50Current price: £29.63
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Concealers
"I always say concealer is very personal, I personally love a bright under eye but I know others prefer something more subtle. There is no right or wrong way to do this, it’s really up to you and what you find most flattering for your features. I have high cheekbones so I enjoy a nice amount of brightness under my eyes as it brings the attention around my eyes, I also tend to opt for a very bronze‐y intense contour and bronzer so it’s all about balance for me. I find strong features allow you to be a little more experimental with makeup because the features are already somewhat exaggerated, however this does not mean if you don’t have strong features you can’t be experimental. There are no rules in makeup! Just play, have fun with it and find what works for you, at the end of the day it washes off! My top tips for concealer:
- If you just want to ‘conceal’ or even out your skin tone, apply your foundation first, sometimes this is enough to cover any scars and hyper-pigmentation so saves you wasting product.
- If you want to add brightness, depending on how bright you want it, I would say start with one shade lighter than your tone. I wouldn’t advise going any lighter than two shades as the contrast between that and your contour, may be too harsh."
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RRP: £27.00Current price: £19.98
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RRP: £23.50Current price: £9.40
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Contour and Bronzers
"People always ask me ‘what is the difference between contour and bronzer?’. Answered simply, contour adds shadows to the face allowing you to ‘create’ shapes, whereas bronzer adds warmth. Think of how golden and delicious the perimeter of your face looks when you’ve been in the sun. You can add contours to your face using liquid, cream or powder products, I like to use a mix of liquid and powder because it lasts longer but it’s entirely down to you! If you’re using liquids and creams I would suggest two shades darker, in general, for the ‘shadowed’ effect. Regardless of what finish you are using, the product should have a cool undertone."
"To add warmth to your skin, opt for a bronzer with warm undertones. It can be matte or shimmery but again, personal preference. Just be aware that a shimmery finish may bring attention to ‘texture’, adding an orange or red tone blush is another way to add some warmth to the skin without bringing out texture."
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Shop Uche's beauty edit on LOOKFANTASTIC here.
Working with brands at LOOKFANTASTIC for over two years I have developed my knowledge of all things beauty from key skincare concerns to niche makeup tricks and haircare hacks. I have a major passion for finding effective solutions that are easily accessible to everyone so that we can all achieve our best, glowing complexion.
