The last decade has seen the term ‘inclusion’ migrate over from industries such as fashion to beauty. Gone are the days where you can enter a department store and stand before a makeup counter with a slew of pale to beige shades with merely a difference in hue.
Brands are now not only representing a vast majority of skin tones, but undertones, too. As consumers are more aware than ever, the pressure on brands is on to create extensive shade ranges with realistic, aesthetically pleasing and photo-ready formulas.
Skin is in, but in order to achieve this even-toned base, an undertone must be carefully and precisely selected. Warm, neutral and cool are the most common terms widely associated with undertones and foundations in particular.
Having dark skin, I am no stranger to the complexity of selecting the perfect product that will provide me with an excellent finish and more significantly, make me look like – me.
It’s been a tough road but after much experimentation, I have finally assembled a list of 5 brands that truly understand undertones and the essence of complexion perfection.
2-Toned Eye Makeup Is Having a Moment, and It’s Come Just in Time For Spring
The near-end of Winter is as good a time as any to amp up your beauty routine and add a little Spring-inspired spice to your everyday look – and there’s no better way to do that than to try your hand at the two-toned eye makeup trend that’s already having a moment this season.
Two-toned makeup has been spotted on runways before, but it’s currently experiencing a bit of a resurgence after we noticed the trend picking up speed at the NAACP Image Awards on Feb. 22. Celebrities like Lizzo, Queen Slim director Melina Matsoukas, and one of our personal beauty inspirations, Storm Reid, sported different versions of the look on the red carpet and pretty much knocked it out of the park.
Check out a few different ways we’ve noticed stars wearing the two-toned makeup trend ahead (because two is always better than one when it comes to adding a pop of color to your lids).
“Dandelion Yellow” Nail Polish Is Trending, and It Will Give You an Instant Dose of Happy
In the same way a shot of Emergen-C after a night of drinking can take you from hovering over the porcelain throne to high-fiving your boss the next morning, a nice bright nail polish color can make a bleary Winter day feel a little more like Spring. The shade that’s trending right now isn’t too off the mark from the powdered drink mix, either: “dandelion yellow.”
The name, coined by manicurist and Global Lead Educator for Essie Rita Remark, perfectly matches the season’s earliest bloomer – the dandelion – and is the perfect soft-meets-sunny blend of pastel yellow and orange.
“This version of yellow is much more golden than we’re used to seeing – it’s like butter,” Remark said. “Previously, we’d seen cooler-tone yellows, edging on the side of green or lemon-lime. I love that this shade is trending because it means yellow is now a nail color that has staying power. It’s not just a niche, one-season trend. It’s more approachable and less of a risk. A color that previously felt polarizing and controversial among nail enthusiasts, now boasts variations of hue and more options for those of us trying to find the perfect complement to our skin tone.”
Even with zero flowers blooming outside and scarce sunny days, you can still convince your brain to think warmer thoughts with a yellow manicure. The nail polish colors worth a trip (to the store) are ahead.
