9 Beauty Insiders’ Favourite Foundations For Darker Skin Tones
Sublime Perfection Foundation
Pat McGrath Labs | £61
“I don’t tend to wear foundation day to day, so when I do reach for one, I want it to feel genuinely weightless while still photographing beautifully for special occasions. Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Foundation ticks all the boxes – I wear ‘Medium 17’ or ‘Medium 18’ depending on the season. The texture is very fluid, so I find it applies best with a dense brush, but it blends seamlessly and delivers polished, buildable medium coverage without ever looking heavy. The finish is natural but perfected, and when it comes to deeper skin tones, you can trust one of the world’s most respected makeup artists to get the undertones right.” - Rhea Cartwright, SL beauty contributor
Available at SELFRIDGES.COM
Luminous Silk Foundation
Armani Beauty | £23.50 (was £47)
“One of my all-time favourites, Armani’s Luminous Silk consistently delivers beautiful, skin-like coverage across a wide range of complexions, especially on deeper skin tones. I love how lightweight it feels while still being buildable, allowing me to create anything from a natural, second-skin finish to a more polished red carpet look. The undertones are thoughtfully developed, which makes shade matching far easier, and the radiant finish photographs beautifully without looking overly dewy. Shade ‘13.5’ is one I've reached for often, as it has a rich depth with warm undertones.” - Joy Adenuga, make-up artist
Available at BOOTS.COM
Teint Idole Ultra Wear Foundation
Lancôme | £28.70 (was £41)
“I always come back to Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear Foundation because it delivers every single time. The formula strikes the perfect balance between medium to full coverage, while still looking like real skin, so you get a flawless finish without it ever feeling heavy. As a make-up artist, I love how versatile it is. It blends effortlessly, wears beautifully throughout the day and has a natural soft matte finish that keeps shine under control while still allowing the skin to look healthy and radiant. The shade range is also fantastic, with undertones that are well thought out, making it much easier to find a true match that enhances the complexion rather than looking ashy – I wear ‘510N’.” - Adeola Gboyega, make-up artist
Available at LANCOME.CO.UK
Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation
NARS | £45
“This is my ride-or-die foundation. I’m yet to find another formula that gives me the same healthy, radiant glow. I love a full-coverage base, and this one delivers while staying flawless all day long. Depending on the time of year (or if I’m lucky enough to have a tan!), I switch between the shades ‘New Caledonia’, ‘Iguacu’ and ‘Namibia’ to get my perfect match. I recently started using the matte version during the day, I am loving it equally as much. I get so many skin compliments whenever I’m wearing this. I’d love to take the credit but honestly, it’s definitely all down to the foundation!” - Nana Acheampong, fashion editor & broadcaster
Available at NARSCOSMETICS.CO.UK
Skin Tint Blurring Elixir
Kylie Cosmetics | £28
“The Kylie Cosmetics Skin Tint is a recent discovery for me and it totally deserves the online hype. It has light to medium coverage but leaves the skin with a blurred effect and a natural glow which is exactly what I look for in any base product. My make-up style leans dewy and this product delivers without ever looking greasy, even on oily skin. A little goes a long way with a dense brush and leaves a satin finish, the perfect canvas for the rest of your base routine. The shade ‘8.5W’ is my exact match and melts into my skin seamlessly, cementing it as my new go-to foundation.” - Angelina Mable, LuxeGen broadcaster & junior editor
Available at LOOKFANTASTIC.CO.UK
Forever Skin Glow Foundation
Dior | £52
“This foundation has one of the best formulations I have ever used. It strikes the perfect balance between glowy and long-wearing. I have oily/combination skin and never like to sacrifice that lit-from-within finish with heavy powders to ensure my make-up stays put. I simply set it with a light finishing powder and my base stays flawless – even on the busiest days. I use very little on ‘no-make-up-make-up’ days and then build up the coverage when I want full glam. The hyaluronic acid, peptides and SPF 25 also keep my skin plump and protected.” - Twiggy Jalloh, beauty & wellness journalist and content creator
Available at JOHNLEWIS.COM
Light Reflecting Foundation
NARS | £45
“My go-to foundation is the NARS Light Reflecting Foundation in the shade ‘Macao’. I love how versatile this foundation is. It can be sheered out for a natural, skin-like finish or built up for more coverage without ever looking heavy. It has a beautiful radiant finish that still looks like real skin, making it perfect for both everyday wear and bridal make-up. One of the things I appreciate most is the impressive shade range. NARS has done a great job catering to the different undertones within Black skin, whether that’s olive, red or warm, making it much easier to find a true match. It’s a foundation I reach for time and again in my professional kit, especially for my Black bridal clients, because I know it will deliver a seamless colour match, a skin-like finish and beautiful wear that photographs flawlessly throughout the day.” - Xamdi Abdul, make-up artist
Available at NARSCOSMETICS.CO.UK
Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder & Double Wear
Danessa Myricks | £42.50 & Estée Lauder | £39.50
“This season, I’ve been reaching for two foundations depending on the look I’m creating: Danessa Myricks’ Blurring Balm Powder and Estée Lauder Double Wear. I love supporting Black-owned beauty brands and the Danessa Myricks balm powder creates the most beautiful soft-focus, skin-like finish that’s perfect for everyday wear. When I need more coverage and longevity, Double Wear is my go-to. It has an incredible shade range, buildable coverage and wears beautifully throughout the day.” - Bernicia Boateng, make-up artist and founder of Enoléh
Available at CULTBEAUTY.CO.UK & ESTEELAUDER.CO.UK
Skin Tint
Armani Beauty | £38
“I prefer a light base so the Giorgio Armani Skin Tint is perfect for me – I love that you can still see my skin showing through for that natural-looking finish. The texture is lovely, really silky smooth and I actually just apply it with my fingers and sometimes finish it off with a brush. The shade range is great, I wear shade ‘D2’ which is brilliant if you have warmer undertones. I’m still able to use it in the summer when I go a bit darker as it blends in so well and it also pairs seamlessly with make-up products from other brands.” - India Agyeman, social video producer
Available at ARMANIBEAUTY.CO.UK
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