What's the Best Lipstick shade for African Americans

richprincess

richprincess

O.G.
Jun 25, 2007
378
1
#1
Hi, I'm a dark skin (medium brown) African American and I'm looking for the perfect (or almost perfect) shade for my lips; something that will really flatter my skin color. Can anyone suggest a natural color and/or a more vivid color? Thanks for your inputs.

I guess Im about Brandy and Gabrielle Union's color
Brandy.jpg

Gabrille Union.jpg
 
#2
I only know MAC lipsticks so I can tell you from only looking at the site.

Capricious is a sheer color like Brandy's.

You may also want to try Fetish (with a little clear gloss over it).
 
#3
yea, I only wear MAC lipsticks and gloss and they are the best in my opinion. I would recommend you go the the store and try on some colors to see what looks best on you. Some of my favorite colors are Oh Baby, Viva Glam V, Luminary, Oyster Girl, See Through,etc.
 
#4
I'm a dark brown tone myself, and I think that there's no one particular shade that looks "best" on that skin tone. Black people come in a variety of skin colors, and the result is that we look good in almost any color of makeup you can think of! Lots of colors flatter our rainbow of hues. However, I'm partial to reds and bronzes. I like bronze because it's a nice, neutral metallic flesh tone (MY flesh, that is), and red because it stands out against my skin very well.

I'm not brand-loyal at all--if I see a color I like I get it, no matter who makes it. And yes, MAC is fab!
 
#5
lmao @ caxe's avatar!

MAC is great but Mary Kay also makes fab colors for darker skin tones. Essence recommended "Downtown Brown" as a great cinnamony brown.

Also def. try Nars. I find their colors are universally flattering.

the Clinique "Almost Lipstick" line makes a few universally flattering shades too but these are moreso stains rather than gloss or lipstick.

let's not forget Iman beauty and a few other drugstore brands.

I'm not brand loyal either. I buy what I like and I find for darker or olive-skinned times you really have to shop around and if you see something you really like buy 3!
 
#6
The best lipstick shade for you depends on undertones, not ancestors, or even necessarily how much cream is in your coffee.

Maybe get a friend to help you decide whether your undertones are red, yellow, blue, whatever they may be, or combinations, for instance, I have both blue and yellow, (which yes, means green, but let's not think about that). My point is that those undertones are what means that a blue-red lipstick looks better on me than a brown-red one, and the same thing can be said of people with skin much lighter than mine, or much darker, and all of us can have ancestors from all over the place - but it is our undertones that decide which lipstick we buy!

Your undertones also dictate what color clothing, accessories, eye shadow, foundation - everything! will look best on you, so figure out what they are, and play around with different colors.

Your mirror will tell you when you have hit that jackpot!
 
#7
Thank you all. I too am not a brand loyal type of person. Lately I've been quite partial to Nars, though. I've tried their blush and eye shadow, but I've yet to try any of their lipsticks. I didnt know that they had any colors to flatter dark skin. Undertones have always confused me so I completely ignore them, but maybe I'll start to pay more attention to them.
 
#8
Smashbox has a gorgeous color called Enchanting. I saw a youtube video where the both the model and makeup artist were african american and she used the color on her..I also then saw her use it on a caucasian model and it looked great on her as well. The makeup artisit said it is a great color for the season and flatters most skin tones. I plan on getting it, and I am a mix of asian and caucasian!
 
#9
harlem_cutie said:
let's not forget Iman beauty and a few other drugstore brands.
Click to expand...

I like Iman, too. I was at Ulta earlier this week and picked up two different Iman palettes. Each has 4 eye shadows, 2 lipsticks, and 2 lip glosses, as well as a blush and a bronzerd and different types of applicators. One kit has neutrals, bronzes, and browns (St. Tropez); the other has darker colors and reddish colors (Cote d'Azur). I went back today to buy one more of each because there are some nice colors in them, but they only had the St. Tropez kit remaining, so I had to settle for just that. I mention this because there are some nice colors to "try out" and choose from, and they also blend quite nicely. It's nice to see a product like this, as I love makeup palettes. You can try a bunch of different looks for a low price and see what works for you.
 
#10
richprincess said:
..Undertones have always confused me so I completely ignore them, but maybe I'll start to pay more attention to them.
Click to expand...

Now that I have dabbed rosewater on my temples and taken extra pills, I am able to gasp that yes, indeed you should pay um, more attention to them.

Girl, undertones are EVERYTHING! They are your ticket to fabulousness, it is they who decide whether you look like a flu sufferer or a godess!
 
#12
caxe said:
I'm a dark brown tone myself...Black people come in a variety of skin colors, and the result is that we look good in almost any color of makeup you can think of!...
Click to expand...
Oh yeah, if you have that fabulous bittersweet chocolate or darker, while you do have to listen to your undertones about which shade, you do get to wear absolutely any color. Including yellow even if you have yellow undertones, a thing which even the dark end of medium brown cannot do. And with that yellow, you can put on neon green eyeshadow if you feel like it, and still look not only great, but incredible as it may sound, subtle and elegant and understated.

Let's all take a minute to cross our arms, narrow our eyes, and glare enviously at caxe.

Ahh. That's better.

I love all the different flavors of skin we come with, I just wish I could collect 'em all, change skin when I change bling.
 
#14
ShimmaPuff said:
Oh yeah, if you have that fabulous bittersweet chocolate or darker, while you do have to listen to your undertones about which shade, you do get to wear absolutely any color. Including yellow even if you have yellow undertones, a thing which even the dark end of medium brown cannot do. And with that yellow, you can put on neon green eyeshadow if you feel like it, and still look not only great, but incredible as it may sound, subtle and elegant and understated.

Let's all take a minute to cross our arms, narrow our eyes, and glare enviously at caxe.

Ahh. That's better.

I love all the different flavors of skin we come with, I just wish I could collect 'em all, change skin when I change bling.
Click to expand...

ShimmaPuff, your posts always crack me up, and you are so right. :tup: i have yellow undertones and i find that the shades which look good on me are pretty wide-ranging.

caxe, one of my fave lipsticks is Ebony by Iman. it is dark and perfect for winter, but great because the color can really be varied if worn under a gloss like MAC's Oh Baby or NARS' orgasm.

and ShimmaPuff, you are so right on the neon green eyeshadow. MAC Bitter shadow is my hands down favorite and i am always surprised at how easy it is to wear :yes:
 
#15
Have any of you tried PS Kiss by Lancome? I saw it online but have yet to see it in person. I went shopping for a crimson shade of lipstick today at the mall but found nothing. The girl at the MAC counter got an attitude after helping me and I just gave up.
 
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