Sam Fine Says Biggest Beauty Mistake Women of Color Make is Not Wearing Makeup
Sam Fine may ruffle a few feathers with his brutal honesty, but trust us, he means no harm.
Fashion Bomb Daily landed an exclusive interview with the celebrity makeup artist and Fashion Fair Creative Makeup Director and when they asked the beauty guru the one area where black women need to step their game up he didn’t hold his tongue:
“I think the biggest beauty mistake is really not wearing makeup.”
Let him explain. “I think the biggest beauty mistake is not understanding how to enhance your beauty,” Sam added. “And I think a lot of [women of color] are scared that makeup is going to make [them] look fake, ‘It’s not gonna look like me, they’re not going to have my color.’ I think that they just tend to step away from the category when a brand like Fashion Fair, is releasing a liquid foundation in July to add to the range of colors. Nineteen shades! There will be 17 shades in liquid! And if you look at that, that’s not a range that’s broken up for general market vs. African Americans. So you really are getting a wealth of coverage options and colors. I think the biggest mistake is not participating in the game at all.”
That’s a good point. With it being so hard to find your perfect shade in an industry catering to white beauty without spending big bucks, most black women do opt to forgo makeup altogether. They also tend to think they’re going to look too made up or overdone and if their mother’s don’t wear makeup, they’re usually slow to dabble into it later down the line.
The good thing is Sam doesn’t believe it takes a face full of makeup to enhance your natural beauty. In fact, he can narrow down just five key things women should have in their makeup bags to put their best face forward, and they’re not overpowering.
“Pressed powder, mascara, and lip gloss, because I think those things aren’t intimidating,” he said. “Once you get past the shade of powder, I think that becomes easy to apply. But if I had to go two steps further, I always start out with some kind of a coverage product. A concealer, or a foundation that you can use as a concealer. Underneath the eyes is the thinnest area of skin, so you really want to make sure that any redness or discoloration can be covered. Also powder. Powder’s going to set the foundation or the concealer so it can stay on longer. I always say powder is to foundation what topcoat is to nail polish. It really holds it in place and keeps it from rubbing off and settling in fine lines.”
That doesn’t sound so bad, does it?
Do you think black women are too hesitant to experiment with makeup?
The problem I have with foundation/powder/blush/concealer is that it gets all over everything. I didn’t think I touched my face a lot until I wore foundation and it was on my clothes, hands, tissues, etc.. I don’t know if there’s a way to make it “stick” or people that wear face makeup get better with time about not letting it touch everything, but it’s easier for me to go without than to deal with the consequences of having it everywhere.
I do like eye shadow, liner, mascara, lip gloss. They are growing on me, and I like playing with different colors.
Soooooo, I thought I had posted to you earlier, but um, apparently I posted the answer to someone else, anywho, what I said was use a setting spray, it keeps the makeup in place, Urban Decay has one you can get at Sephora, it’s the only commercial one I’ve used that hasn’t broken me out, but I also make my own so if you’re feeling adventurous or into DIY you can also, just add equal parts of vegetable glycerin and distilled (bottled) water and you have a setting spray, I add equal parts of distilled water, glycerin and aloe vera gel juice, 2 quick sprays before you apply your makeup holding the bottle about 8-10 inches away from you face, and another 2 after application. Also, the cheaper brands tend to transfer A LOT, I feel like if you’re actually gonna wear foundation, invest in something that’s gonna stay in place AND something that works for you. Also, if you use the setting spray to foil your shadows, you get brighter shadows that last longer and also stay in place. Hope that’s helpful!
@Cleo,
Thanks! I saw your other comment, but it went to someone else who said she touched her face a lot, so it wasn’t a big mistake. *smile* I’m going to the store tonight. I’ll look for that Urban Decay spray. Thanks for the tip.
I don’t like the way makeup feels on my face or the time it takes to apply it. When I wear it, I don’t feel like myself or even pretty. To each her own..
One one hand black women need to enhance our beauty, but on the other we’re too materialistic and vain. We can’t just be chilling?
+1 LOL @ the 2nd line.
I would love to know how to apply it. That’s my problem.
YouTube tutorials taught me!
sasa sisi, there are some great youtube vids that teach you just that.
I usually hear “i dont need no makeup! that’s for white girls” lol i wear a cream eyeliner and do my eyebrows daily. one of my biggest pet peeves its horrible eyebrows. i hate when folks smack a pitch black color on the eyebrows,ungroomed eyebrows,and when women go out and have their eyeshadow,lipgloss and everything else poppinnn…but their eyebrows aren’t filled in or done AT ALL. it kills the look. eyebrows looking invisible as hell with foundation and powder covering it looks a mess. my baby is the eyebrow wax kit by e.l.f. i get a pencil and lightly shape and define my eyebrow and fill in the blanks with the tinted wax. they come out perfect everytime. i effing hate the advice to use eyeshadow to fil in brows. that shit looks ugly
me tooooooo!
eyebrows get me every time.
Another brow girl here, I use the MAC brow pencil.
I’m surprised that black women still see make-up as an issue. I know that the perception is the air brushed look that you see on TV, but you really don’t have to take it there to get a nice glow and accent your beauty a little more.
I love wearing make-up and I don’t wear much, but I do watch you tube video’s to get ideas for eye shadow; plus I think its fun! I also think it can enhance your beauty. I think there are beautiful eye shadows, foundations and powders that work great for my skin. Also I think if done correctly makeup can keep your skin healthy.
My cousins and their friends don’t wear make-up and I went to visit and…. man was they hatin’ on me bad! I really didn’t get into it with them or really try to explain, to each its own. Their beautiful they way they are as well.
Same. I didn’t think that makeup was still an issue for black women. Make up meant that you were ugly, or that you were trying to look “white” according to the life and times of my mom. And good for these women for being able to attract men bareface’d.
I wear makeup everyday.
not a lot. A ‘lil gloss, a tinted moisturizer, a highlighting powder, a lil blush, brows, and some mascara. I do prefer the natural no animal testing companies. Appropriate for my laid back work environment. I think it is important for grown women to know how to enhance their beauty, the same way i think that men should take time and care to groom, and find properly fitting clothing. I think people in general treat me better when i have on a little makeup. I don’t think i should expect anyone to swoon at my appearance if i am not even trying a little.