Maybe it’s because I’m a darker-toned person, but I’ve never understood why so many people try to get darker or lighter undertones when their natural skin color is wonderful – and does not need to change. I spent years as a teenager, hoping I could find makeup that matched my skin tone and it wasn’t until adulthood that I found something that didn’t make me opaque-Orange loompa or muddy and flat. It gave me a whole new love for makeup. However, I am confused that so many of my makeup-loving friends and colleagues are trying to change their fantastic tones and undertones in non-theatrical makeup applications (e.g. Your Every Day; Date Night; Soft / Full Glam Looks). We have so much better FREE makeup matching / sampling / research all over the world. It seems crazy to me that so many makeup enthusiasts try to hide the beautiful skin they are in or try to be anything other than their beautiful personalities. Is this something that the makeup world or our inner selves get people to do? If you do, why? I’m not trying to be mean, but I want to learn your side and your voice about it. Please enlighten me.
For me it is mainly because getting good shade matches was hard until the last few years. I’m a very fair olive tone. My skin almost looks like a grey color. Most fair shades in drugstore ranges when I was younger in the 1990s/00s were very pinkish or very peachy. So I could never get undertone matches. Everything looked so off. So I got used to camoflaguing my skin tone and being pissed off that there was one or two expensive clinique/estee lauder types that I could potentially buy. Cover Girl for 8 bucks in a terrible match or 40 bucks at the department store for an okay match.
I stopped wearing makeup from about 2007 until 2018 because of it. Came back and shade range exploded. More deep shades. More undertones. More finishes. But I still hate the fact that my skin is super hard to find a match for. They exist. But I have to keep shade mixers handy.
I feel very much like you. I hated looking oompa loompa. And in my 30s I found foundation that works. I think I feel better now than I did 20 years ago about my skin. But foundation was 100% a no go for most of my life unless I wanted to be orange or pink.
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I’ve known several white women who tan themselves so dark (naturally or artificially) that there’s a noticeable difference between their hands/feet versus their face and rest of body.
I spent my childhood wishing I was white/peach pink skinned cause the makeup in ads never looked the same on me the way it did on the models. Now makeup quality is more advanced so that’s not a problem.
My Mom had major self colorism problems too and would regularly wear powder and foundation in the wrong undertone and shade… Example: no matter what decade or season, she was always Buff Beige. Almost every photo I have of her shows an ashy, grey/white and harsh cast on her face and difference between the rest of her body. If she agreed the tone matched but if the shade name contained anything other than Beige, she’d tell the associate they were wrong and she is always Buff Beige 💀
IDK. Maybe the lighter and pale complexion people love the privilege of a darker or tan skin aesthetic but not the baggage and lived experience in being a visible minority?
And I’ll just say I’ll exclude the pro athletes/BB who use it to emphasize their muscles and development.
While I don’t try to change my skin tone/texture with foundation and whatnot (I typically don’t wear it, and, if I do, it’s a very sheer skin tint), I DO use self tanner in spring and summer. I have never been a sun bunny (for which my 47 YO skin is grateful), but I like the *appearance* of a little tan. I think in my mind, I compare it with an appearance of health and being active? However, after reading your question, I want to think on this more. Thanks for the thought provoking query!
I’ve got fair cool toned skin and occasionally self tan. It’s not that I don’t like my skin tone, but I find a tan does a great job of hiding the really visible veins I have on my legs and any bruises I might have (I’m a clutz so there are always some)! I also have really dark under eyes and find that with a tan they’re far less obvious.