Pulling up to any beauty store often results in an immediate panic when it comes to finding the right products that suit our skin’s individual needs. Finding that perfect shade of foundation for everyday wear shouldn’t be hard to find, however, the beauty industry has definitely made the process overwhelming, and well, overbearing.
For starters, beauty once faced a major lack in representation, and, still sometimes does, especially for Black women and women with darker skin tones and complexions. At one point in time, finding your right shade was almost nearly impossible, as it often felt like a brand was inflicting some form of colorism into their marketing and products. Whether it was never seeing any darker shades or tones of foundations in the makeup aisle or seeing a lack of dark-skinned models on beauty ads and campaigns, the beauty industry has taken a major toll on Black and brown women looking to feel heard, appreciated, and represented on a wide scale.
No matter where you shop for your beauty products, you should always see yourself represented, but unfortunately, that’s not always the case. So to try and combat that, we’ve searched high and low for a few products our beauty community knows and swears by so you don’t have to.
Ahead, are all of the best foundations to try and rave about for yourself, and are of course made with melanin in mind.
All of the products on 21Ninety are hand-picked by our editorial team. Most of these products we use and love or come highly recommended by our community. If you grab anything we mention using our referral links we may earn a small commission at no cost to you.
Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Liquid Foundation
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Fenty Beauty will always be a must-shop enterprise for anything beauty related, and their foundations are an absolute must for any skin tone and complexion. Made to last and withstand a full day’s wear, Fenty Beauty’s Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longewear Foundation provides a soft matte look with buildable, medium to full coverage.
The Reviews: “This is the only foundation that doesn’t break my skin out, and it fits my complexion so well. Says a reviewer.”It’s definitely very full coverage and good for when you want a full beat!”
Perfecting Skin Tint
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Glossier’s Perfecting Skin Tint is a lightweight, breathable formula that gives off the perfect smooth and dewy finish that minimizes the appearance of pores and common skin imperfections. The benefit? This super dewy foundation is induced with glycerin to help moisturize the skin barrier while providing ample coverage for full-day wear.
The Reviews: “So I took a chance buying this perfecting tint, everyone told me it wasn’t enough coverage to be makeup.” Writes one reviewer. “I knew I had to buy the perfecting tint in G3 after seeing a post on Instagram with a Somali girl just like me & her skin looked FLAWLESS. Representation matters. So I bought it, and here I am nearly 2 years later.”
Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40
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Ilia Beauty is taking over our Instagram feeds with a wide range of effective skin-friendly products that scream yes! Try opting in for Ilia’s Super Serum Skin Tint with SPF 40 for your next no makeup, makeup look.
The Reviews: “I have struggled to find good, healthy makeup that doesn’t look thick and cakey. Ilia, so far has worked great for me,” writes a reviewer.
Soft Matte Complete Foundation
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This is one of those foundations that provides the best coverage for acne-prone skin without excessive oil production. Nars’s Soft Matte Complete Foundation lasts up to 16 hours with a natural-looking matte finish.
The Reviews: “Love this foundation! The shade and availability of so many shade choices is geared toward various skin tone combinations is refreshing.” Reads one review. “The formula texture and longevity is outstanding, blends in naturally and provides long-lasting coverage.”
Revealer Skin-Improving Foundation SPF25 with Hyaluronic Acid and Niacinamide
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Not many foundations provide needed skincare benefits such as niacinamide and hyaluronic acid, but Kosas’s Revealer Skin-Improving Foundation does, and with an extra dose of SPF love to help protect your skin from the sun. Try adding this dose of goodness to help minimize the appearance of pores, fine lines, and other common skincare imperfections.
The Reviews: “This is definitely my new go-to foundation for my everyday routine” Reads one review. “ The color matched perfectly, the foundation blended like a dream and didn’t feel heavy at all.”
Skin Twin Featherweight Foundation
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Beautycounter’s Skin Twin Featherweight Foundation is as light and as airy as a feather. This buildable and natural-looking foundation seamlessly blends into your skin with added skincare benefits such as hyaluronic acid to visibly smooth skin at the core level.
The Reviews: “I purchased this for the second time and really like it.” Writes one reviewer. “ It covers/evens out my tone well without being heavy. The color is a good match with my skin.”
Dose of Colors 140 Deep Foundation
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It’s giving melanin at its finest. This foundation is one of the best on the block and features a wide range of dark and deep shades with balanced undertones. Dose of Colors 140 Deep Foundation is oil-free with a natural matte finish.