Hi Mo! I'm struggling with the same thing myself. I'm of gal o'Colour and it's challenging to find makeup designs that'll work for me or someone to model the designs. A little frustrating but I love a good challenge.
I'm just adventuring into the stage makeup world myself. I think that highly pigmented colors that will pop on the darker skin will work pretty well. I've been drooling over the Lime Crime products. I think the glitter, especially the darker glitter, will be just awesome.

Also, I've been thinking that harquus tattoos will work too with a little glitter to add sparkle will work too. Anything that will just make the beautiful dark skin tone pop will work, I think.

If you need a model for your makeup ideas for the video, shoot me an e-mail. I'll be glad to help!

i'm a makeup junkie who's only color is red. I have issues with color showing up too. The important thing is to get good product to start with. Try Kryolan or Ben Nye. Both are for stage makeup and I think hitting up a makeup school would be the best bet. ( I am SO jealous by the way)

Im curious to see what other advice will follow! This is a great thread!

I'm going to take a crack at this, as a white chick who grew up doing theatre and theatrical make-up:

The main goal of stage make-up is to define your features and make you look "3D" on stage. Bare faced = washed out, make-up = visible expression. My biggest recommendation would be to find what works to highlight and contour your face. Typically, darker, matte colors pull areas to the back and lighter, shimmery colors bring areas out. I've seen some gorgeous make-up on darker skinned women with golds and silvers that a light skinned woman could simply never wear - it would either not show up or look sort of weird. Highlighting your cheekbones with a gold shimmer, for example, could really make 'em pop.

The dramatic details are all about contrast, so while light women may reach for black eyeliner, darker skinned women might decide to read for liquid silver, gold, or another "wow" color like turquoise (though black liner tends to look smokin' on anyone, in my opinion). Highly pigmented make-up (MAC, Ben Nye, Kryolan) will show up better on anyone, but it'll really pop on darker skin. I've seen some lovely lips with coral or fuschia - colors I could never wear - and it looks really good, not clownish.

Overall I would say chuck the tips for white women, don't try to make them work, and play around with what will bring out your features and define them from a distance. Going to the MAC counter or your local Sephora for tips is also helpful. I can't count the number of times I've walked up to a MAC rep and said "I am lost about how to do (fill in the blank), can you help me out?" The ladies I've run into usually enjoy doing something other than street day make-up. I've learned a lot from them. I try to buy a lip gloss or something so I'm not just mooching off their knowledge, but there have been times where I've just not been impressed and said so, thanked them for their time, and went on my way.

Some books you may want to check out: "Make-up Your Mind" by Francois Nars has inspiring photos of models of all looks, but little in the way of direction other than a clear overlay saying what color is in what general area. Still, I've made some awesome looks out of this book, things I would never have thought to try on my own.

Any book by Kevyn Aucoin. Ever. He's the man. His books really color a range of ages and appearances (and genders!) so I feel like they're really helpful for seeing what works on everyone and what is different.

"The Beauty of Color" by Iman. Iman knows her shit! She started out having to do her own make-up because the artists at her shoots had no idea how to make up a black woman, so she's really knowledgeable.

one of y fave colors on dark skin tones is a deep purple...I saw this gilr wearing it once and it was just beautiful!!! a deep jewel-toned purple, NOT Lavendar......and golds work well as a highlighter underneath the brow. My mother is arab with dark skin, I'm olive skinned and my sister has very white skin (we're the rainbow)......my mom used to do make-up as a living....maybe I'll ask her......hmmm

Hi,

New to this tribe, so hello!

Personally, I think you've already got an advantage over light skinned women, as stage lights etc. don't wash you out as much. I dance in a very racially mixed studio, and I always look washed out and blindingly white in photos and videos compared to the darker skinned dancers.

I''m not an expert, although I have done a course in make-up art, so here are my thoughts: You can also definitely wear colours that white girls can't or shouldn't wear. A friend of mine wears this amazing dark purpley blue eyeshadow, which looks like a bruise on me. A lot of darker but bright colours will show up better on you, as instead of looking like dark raccoon eyes (like it does on me!) it will just be the great colour coming through. Golds and silvers will also be dramatic on you, as they will really contrast against the dark skintone. Maybe think about using brightly coloured eyeliner pencils instead of basic black - MAC makes some amazing purple, blue and green ones, and I'm sure someone out there makes gold.

I second the recommendation for Kevyn Aucoin. His books are amazing - my favourite one is "Making Faces".

I think the most important thing to remember about stage make-up, is that if it looks good up close, you're doing it wrong! Stage make-up close up can be terrifying, and this might be why you perhaps feel uncomfortable with the results. If it looks good from across a large room, then its right. Nice glamour make-up is lousy for stage, and vice versa.

Hope you find what you're looking for!