Finding the perfect shade of foundation for your rich melanin skin tone is a breeze with these makeup and beauty brands.

Finding the right foundation shade can be a high pressure, sweat inducing, nail biting task. Almost like house hunting (but not as serious). And, like a house, your foundation has to be perfect. Aside from the basics such as the shade of the foundation, there are many other factors to take into consideration: undertone, level of coverage, finish, formulation and wearability. All of these factors determine if a particular foundation is right for your complexion and lifestyle.

For deeper skin tones, (especially those darker than a brown paper bag) just being included in the beauty conversation has been and still is an opportunity. This opportunity often translates into other areas like marketing, advertising, branding, funding and even the products themselves. In times past, deeper skin tones were not even included in the shade range line up of many popular or mainstream brands. To solve that problem, many found themselves mixing several shades together to create somewhat of a match. As time progressed, some mainstream brands made attempts to create shades for deeper skin tones with questionable success. Then there were brands such as Flori Roberts, Fashion Fair, Iman, Posner and Black Radiance who created lines that included deeper skin tones, oftentimes with images to reflect those who again were initially and intentionally left out of the beauty conversation. With these brands came more shade options – along with validation and affirmation.

Fast forward to today where there are more brands than ever creating foundations (and other complexion items) that include deep and dark skin tones. Technology, research and development is lending itself to better formulas, as well as more shades and undertones for product that looks and wears flawlessly on multiple ranges of skin tones.

Glossier Stretch Fluid Foundation For Buildable Coverage

This sheer to medium coverage foundation provides 12 hour wear with a natural finish and is vegan and cruelty free. The gel base is infused with skincare ingredients such as squalane and glycerin hydrate and smooth the skin. Amino acid coated pigments provide flexibility the skin needs for great blendability and seamless, comfortable wear.

Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Foundation

Beautiful Skin Foundation provides 16 hour wear and medium buildable coverage that hydrates (hyaluronic acid), brightens (rose complex), plumps (coconut extract) and smoothes giving skin that red carpet glow. Vegan and cruelty free, this foundation contains a Bix Active complex that reduces shine and blurs the look of pores. The neutralized base with clear color pigment allows flexibility in shade matching across multiple skin tone ranges.

Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay In Place Foundation

This classic foundation boasts over 55 shades with the perfect undertones that won’t make you look gray. Buildable medium to full coverage, oil free and lightweight, Double Wear provides 24 hour wear in a matte finish that will not make your skin dry.

Ami Cole Skin Enhancing Tint

Looking for a complexion product that will enhance your complexion and not cover it up, this will be you go to. This skin enhancing tint leaves a satin finish that blurs imperfections and leaves the skin radiant. Baobab extract nourishes, pumpkin seed extract which contains Vitamin E to nourish and calm the skin and hibiscus extract for antioxidant protection.

Haus Labs Triclone Skin Tech Medium Coverage Foundation by Lady Gaga. 

Many celebrity inspired and owned beauty brands leave a lot to be desired but not this foundation. Haus Lab foundation marks all the boxes of shade, undertone and wearability. Medium buildable coverage with a natural finish, this formula contains fermented arnica to help with redness irritation and common environmental aggressors such as repeated sun exposure, pollution, free radicals and second hand smoke. Great for all skin types including acne prone.

Sephora Best Skin Ever Foundation

You don’t have to break the bank to have a foundation that looks great on the skin. Best Skin Ever provides a medium buildable coverage with a natural finish that is hydrating and smoothing. Brown algae provides anti pollution shield that also helps to reduce the signs of stress and fatigue.

Clinique Even Better Clinical Serum Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 25.

Believe it or not, Clinique is that brand. As popular as it is, particularly with it’s skincare, I do think this brand gets overlooked when it comes to makeup. The shades and the coverage are actually very good. This particular foundation is medium/full coverage with a natural finish. It is oil free, long wearing and contains hyaluronic acid, salicylic acid and vitamin c for skin that looks good even when your makeup is not on.

Pat McGrath Sublime Perfection Foundation.

This foundation literally melts in the skin. It is a lightweight medium coverage liquid foundation that leaves no trace or texture on the skin. Sublime Perfection Foundation contains several great ingredients for the skin including a vita serum complex that ensures the skin is hydrated and helps to minimize the appearance of wrinkles. A diamond core powder helps to enhance luminosity and to deflect away from other skin imperfections. Great for all skin types including oily.

Nars Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation.

Nars has long been a favorite when it comes to deeper shades and formulations. Longwear Radiant goes on smoothly, blends seamlessly and is medium to full coverage. It leaves a natural finish that isn’t overly radiant but leaves the skin looking healthy. Key ingredients include fruit extracts (raspberry, apple and watermelon) to help smooth skin texture for radiance. Best for normal dry and combination skin.

Fenty Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Liquid Foundation.

When Fenty dropped a few years ago with 50 all inclusive shades, it caused many brands to scramble frantically, pondering their purpose in life and the non-existent shades in their foundation lineup. This particular foundation is, as the name suggests, a soft lightweight matte foundation with buildable medium to full coverage. Pro Filt’r is more suitable for normal, oily and combo skin. For best results, be sure to moisturize your skin, prime and apply with a sponge or brush.

Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation.

There are so many amazing makeup brands online, on social and in our favorite makeup specialty stores that it is easy to forget the gems at the local drug store. Maybelline Fit Me is one of those foundations. It has medium coverage and deeper shades that actually look nice and seamless on the skin. It is also pore minimizing and contains micro powders to blur and control shine. Perfect for normal to oily skin.

Too Faced Born This Way Foundation.

Too Faced usually does not miss when it comes to complexion products and this particular foundation is no different. Born This Way is an oil free foundation with coconut water and hyaluronic acid to soothe and hydrate the skin. Provides medium natural coverage and is great for all skin types including dry.

Fashion Fair Skinflex Stick Foundation.

This is one of the smoothest foundation sticks on the market. The application is effortless and the high coverage and superb blendability is A1. The inclusive range of shades provides for even the deepest, riches of skin tones. Key ingredients include aloe leaf extract to help hydrate and soften the skin. Antioxidant rich rice bran wax moistures without blocking pores. Full coverage with a semi matte finish. Great for all skin types.

Lancôme Teint Idol Ultra 24H Long Wear Matte Foundation.

In addition to deeper shades in the line up, there is the inclusion of undertones for those who may be more neutral. Although it is a matte finish, it still allows the skin to breath and appear life-like. Full coverage foundation best for normal oily and combo skin.

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