7 Brands That Offer Foundation Shades For Darker Skin
As a darker-toned woman, the sad reality is, many of us are left out of the realms of brands' thoughtfulness when it comes to offering a diverse shade range.
Thankfully, nowadays, more brands have sought to be inclusive in relation to women of the darker persuasion. And while we can definitely say that not all brands are onboard with expanding their shade range, we can say that it is slowly becoming easier to find brands to support that DO.
Here are 7 brands that actually are working to be inclusive, and places you can gladly spend your #coins.
Fenty Beauty
Y'all know we couldn't do this list without including a brand that helped spark many conversations in the beauty industry. Even though Rihanna's coveted line was not the first line to be inclusive, it definitely made people discuss what a brand looks like when it tries to include more people (also as a reminder, the initial foundation launch had 40 shades). Rih even said, "Fenty Beauty was created for everyone: for women of all shades, personalities, attitudes, cultures, and races. I wanted everyone to feel included. That's the real reason I made this line."
Lancome
With Lupita Nyong'o as its poster child, Lancome is a brand we can definitely stand behind—especially with 40 shades of foundational magic. The amazing thing about Lancome's foundation range is it gives you full coverage and a long-wearing feel. Oh, and did we mention that the formula took eight years of research to perfect? Anything that requires time and effort is something we definitely have to support.
L’Oreal
While we love a good splurge at Sephora, it's wonderful to see drugstore brands be inclusive and mindful of multiple budgets. At only $11, the L'Oreal True Match Foundation comes in 33 shades, and gives you a natural finish with a formula that is safe for all skin types. Yasss!
Make Up For Ever
Another brand that gives us shade after shade of #BlackGirlMagic. With 42 shades ranging from Alabaster to Dark Brown, Make Up For Ever has a medium coverage foundation that has perfected its formula for 4K technology. Simply put, it'll make you look flawless and natural on camera and out on the town with your friends.
black|Up
Though some may wonder if black|Up is as inclusive as other brands out there, considering it only offers 15 shades in its foundation line. But you have to take into account that the brand is specifically made for women of color. It's a French beauty brand that highlights and formulates its foundation specifically for the needs of darker skin tones, so there is no need to worry about having a full-coverage foundation with misdiagnosed undertones. The brand has various shades with different undertones, making it easier to have a shade for everybody.
MAC
Yooooo, their Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation has 46 shade colors. That's crazy, but honestly, every brand should seek to have the same. It's a powder foundation that does the job of a foundation and a powder. So if you're going for full coverage glam, you'll achieve that in this diverse line that really shows that everyone CAN have representation in the makeup industry.
NARS
NARS stole our hearts with their radiant creamy concealer, but honestly, their natural radiant longwear foundation is turning heads. With 33 shades available, it's a lightweight foundation that promises 16 hours worth of wear. Oh, and let's note that the impressive collection offers at least 15 shades exclusively for brown skin. Now THAT is impressive.
What brands are you loving for their shade inclusivity?
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- 10 best foundations for dark skin | The Independent ›
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Stress Awareness Month: Sneaky Workplace Triggers Affecting Black Women, And How To Cope
We all know about the major stress triggers of everyday life, from relationship woes to monthly bills to unexpected emergencies, but there are small, subtle triggers that impact Black women in a big way, especially when it comes to work. It’s good to be aware of these sneaky stressors in order to maximize your day and find ways to incorporate solutions into your self-care routines.
Since it’s Stress Awareness Month, we caught up with Keanne Owens, LCSW, founder of Journey To Harmony Therapy Center, to talk about these triggers and what Black women can do to manage and cope.
Owens is an experienced South Florida-based counselor and social worker who offers her services via Grow Therapy, a therapy and medication management platform. She has worked with Black women professionals to unpack issues related to workplace stressors. “One is the pressure to perform–having to meet deadlines and deliverables. And a lot of times, these subtle stressors from performance are put upon ourselves as Black women. We want to make sure we’re doing our best. We don’t want to be critiqued in certain ways.”
Excessive micromanagement leading to fear of overly critical bosses is another subtle trigger that can negatively impact Black women in the workplace.
“Whenever something is done wrong, or we experience some type of injustice and have to report it, it’s the fear of retaliation–[fear that] we won’t be taken seriously or [our words] will be taken out of context because of being deemed as the ‘angry Black woman,’” she said.
Black Women And Workplace Stress Triggers
Her sentiments are backed by research. A recent report by Coqual found that 28% of Black women (compared to 17% of White men) say their supervisor uses “excessive control or attention to detail” when managing them. There’s more: A survey by the National Employment Law Project found that Black workers were “more likely to have concerns (80 percent) and twice as likely as white workers (18 percent) to have unresolved concerns at work, with 39 percent reporting they were “not satisfied with the employer’s response or did not raise concerns for fear of retaliation.”
The survey also found that 14 percent of Black respondents said they “avoided raising concerns to their employer for fear of retaliation—more than twice the average rate of 6 percent for all survey respondents.”
Owens pointed to the fact that these subtle stress triggers can negatively impact our physical health and our career advancement. “A lot of time it’ll affect our productivity,” Owens added. “We start to have negative thoughts of ourselves. The stressors can also cause fatigue. We’re no longer meeting or working up to our desired potential.” Other challenges as a result include insomnia and increased insolation, withdrawal, and lack of motivation to apply for jobs or promotions even when qualified.
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How To Manage Subtle Stress Triggers
While there are systemic issues at play for Black women at work that has less to do with us and more to do with major overhauls that must be addressed by the powers that be, there are steps we can take for the betterment of ourselves and our mental health. Owens offered the following tips:
Tap into a support system, whether it’s a coworker you trust, a family member, an organization, or an outlet like a hobby.
Create a good work-life balance before burnout even starts. “Having certain boundaries [is the goal] such as, for example, if you get off at 5, you get off at 5. If your job description is this, you don’t go above and beyond because that brings you to a lot of burnout,” Owens said.
Prioritize self-care, whatever that means for you. “If you don’t have a routine, create one. Practice mindfulness and even some meditation,” she added.
Create structure in your life outside of work. “Even if you have a family, applying some structure in your routine helps relieve stress,” she said.
Get into grounding techniques. “Do a real quick square breathing exercise, that’s literally 30 seconds, or you can do a grounding technique that’s less than two minutes, right there where you are. You don’t need any other materials. That’s something you can do with just yourself and your body.”
Ask for help. “As Black women, we don’t ask for help enough,” she said. “Find where you need to ask for help. A lot of times, people think that’s indicative of weakness, but we need to rewrite that narrative. It’s okay to ask for help where you see fit. [If] you’re a mom, [it could be] every Wednesday from 5 to 6, your children are with the dad. You have to carve out that time.”
For more information on Grow Therapy, visit their website. You can also find out more about Keanne Owens, LCSW, via BeginYourJourneyToHarmony.com.
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Featured image by Charday Penn/Getty Images