UNDER 5K HANDPICKED AFFORDABLE FOUNDATIONS
When it comes to make up and beauty, the hustle is as real as it can get. The struggle to find the perfect foundation is unending. I actually believe that there’s no perfect makeup foundation in Nigeria and the world at large. It’s a game of chances, because you can get the perfect matte foundation only to find out its a shade lighter or darker or find out it wears out easily. So here are 10 affordable foundations for Nigerian and dark skin women.
I have a penchant for trying out new products and I have tried over 6 different foundations. The one thing they all have in common is affordability. If you have read my post on being a baddie on a budget, you will understand why affordability is key for me when it comes to getting makeup products. I believe more on quality rather than price, it’s not about how much, it’s all about how well. So if a cheap product can get the job done, why splurge on something more expensive?. Sounds strange right, because most people would rather believe that a product isn’t good enough if it’s not expensive. They believe the higher it costs, the better the quality.
Well I don’t believe in that. Because if we all have such mindsets, we will miss out on all the goodness of affordable products. And trust me when I say some affordable makeup products get the job as perfectly done as the expensive ones. I have seen product dupes that ended up becoming more popular than the original.
First of, what’s a foundation?
As usual with most of my makeup posts, I like to give an insight into the topic of discussion. So first of all, let’s talk about foundations.
A foundation is a makeup product mainly use as a base to cover uneven skin tone, pores and over all make the skin appear smoother and softer.
There are different types of foundation. Such as mineral foundation, matte foundation, cream based foundation, water based foundations. Foundations mainly come in liquid, stick or cream to powder form.
A foundation can be either light coverage or full coverage. If you have a lot of skin issues such as acne scars and Hyper-pigmentation, it’s best you go with a full coverage foundation as they tend to cover more of such than light coverage foundations.
The best type of foundation also depends on your skin type; oily, normal or dry skin.
Affordable foundations for Nigerian and dark skin women.
ABSOLUTE HD FLAWLESS FOUNDATION
PRICE- N2500-3500 or $9
This foundation is a water based foundation that’s really good. I first heard about this foundation from a makeup artist friend( thebudgetbella). I eventually purchased it and it didn’t fail. This foundation is easy to apply, doesn’t dry quickly and gives a smooth-glossy like finish. The product description says it’s matte but it’s doesn’t give a stiff finish which is really nice because most matte foundations give this dry/stiff like finish after application. This product wears for 5-6 hours before touch up is needed. It sells for 2500-3500 Naira or $9. You can buy it from their official website if you live abroad or from cosmetics stores in Nigeria.
ZARON HEALTHY GLOW FOUNDATION
PRICE- N4750
Now this is one foundation I can’t wait to try out. The only thing holding me back is because the packaging says it controls Oil. I have a dry skin so I dont need that. However, i am totally taken with the name of this product. who doesn’t love a healthy glow plus Zaron is one of my favourite Nigerian brand. Reviews say it’s a mattyfing full coverage foundation. You can read more here.
LA GIRL PRO HD FOUNDATION
PRICE- N3500-4000/$10
This foundation gives a medium to full coverage and I absolutely love that it doesn’t dry matte. Applying it with the LA girl primer helps to make it last longer. This foundation is definitely one of my best affordable foundations for Nigerian/ dark skin women. As with most foundations on this list, it’s affordable. Read YellowSisii review, here.
MAYBELLINE FIT ME FOUNDATION
PRICE – N3500/ $7.99
The Maybelline fit me foundation is lightweight. I used this foundation back in 2015 and I loved the very natural finish it gives. It almost feels like I have nothing on my face after applying. The downside is this foundation is not full coverage, so if you are looking for a full coverage foundation, this might not be a good fit for you. However, One issue i had with this foundation was the poor shade range. But you can visit the Maybelline website and use their shade finder tool to find your shade.
HEGAI AND ESTHER FOUNDATION
PRICE- N5000
If you didn’t know, Hegai and Esther is a Nigerian brand and they are fast becoming a cult favourite. Their Brow definer is one of the best and so is their foundation. It’s a cream foundation with a thick consistency. This foundation comes with Spf which is really good considering the Nigerian weather conditions. The hegai and esther foundation is truly an affordable foundation for Nigerian/ dark skin women as it offers 10ml worth of product more than most brands. At 40ml for N5000, it’s a steal. You can purchase on their official website. Read Salmah’s review here.
BH COSMETICS LIQUID FOUNDATION
PRICE- N3500-4000/ $9
This foundation is water based. It gives a medium to full coverage. The shade range is not extensive but they have a few shades for dark skin and their products are affordable. You can purchase from their official website.
BARRY M FLAWLESS FOUNDATION
PRICE- N2500
image by @stylebyohaha
To be honest, I have never heard about this brand until Vanessa of stylebyohaha.com reviewed it. This product is affordable, lightweight and applies nicely. You can read the full review here. This product can be purchased from Asos and for just N2500, I am shook.
GLAM BEAUTY BY WILSON FOUNDATION
PRICE- N1500-2000
This product is by a new Nigerian brand and at first, i thought they tried to do a classic makeup usa knockoff. But after seeing reviews, I am a bit impressed and would actually love to try it out. The product description says it’s a velvet matte foundation, its actually really thick and creamy and gives meduim to full coverage. You can purchase this product from thier Instagram page @glambeauty_bywilson.
MILANI 2 IN 1 FOUNDATION
PRICE- N4500/ $10
This here is one foundation that’s too good to be true for such an amount. The Milani 2 in 1 foundation is a full coverage foundation as it doubles as a concealer too. The consistency is in-between thick and light. Its a creamy foundation. The finish is good too. I highly recommend Milani products especially their bronzers and blushes.
REVLON NEARLY NAKED FOUNDATION
PRICE- N3500-4500
There’s no way Revlon wont be on this list. When it comes to quality yet affordable makeup products, count Revlon in. They have a few affordable foundations for Nigerian and dark skin women like the Revlon colourstay foundation which is a cult favourite, the revlon photo ready foundation, Revlon nearly naked foundation etc. Just like it’s name implies, this foundation is lightweight and gives a flawless, even and natural finish. It contains Spf and is great for people with dry to normal skin.
THE ORDINARY COVERAGE FOUNDATION
PRICE- N5000
This foundation is a full coverage foundation. It contains Spf 15 and comes in 21 different shade range. It’s a lightweight and non-oily cream foundation. The ordinary products are cruelty free and of good quality. You can find this product on beautyfrenzyblog.com as they stock most of the ordinary’s products.
CLASSIC MAKEUP USA FOUNDATION
PRICE- 1500-2000
This foundation is a good and affordable product. It is thick and application can be a bit messy but it comes with a pump and has a lot of product for a it’s amount. However this foundation lasts for say 2-4 hours before touch up is required. It doesn’t dry matte most times. You can however use a great primer alongside to get the best out of this product. Read my extensive review of the classic foundation. This product can be found in most cosmetics stores around Nigeria. Beware of fake products though as this product has been widely adulterated. So ensure you scratch the code and confirm originality before purchasing.
There you have it, My hand picked list of affordable foundations for Nigerian and dark skin women. All products mentioned are affordable and of good quality. So, yes to affordable beauty.
Most products listed in this post can be found on originalcosmetics.com.ng and beautyfrenzyblog.com
Do you know any other affordable foundations for Nigerian and dark skin women? kindly add them in the comment section. If you love this post and want me to do more under 5k makeup products like primers, pressed powders etc. do let me know in the comment section.
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Gift Collins is an ingenious creative. She loves to put her polished thoughts into words and pictures to create beautiful stories. She is a media girl-in and out.
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This was such an interesting read, I discovered about 2 foundations which i’m just seeing for the first time. The hassle with foundation is getting the perfect shade for your skin tone. That’s why i’ve decided that the next foundation i’ll be buying will have to be from a brand that own a studio where they can apply test samples on my face. I would hate to buy a foundation either online or a retail store only to discover its close but not my perfect shade.
Also I would definitely love to see more under5k products especially primers and powders. Great post dear, thanks for sharing.
Author
There are a few stores where you can test out the foundation before buying. In most malls, however they mostly stock high end brands but girl where ever I am buying foundation even if it’s from a local cosmetics store, if I can’t see how it looks on my face, I ain’t buying..
BTW it’s so good to have you back, I have definitely missed your presence here.
Alright, more under 5k posts coming right up ?
Glam’s Makeup is another brand that is worth your coins especially if you have oily skin. You can also buy your makeup from MUA, some of them stock up on original products and would gladly recommend and test it out for you. If you’re around Ikeja, check out Sleek Makeup studio at underbridge, Yaba – Mama Tega.
I have had my eyes on the zaron foundation for a while now. I’m definitely going go to add the hegai and Esther one to My list
Please ma can you do a review of some of the products mentioned here especially the hegai and Esther foundation and the maybelline foundation. I would love to purchase both for myself and my twin but I need to see your review to know if it fits. So kindly review them. Thank you