Makeup for Indian Skin Tones — The Only Guide You'll Ever Need

Most makeup advice on the internet is designed for lighter skin tones. If you have ever bought a foundation that turned grey, ashy, or orange on your skin, you already know this pain. Indian skin is diverse, beautiful, and wildly underserved by mainstream beauty content.

Finding Your Foundation Shade

1. 1Test foundation on your jawline, not your hand or wrist
2. 2Swipe three closest shades and step into natural daylight
3. 3If between two shades, buy the lighter one — you can warm it up with bronzer
4. 4Check your shade in both daylight and artificial light — some foundations oxidise

Understanding Your Undertone

• Warm undertone: Veins look greenish. Gold jewellery looks better. Most Indian women fall here.
• Cool undertone: Veins look bluish or purple. Silver jewellery flatters more.
• Neutral undertone: A mix of both. You can wear gold and silver equally well.
• Olive undertone: Very common in Indian skin. Slight greenish-grey cast.

Concealer for Dark Circles

• Choose a concealer that is one shade lighter than your foundation
• For brown/pigmented circles, use a peach or orange corrector first
• For blue/purple circles, use a salmon corrector
• Apply in a triangle shape pointing down from the inner corner of your eye
• Set with translucent powder immediately

Lipstick Colours That Flatter Indian Skin

• Warm reds: Brick red, tomato red — the most flattering reds for Indian skin
• Terracotta and burnt orange: Stunning on medium to deep Indian skin tones
• Coral and peach: Perfect for lighter to medium Indian skin
• Deep plum and berry: For evening events on deeper skin tones
• Mauve and dusty rose: The perfect everyday shades

“A woman wearing the right lipstick for her skin tone does not need any other makeup to look put together.”

Eyeshadow for Brown Eyes

• Bronze and copper eyeshadows make brown eyes look golden and luminous
• Deep plum and eggplant create gorgeous contrast
• Warm taupe is your everyday neutral
• Gold eyeshadow with kajal is a stunning everyday look
• Avoid icy blues and silvers — they do not complement the warmth of brown eyes

Kajal and Liner Techniques

• Tightline your upper waterline instead of drawing a thick line on the lids
• For a winged look, draw a thin line from the outer corner first
• Set your kajal with matching eyeshadow to prevent smudging for 8+ hours
• A brown kajal is more forgiving and natural-looking than black for daytime

Your Everyday 5-Minute Routine

1. 1Apply tinted moisturiser or BB cream with fingers. (1 minute)
2. 2Conceal under eyes and blemishes. Pat, do not rub. (1 minute)
3. 3Apply peach or warm blush on the apples of your cheeks. (30 seconds)
4. 4Tightline upper waterline with kajal. Apply mascara to upper lashes. (1.5 minutes)
5. 5Apply your go-to lipstick. Blot and reapply. (1 minute)

Your Complete Makeup Guide

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