So after my latest foundation purchase I felt compelled to write about how hard it is to buy foundations when you're a non-white woman,up until 2 years ago I didn't realize how big of a problem it was.And with the Fenty launch it was pretty obvious that a lot of brands simply didn't care to make darker shades.
Although I somewhat have improved on my understanding on foundations especially how to pick out your shade and what formula works best.It's still not easy to buy. I know almost all of my black friends have some restrictions and have to spend twice as much. So I have put together a little guide to make it easier.
Undertones

The most important thing to know when buying foundations is learning your undertone. It took me a while to figure out but I have a yellow undertone with golden hues. There are many charts you can find on google but the best way I've found is to match foundations to your chest especially if you have uneven skin tones. Undertones are determined by the under layer of your skin there is also the whole checking your veins thing but I find that confusing this is the best chart I've found.

Formulas

Foundations just like skincare comes in different variations I've found what works best for me is dewy foundations that are lightweight.If you have oily or combination skin then opt for matte foundations like MAC studio fix, Estee lauders double wear and Urban decay. For dry skin then dewy foundations help to hydrate your skin whilst providing a tint , Bobbi brown and NARS are very popular for their dewy foundations as well as Giorgio Armani luminous silk.

My verdict + experience 

For me I've trialed many foundations and what works best for my combination skin is dewy lightweight foundations. The Nars one scores highest for color match and formula. Often when I find a foundation that has great reviews and a winning formula it always falls short on the color range.So if you're a black girl opt for looking at the shade range first and the formula second it saves you heartbreak,trust me !

The ordinary foundation is pretty much a bargain not only is the formula beautiful and skin like/lightweight it also has pretty good shade range and is separated into undertones making it easier to buy online. 

New to me is the Milani foundation which I unfortunately messed up with shade selection (My fault for once again ordering online and getting overexcited) However in my defense this mixed with the ordinary foundation is workable and could possibly be my summer shade. The Milani is a lot thicker then the other two but it gives you the coverage you need.I don't want to say it's full coverage because I could still see some of my marks around my mouth.

Personally I don't mind because I always layer my foundations and use a lot of concealer to get the coverage I like. I don't like anything that's heavy or thick so no double wear for me.

Shades, NARS ADL- tahoe,The Ordinary 3.0Y, Milani,Golden Tan 10

Let me know some of your WOC approved foundations !

The beauty wardrobe#1

For the past 6 months my love affair with makeup and skincare  has been as inconsistent as UK politics. I've found my skin as it gets paler shows many signs of marks,blackheads and pigmentation things that I can happily forget during the summer months. Alongside the stress of university I've neglected my relaxing beauty rituals and swapped them for body lotion on my face and a second hand clay mask past down from my sister; I know I can sense the ''really'' sis vibes from every beauty lover across the globe.

Fear not my fellow beauty junkies this last two months I've been making an effort so much so that I'll be trying to do a seasonal post on my beauty wardrobe, I'll be sharing what I'm loving and why ,as well as some new purchases.
To kick off my first beauty wardrobe I'll begin with my never ending love affair for skincare !    
For skincare I've been using some new things from The Ordinary I picked up their vitamin C and lactic acid.  Last summer I had a really huge breakout around May which is unusual for me and was left with a lot of marks around my face the lactic acid worked for me last year so I knew where to go this year round. As for the vitamin C , winter has left me looking very pale and dull so I spend most my mornings trying to figure out how to fake the glow.  From the body shop again a repurchase is the holy grail *video vixen voice* ride or die and I mean in every sense of the term if I was to be sent to an island ( stares into the abase) I'd take this baby with me not only does it give me super smooth skin which is much needed for a makeup lover it also overtime has helped to exfoliate away my breakout scars. 

 A newbie to me is this toner from a Korean brand I instantly ordered it once I saw that it had salciylic acid. Bummer because the percentage for the salcylic acid is so low but so far I like,its a hydrating toner which I'm not used to but its important in the colder months to layer up on your skincare so in that case I won't say no.

For make up I purchased my first ever eye-shadow palette (the morphe 35O doesn't count since it did me dirty and I'd get more pigment out of the soil from my garden). The Huda Beauty minis is truly perfect for the Gals like me who a) can't do eye-shadow very well ,b) and as a result have commitment issues to palettes and are left finger wavering over the purchase tab on beauty bay !.
 The palette is super tiny but has all the colours I need for day-night not that I have much of a social life but hey I can pretend right !

For my lips I've been dying to find the perfect red I have two toned lips so I find red lipstick always looks orange on me. The Sephora lipstain in 01 had been on my list for a while and lucky for me my friend picked it up in Sephora. Its quite possibly the most comfortable lipstick I've ever worn.
To wrap it up I have to give a shout out to body oils its so much easier for me to lather myself in oil then body lotion and the garnier beauty oil is perfect it leave your skin moist and soft and smells beautiful too!