From now until the new year, your social calendar is packed—and every single event requires being totally dressed up. It can be fun, but for women of color, finding the right makeup look can be a challenge. We’ve mastered our daily looks by mixing up the perfect foundation shade and creating concoctions of products and colors that are flattering on our skin tones—but when it comes to special events, we’ve heard all too often that “gold looks great on your skin tone.” We love a great gold shimmer as much as the next girl, there are plenty of other festive colors to try! With the holidays in full swing, this is a great opportunity to sharpen those make up skills. Take some of these tips and head to the store for your next party look!
1. Gold Shimmer
Spice up your typical gold shimmer with winged liner and a deep cranberry lipstick! First, apply an eye shadow primer such as NYX Eyeshadow Base ($7) to keep the glam going all night. Then use a gold glitter tone like Mugshot from the Naked 3 palette ($54) on the majority of the eyelid. A swipe of Kat Von D ($19) Tattoo Liner on the lids adds tons of drama. Finish it all off with lipstick in a deep cranberry color like Ellarie by Colourpop ($5).
2. All Over Ombré
A double ombré is the perfect way to incorporate lighter tones on lips and eyes on deeper skin tones. Make it easier by using a palette like Cover Girl Eye Enhancers ($6) in Ice Princess; it has all the shades you need in one place. Focus the darkest shades near the outside of the lid and gradually use the lighter colors in the palette closer to the eyelid. For the lips, make sure to use a liner darker than the main lip color to achieve the ombré effect. Apply MAC’s Heroine ($17), and then use an icy pink gloss for the middle. This will also give your lips a plumper look!
3. Classically Bold
Lupita Nyong’o is another dark-skinned beauty whose makeup is always on point! Keep it simple by using a simple black liner like Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on Eye Pencil ($20) in Perversion. Instead of using different shades for the highlight and crease, opt for just one shade, like this bright blue shadow ($7), on the lid. The finishing touch is a bright red lip like MAC’s Ruby Woo ($17).