14 Luxury Beauty Products I Love Using on My Medium-Deep Skin Tone

Finding the right foundation for my skin tone has been a long journey. I’m sure many Black and brown girls can relate. Before I tried this foundation, I was a little nervous because of the mixed reviews on makeup TikTok. People said the formula was too watery—not worth the money, they’d add. However, after using this foundation, it is my go-to when I need a full-coverage foundation that looks amazing in photos and feels great on the skin without being cakey or heavy. The key to this foundation is skin prep and application.

Before applying this foundation, I need a more oil-controlling primer like Refy’s Blur and Hydrate Oil-Control Face Primer with Hyaluronic Acid. Additionally, how I applied the formula made a difference. First, I applied two to three drops with a foundation brush, then bounced off any excess with a Beauty Blender sprayed with setting spray. This foundation is pricey, but you need so little for coverage that this will last you, and the foundation colors are great for matching the nuanced skin tones of dark skin.

When I applied this concealer for the first time, I let out an audible gasp. First, the coverage was unlike anything I’d used before. And the minimal amount needed to smooth things like dark circles, hyperpigmentation marks, and the discoloration around my mouth was mind-boggling. How did Dame McGrath manage this? Like the foundation, the concealers also do an excellent job of creating hues that understand the nuance of dark skin and are worth every penny!

Before I got my hands on this powder, I’d seen it raved about all over TikTok. I don’t tend to lean heavily on TikTok trends, but once I tried this powder, I understood the hype. At $60, this is an investment makeup product. Here’s why it delivers. Not only does it set makeup for extended wear, but the formula color corrects, too! This is a key perk for someone like me who has lots of discoloration. I use this with the puff under my eyes post-concealer and all over my face with a brush to knock off oil and set complexion products. This is a forever product for me now.

This palette is my go-to when I’m traveling and don’t want to pack all my complexion products. The price tag may be jarring at first, but it has everything you need for a full face of makeup! The coverage is exceptional, and I can mix and match the colors in the palette to get a customized color match for my skin. Additionally, the formulas are non-comedogenic and waterproof! A win-win for someone like me who is prone to breakouts and has an oily t-zone.

This is another TikTok favorite that lives up to the hype! Skin tints are another complicated product to get right for dark skin. Ami Colě is a Black-owned brand that makes a skin tint I love to use in the winter months! But this YSL skin tint is my go-to in the summer because it doesn’t make me as oily, and the color match is perfection.

I love it when I apply a new product, and it wows. This powder truly airbrushes the skin. I can use this with SPFs, tinted moisturizers, and foundations for a lit-from-within look and to set whatever I use on my face for the day. This pressed powder is easy to take on the run when you need to reapply. But typically, I don’t need to reapply this because it does a great job of holding off oil production for hours.

I first got to know the ambient light formula with Hourglass' annual release of their holiday palettes! The powders are light and airy, so it feels like you have nothing on. I enjoy dual-use products, so this three-set palette helps me contour, brighten, and highlight without the need to pick up multiple products. The color payoff is gorgeous.

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Prestige makeup for me was hit or miss because the color payoff would be so meh, you could barely see the eyeshadow color on my lid, so I didn’t have high hopes for this Dior palette. But I loved the blue hues so much that I had to try them! The first night I wore this palette, I got tons of compliments and repeatedly asked what brand it was. So, it’s safe to say the color payoff of this palette is worthy of its hype.

I get the urge to wear shimmers most of the time, but just in the middle of my eye and corners. This liquid shadow is highly pigmented and makes my eyes pop!  I love that I can add small amounts just where I want them, and the formula blends out seamlessly.

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Valentino was not here to play when they made this blush! Wearing cool-toned blushes can be tricky with dark skin because they can look ashy upon application. I can wear this blush alone. However, I like to use it on top of a cream blush like Danessa Myricks’ Beauty Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder Flushed in Poppy Cool Pink to get staying power since my cheeks can get oily and bring the color of my blush out even more!

YSL’s lip products are among the first prestige beauty products I bought in my 20s. I’d feel so fancy each time I pulled the case out and reapplied my lip color. Lip oils are all the rage these days, but they don’t always have impactful color on dark lips. But you can guarantee to get hydration and a rich color payoff with these lip oil sticks. Pink Desire and Spicy Affair are two of my go-to shades!

Want a lipstick that’s not going to budge all day? You’ve found it! For a budge-proof red, 999 Forever Dior is an excellent option for deep skin tones because, like the iconic MAC favorite, Ruby Woo, it’s a blue-red. With this formula, I like to line my lips with Kevyn Aucoin Unforgettable Lip Definer in Pure first, then apply the lipstick.

I’ve tried a bunch of at-home lash kits, and this one takes the top prize! Working with this kit does take some getting used to, but the results are amazing every single time. I also love this kit because of how travel-friendly and well-designed it is because it houses all your tools, lashes, and glue in one spot!

With the emergence of the indie beauty brand, legacy brands aren’t always at the forefront. But after trying this eyeliner for the first time last year, I was quickly reminded why brands like Lancôme are forever here to stay! The creamy formula stays put while being easy to work with if you want to smudge the liner at the waterline or even on the eyelids as a base before applying eyeshadow.