Must Have Drugstore Products For Women Of Color

Makeup technology has significantly improved for drug store brands.  More brands are catering to women of color by expanding their color ranges and offering formula variations for all skin types.  The following products listed below are my go to drug store products of choice. These products have yet to let me down; they are by far my favorite drug store products because of the color pay-off, the longevity and it works very well with my skin type which is combination, but leaning more on the dry side of things. #DSM

Many of these products I have used for several years and have relied on them as more for my every day face as opposed to special event face, where I may incorporate certain high end products into the mix.  But these DSM products are tired and true.  I would love to know what your thoughts and reactions are to the products I'm highlighting. Please leave your comments below! Enjoy.

1. Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in 30 -  http://goo.gl/y2XHce - $6 - $7. Maybelline  has one of the best concealer formulas on the drugstore market.  This shade is perfect for a medium deep to dark skin tones. On me, it is almost my exact shade so I use it to conceal under foundation and to conceal dark circles under my eyes.  It does require to be set with powder, for under eye, it lasts all day with a Ben Nye Banana Powder.  After 12 hours, blemishes do begin to show through, but all in all, a very good drugstore product.

2. Black Radiance Pressed Powder - http://goo.gl/tO1dY0 - $4 - $6.  Black Radiance has a vast range of colors for women of color, particularly on the deeper end of the spectrum.  Some shades tend to be very warm.  I mainly use this as a matte contour which is amazing! It lasts all day, has excellent pigmentation.

3. Shea Moisture CC Cream - http://goo.gl/6K1WZ9 - $16. More on the pricey end of DSM, Shea Moisture CC Cream really is my go to summer foundation of choice.  It is thick in consistency, but does not feel heavy on the skin.  It offers sheer medium coverage, which you can build, but it is very much pigmented.  It has a semi-matte finish, very moisturizing and it color corrects like a dream. The down side it that it only offers 5 shade ranges.

4. Milani Baked Bronzer - http://goo.gl/gnGyvM - $10.  Only offering two shades, it might not be best suited for deep dark skin tones, but for medium deep tones, it is absolutely amazing.  I primarily use this in the spring summer months, or when I want a shimmering, glowing look to the skin as opposed to a matte bronzer.

5. NYX E/S Vanilla Sky - http://goo.gl/5B2GTw - $5. This product seems to be discontinued from the NYX line.  There are some floating around, however.  You will not be disappointed with this shade.  I think it's one of NYX best colors in eyeshadows.  It offers a glowing iridescent vanilla shade that I primarily use for inner corner of the eyes, as a eyebrow highlight and my favorite - a cheek bone highlight. Yes. A cheekbone highlight.

6. NYX Cream Stick Blush - http://goo.gl/JjRi29 - $6. Hibiscus and Tea Rose are my favorites. Apply this color straight up from the stick and use a blending sponge to blend the color out. Stunning. So pigmented, long lasting, buildable - just beautiful.  You can pair with a bronzer on top, set with your skin tone powder or build it with another powdered blush.  Just gorgeous on brown skin tones. An all year round product.

7. Wet- n - Wild MegaLast Lip Color - http://goo.gl/SbKQMG- $2. Matte Lipsticks have way more staying power than creamier consistencies.  BUT if you want a glossier look, layer the matte then the creamy, glossy shade on top.  Matte colors will give you a nice stain to build upon.  There is a color that suits every skin tone shade. At the price point for these shades, you will be utterly surprised at how long they last.  But you must exfoliate as a general rule of thumb.

8. NYX Slim Lip Pencils - http://goo.gl/93b16n - $3. Lip pencils are crucial for outlining my full voluptuous lips.  To help lip color stay on even longer, I fill in my lips completely with the lip liner. Nyx liners are relatively inexpensive, but again very pigmented and long lasting.  They have many shades that will pair well with just about any lip color out there.  If you are looking for blues, greens and yellows, try an eyeliner.

9. Black Opal Stick Foundation - http://goo.gl/9tCCmZ - $8 - 10. I am in love with Kalahari Sand as a highlighting product.  The stick allows for easy application. It blends beautifully with a damp sponge or a fluffy dense concealer brush.  The coverage is medium to full

10. NYX Eyebrow Gel - http://goo.gl/7wyCDQ - $7. A newer product by NYX cosmetics, of which I have not been using for years, but it has replaced my love for the Maybelline Define-A-Brow pencil. The NYX Eyebrow Gel is an excellent alternative to a MAC or Anastasia Of Beverly Hills brow products.  You don't need much to fill in your brows.  The shades Chocolate, Espresso and Black are excellent for WOC. The formula is amazing, true to its claims of being waterproof, long-lasting and smudge proof, this product will not disappoint.  However, this product is not beginner friendly. One should already be familiar with the use of gel eyebrow products in order to see the true magic of this DSM.


The following content was created by Lisa Rose MUA of TMB Makeup Artistry, LLC.  This is not a sponsored article for any of the products mentioned above.