As woman of color (WOC), I’ve constantly had to purchase specific beauty products to suit my needs. From hair products and tools to soaps and lotions and without surprise, makeup was no different. We already know how hard it is to find our perfect foundation shade, often causing us to mix products to create our perfect combo. Don’t get me wrong, I am extremely comfortable in my skin and love every inch of myself, but I can’t help but feel frustration when I see so many options for women of light complexion, and I’m stuck purchasing double the product to create my shade!
Aside from foundation, lip products was my next biggest issue. Like many WOC, I have highly pigmented lips resulting in two toned lips: my top is lip brown and bottom lip is pink. Finding the “perfect nude” became nearly impossible for my pigmented lips. The “perfect nude” for my bottom lip, made my top lip look ashy. Red turns my top lip brown, pink would turns it white and deep burgundy would disappear and camouflage into my skin. I was fed up and annoyed that I couldn’t even find a suitable nude to compliment a light makeup day, much less full on glam. That’s when the hunt began; I decided I would try as many lip products as necessary to find my perfect nude and after months of searching, I finally a handful of products that are my everything!
- NYX Butter Gloss “Ginger Snap”: First off, the NYX butter gloss line is life, if you’ve never tried it, get it in your life. Ginger Snap is the perfect brown is was looking for! It’s highly pigmented for my dark upper lip and gave me an all around flawless, single lip color. I love that I can apply it without a mirror because I know that it’s going to give me a seamless color. I’m obsessed! The NYX line carries a range of colors, plus it’s only $5.00, so of course I stocked up. Available at Target, Ulta and online.
- Colourpop “Limbo“: This is for the matte lovers. Limbo is a super deep, rich brown, lippie that masked all of my discoloration. It can only be found online, but for $6 bucks that’s fine with me. And like NYX, Colourpop offers a wide range of colors, check them out!
- Anastasia Beverly Hills “Sepia” This gloss is everything; it is the exact mauvey-brown I was looking for! I love wearing this with a smokey eye or pop of color, and it smells so good. ABH also has Sepia in a liquid lipstick, definitely picking that one up next time I’m in Ulta!
- Colourpop “Pitch Lip Liner”: When I purchased this liner, I was excited to try it, but nervous because I didn’t want to be let down by another WOC wannabe. But this liner y’all, let me tell you, it glides on so smooth, gives off a fabulous deep brown and kept my lines clean. I use this daily, I will definitely be repurchasing.
- NYX Butter Gloss “Tiramisu”: Tiramisu is on the pink side, but I love to pair on top of Colourpop Pitch liner and/or Limbo. Tiramisu creates a gorgeous nude, and has become a go-to lip combo for me.
Thank you NYX, Colourpop and ABH for creating shades for all women of color. These 3 brands have earned my loyalty and I will certainly continue to experiment with their other products. Give them a shot, you won’t be disappointed! Tweet me @jasminembraxton and let me know what you’re favorite WOC friendly brands are!
