Natural Makeup for Dark Skin Tones

Natural Know-How

Get even. If your skin is a deep color, you probably know you're at risk for hyperpigmentation -- brown patches caused by excess melanin. Balance your complexion by matching your foundation to your lightest area, suggests Ashunta Sheriff, a celebrity makeup artist in New York City.

Prep your pout. Instead of tracing lips with a pencil that's in the same shade as your gloss, use a liner that's identical to your natural lip tone. "This trick will give your smile definition without looking artificial," explains celebrity makeup artist Joanna Schlip, in Los Angeles.

Play up eyes. Add a little more drama to your gaze by dusting a chocolate-toned shadow over lids. Then curl your lashes and lightly dot along your lash line with a brown felt-tip liner, which Schlip says offers the most precise application.