It's Time To Let Our Brown Skin Glow — Without Caking On The Makeup
I’llbethe first to admit it: I’ll forever be nostalgic for the artistic prowess evoked by 2016-era beauty trends. Cut creases, shimmery eye shadow and razor-sharp contour were painted on, simply for another Tuesday at the office. Somewhere along the way, those half-hour “get ready with me” tutorials on YouTube devolved into pithy, fun TikToks spanning only a few minutes. These shorties now tout the “no-makeup” makeup look, designed to accentuate our natural features by focusing on glowy skin.
Minimalist makeup isn’t just another fleeting TikTok trend, though; high-profile makeup artists believe that it’s here to stay — at least for a while. “We’re moving into the world of wearing weightless, undetectable foundations that let your skin shine through,” says Kelechi Onuoha, the global head of artistry at the company Charlotte Tilbury Beauty.
But for many Black and brown people like myself, with darker skin tones, achieving that fresh-faced complexion isn’t as simple as throwing on a product or two and walking out the door. According to one study, over 80% of brown people across four Indian cities showed skin heterogeneity — much of which was hyperpigmentation, a condition that causes dark spots as a result of melanin overproduction. Hyperpigmentation is not only common among Black and brown people, but is shown to affect how confident and beautiful we feel.
So, how do we participate in this light-coverage makeup movement if we have hyperpigmentation? Onuoha suggests identifying a solid foundation that matches our undertones, which can be warm, cool or neutral. “A good place to start is by matching your foundation against your neck or the outer part of your face, as this will be the most accurate reflection of your skin tone,” she says. “That way, you can then add brightness with concealer and add definition and warmth with contour and bronzer.”
Color correctors also play a key role in countering dark spots. “I like to apply a thin layer of Charlotte’s Magic Vanish to spot-target any areas, which comes in four shades for different skin tones,” Onuoha says. And the application is just as important as the product. “For areas where you tend to have hyperpigmentation, I stipple with my Hollywood Complexion Brush to build up the coverage, then elsewhere I’ll buff product in to let my natural skin shine through a bit more,” Onuoha says.
Once you’ve followed this expert advice, you can then use lighter-weight foundations and skin tints that allow for a more fresh-faced look. Some of our current faves are below.
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Photo: Typology
A tinted serum from a French, vegan skin care brand
Typology's Tinted Serum works for you all day, providing light coverage as well a bit of vitamin C, squalane and aloe vera.
Photo: Nars
A Nars tinted moisturizer that protects while you glow
Nars Cosmetics' Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer boasts broad-spectrum SPF 30 coverage, so it protects against both UVA and UVB rays.
Photo: Charlotte Tilbury
A luxe foundation stick with a weightless finish
Charlotte Tilbury's Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint Hydrating Foundation Stick is a hydrating hybrid of lightweight foundation and a hint of highlighter, providing a radiant finish powered by natural emollients and hyaluronic acid.
Photo: Nudestix
A tinted liquid foundation with a focus on all-day hydration
Nudestix Tinted Cover Foundation comes in an abundant array of warm shades, is light yet substantial and contains botanical extracts to support your skin all day.
Photo: Coty
A super lightweight powder that locks your whole look in place
Burberry's Beyond Wear Setting & Refining Powder is a remix on lightweight coverage. It has 24-hour shine protection and is perfect for buildable coverage.
