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Makeup for brown skin

Brown skin can have a golden, olive, neutral or cool undertone, and matching it matters as much as matching depth. A foundation that's too pink sits grey on olive skin, and one that's too yellow can look flat on cooler skin. Warm, earthy colour like terracotta, warm coral, bronze and brick shows well, while cool pastels can look chalky.

Below are our looks on two women with tan skin and brown eyes. Latina Glam frames a light nude lip with dark brown liner and clear gloss. No-Makeup Makeup uses only a skin tint, cream blush, brown mascara and a balm. Try any of them on your own selfie.

Looks on brown skin

29 looks

Tips for brown skin

  • Test foundation on your jaw and check it in daylight. Olive skin often needs a shade with a yellow or green base, since pinkish shades turn ashy on it.
  • Pick a nude lipstick a shade or two deeper than your lips, because pale beige nudes wash out on brown skin. Lining in a darker brown first, as Latina Glam does, frames a lighter nude.
  • If the skin under your eyes looks darker or grey-blue, use a peach or orange corrector before concealer. Keep the concealer no more than one shade lighter than your foundation, or it turns grey.
  • Contour with a neutral brown two shades deeper than your skin. Then sweep a warm bronzer over it where the sun hits, and choose one without an orange tint.
  • Choose blush in terracotta, warm coral, rosy brown or berry. Pale baby pinks barely show on tan skin.
  • Gold and champagne highlighters suit golden undertones. Soft bronze and rose gold suit olive and neutral ones.

Questions

What nude lipstick works on brown skin?
Choose a nude with some depth, like caramel, toffee, mauve-brown or rosy brown. Line with a brown pencil a shade deeper and blend the edge in. Avoid nudes lighter than your skin, which look pale and flat.
How do I find my undertone if I have brown skin?
Check the veins on your inner wrist in daylight. Green-looking veins point to warm or olive, blue or purple to cool, and a mix to neutral. Olive skin also tends to look slightly green or grey next to pure white.
What happens to my selfie after I try a look?
Only you see your photos. TryOnMyLook deletes the selfie and the result 7 days after the try-on, and you can download or share the result before then.
Try it on your selfie