Launch of Safi Fragrance by Nyakio Grieco in Los Angeles

I love the range of body products put out by Nyakio Grieco. Now, she's added a perfume to the collection called Safi. I have yet to come across a description of the scent so I'll have to wait and see if it becomes available locally. It should be available soon online at Apothia.

NY Mag: All I Want is a Foundation That Matches

...the lack of cosmetics—particularly the basics, like foundation and concealer—for my skin tone has always bothered me. When I ask companies about extending their lines for women of color, I’m usually told some version of “we’re working on it,” or shown one or two dark shades. Counterside makeovers can be humiliating; I end up in whiteface or am told point-blank they don’t have my color.

When it comes to makeup I am obsessed with three things, my own personal Holy Grail of products. For me, it all comes down to the blackest mascara, the perfect shade of red lipstick, and foundation that matches my skin. The most time consuming of these quests has been the foundation aspect. At last count I had at least ten bottles of the stuff taking up space in various makeup bags, purses, drawers and of course the bathroom cabinet which barely has room for the other essentials, like toothpaste.

I was delighted to see this article on TFS this morning, Finally, someone (a beauty editor no less) telling how it really goes down at those chic cosmetics counters. Even though Black women have magazines like Essence that will tell readers about what's new on the market, the realities of the magazine business and its relationship with advertisers means that no one is going to write a critical article about how these promises in a bottle really look on a range of brown skin.

Without identifying myself as an editor. I spent a few days in the stores, scanning the offerings and telling the counter people that I was looking for a foundation, some concealer, and a few new spring colors. I also asked for makeovers.

Makeovers? Never again. There is something about a black woman will clear skin that makes the makeup counter ladies go insane, especially at Nordstrom where if one isn't careful she'll get blasted against her will with a makeup gun and believe me, it is always set to 'whore' or 'Kabuki'.

I decide to try a smaller, boutique line. At Macy’s, I check the Too Faced counter, where the gentleman tells me I am absolutely Caribbean Cocoa. That is the darkest shade they have—but it’s sold out, so he makes an aggressive case for a bronzer-only look. I leave looking like a disco ball.

... I call the companies to see what’s being done. Some are on the defensive.

Years ago I was intrigued by the pretty packaging of a smaller makeup line that had three of four compacts of makeup, each designed for different moods or looks. The spokemodel they used was former Hole bassist Melissa Auf Der Maur, a redhead with very fair skin. For whatever reason I decided to email the company and ask if they had considered expanding the range to include makeup that would make "moods" for women without alabaster skin. The response was a curt, "our makeup is for everyone!" even though the color scheme spoke otherwise. Oh well...

So my personal makeup search continues. I've had luck in the past with MAC and a few shades of Armani's Luminous Silk Foundation and a handful of drugstore brands including Revlon's new Custom Color Foundation liquid, but something tells me, this will be a life long pursuit. It's just nice get a little validation in print so I can take heart knowing that I'm not alone in the struggle.

Everyone was lovely, everyone tried, everyone has good intentions. YSL, Chanel, and Nars are launching darker shades later this year. Bobbi Brown can’t put a timetable on their latest. Still. Makeup shopping is supposed to be fun, but getting rejected time after time made this the most emotionally draining story I’ve ever done.

Amen sister.

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation

If you have any lingering doubt about the level of genius that Pat McGrath has brought to makeup artistry then do yourself a favor and sample her work at the Giorgio Armani makeup counter.

Up until my visit a few weeks ago, I was a die hard MAC makeup devotee. Simply nothing else would do, if the powder or foundation didn't have NC45 on the bottom, I wouldn't let it near my face.

My confession is that the lure of the McGrath developed line proved too much and I found myself plopped down on a stool while fashionably clad associate at Nordstrom painted Lumnious Silk Foundation #11 on my face. When it was over and I looked in the mirror, I simply could not believe how good my skin looked. Dark circle? Poof! Just flawless, just like that. I was converted.

But like Scientology, conversion comes with a price. $50 a pop...ouch! My SA gave me a generous sized sample that I'm still using 3 weeks later so a little goes a long way. When it runs out I'll just have to bite the bullet.

What I'm not so sure about is the animal hair brush that the do the hard up-sale on. My cheapo Sonia Kashuk concealer brush and my fingertips seem to do the trick nicely enough for now. Maybe I'll get lucky on Ebay.

This stuff is firmly in the WIN column. I was starting to feel too old for MAC anyway.