Tried and tested: the best foundations for dark skin tones, including Huda Beauty
If you’re one of Huda Khattan, aka Huda Beauty's 21 million followers on Instagram, you’ll have seen her stream of videos (the first of which was a teaser over a year ago) featuring the #FauxFilter foundation, the latest product in her cult beauty line.
The videos show the foundation seamlessly concealing everything from acne to tattoos, with Huda herself noting that it offered ‘super full coverage.’ It will come as no surprise to fans of the brand that the formula is highly pigmented and covers flaws easily.
Last week, after two years in the making and weeks of teasing, Huda Beauty's foundation finally launched and it's available in 30 shades. It comes hot on the heels of Fenty Beauty by Rihanna, which launched last month with 40 shades of foundation and caused a social media frenzy among women of colour, for whom finding darker shades in great foundations is notoriously difficult.
Although Huda Beauty’s line offers 10 less, it's still a notable amount more than other established brands and offers 15 medium to dark shades, something that once again, was praised on social media. The official UK stockist of the foundation, Cultbeauty.co.uk, noted that in the first few hours, 80 percent of the shades had sold out.
I tried two; toffee and brown sugar, and was pleasantly surprised. I hadn’t been colour matched beforehand and guessed my shades based on the helpful chart on Cultbeauty.co.uk, which matches Huda’s shades to other popular brands and their tones.
It has a thick consistency that doesn't run, which would normally put me off a foundation as I'd assume it would be cakey and super matte. It is full coverage, which is too much for me for everyday, but it has a surprisingly dewy and natural skin-like finish and blends really easily. If you're someone that wears concealer on top of foundation, I doubt it would be necessary with this formula so this could be ideal for you.
Huda Beauty faux filter foundation, ￡32
Although it only launched a few days ago, each shade has now sold out and garnered individual waitlists. If you didn’t manage to get your hands on the first batch, here are the best of the rest that offer darker shades…
Best foundation for dry skin
Smashbox Studio skin 15hr wear hydrating foundation, ￡29.50
Originally I was put off by this as the formula is oil-free, which usually means dry patches will be highlighted, but this is surprisingly hydrating. Normally if I’m experiencing dryness, my skin will peel under the majority of foundations but it doesn’t with this one.
Best budget foundation
NYX Stay Matte But Not Flat Liquid Foundation, ￡6
NYX offers a wide shade range, but annoyingly, these are hard to come by in-store. It’s best to order online if you know the shade you want. I mix two, beige and soft sand, to get my ideal match.
Best foundation for a dewy finish
Nars Sheer glow foundation, ￡32
This is the foundation I’ll put on in the morning if I know I have plans after work as I can trust it to last the day and into the evening. I find I need to set it with a loose powder but if you’re a big fan of glowy skin, it will be right up your street.
Best matte foundation
Estee Lauder stay in place double wear makeup, ￡32.50
I tried this years ago and was disappointed when it oxidised on my skin after a few hours. After a rave review from a friend recently who convinced me the formula had been improved, I caved and tried it again and was impressed when it stayed put after an 18 hour day.
How to find the right foundation finish for you
Best brand for shade range
Fenty Beauty pro filt’r soft matte longwear foundation, ￡26
The Fenty Beauty foundation line offers 40 shades, the majority of which are medium to dark, which I’ve previously waxed lyrical about. I’d advise going in-store to test shades as there are slight distinctions, such as a pink or yellow undertone, which make all the difference and are near impossible to detect online.
Best foundation for everyday wear
Maybelline Fit Me Poreless Foundation, ￡5.99
If you wear foundation daily, it’s worth tracking down a good budget option or things could get costly. Maybelline’s Fit Me offers medium coverage and blends easily. It’s also great on oily skin so ticks that box, too.
Best full coverage foundation
Too Faced born this way liquid foundation, ￡29
For a lightweight and non-cakey formula that offers full coverage, this is the best foundation I’ve found so far. It stays put all day and doesn't need to be set. The undertones seem to be quite yellow for the majority of the shades, so I'd advise trying before you buy.
Best stick foundation
Bobbi Brown Skin foundation stick, ￡31
Offers easily buildable coverage in a smooth formula and handy stick. Ideal for keeping in your bag or at your desk, although you’ll still need a beauty blender or foundation brush to blend it in. I also use it as a concealer over my usual liquid foundation if I feel like I need more coverage.
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