Recently, the awesome people at IMAN Cosmetics sent us some makeup samples to test. I was really excited to get my hands on some of the products — IMAN is a cosmetics line that has only marketed to black and African-American women in the past. They recently added a new color line and have expanded their powder and foundation options for more women of color.

There’s even an online guide so you can find your shade:

I’m the lightest shade, so I choose the Second to None Semi-Loose Powder in Sand Medium, plus the Luxury Moisturizing Lipstick in Paprika and the Luxury Lip Shimmer Gloss in Flamboyant. (I also choose Sand 2-3 Luxury Radiance Liquid Makeup, but there was some sort of mix up and I received Sand 4-5. While the consistency was nice and light, it was just way too dark for my skin tone.)

The semi-loose mineral powder is really great. The coverage is subtle and lets my skin breathe, and it matched my skin tone pretty well. Plus, I had never tried semi-loose powder before, and it’s just fun to spin the wheel and get fresh makeup. 

I love the shade of lipstick I choose too (swatch above — let’s ignore my old manicure). It’s not too pink, orange, or red, and it has a good amount of shimmer. Paprika is a great shade for the summer, and I bet it would look even better with a tan. The lipstick also isn’t too sticky and it does feel light and moisturizing (almost like a Revlon Lip Butter, but with more pigmentation). Here I am just wearing the semi-loose powder and lipstick (it even makes my teeth look whiter!):

Sometimes, a girl just needs some lipgloss though, and I tried IMAN’s Flamboyant Lip Shimmer.

The color definitely pops more than the lipstick shade I tried — it’s more on the pink side. The color reminds me a bit of the fruit guava — very tropical. I like wearing the lip gloss and the lipstick on their own, depending on the occasion, but sometimes its fun to layer them. One trick I’ve learned is dabbing lipgloss in the middle of my lips to make them look fuller.

I know the picture’s a little blurry, but I love this look, and I think it’s something I’ll wear the whole summer. I love colorful lips! You can also add bronzer for a more a sun-kissed look or a metallic eyeliner on your upper lashes to define your eyes too.

IMAN cosmetics can be investments, but I think it’s worth it. Especially if you’re a woman of color who has trouble finding makeup that matches your skin tone, IMAN is worth a try. Luckily for you Lovelies, we’ll be hosting an IMAN giveaway soon, so keep your eyes open for that soon!

Have you Lovelies ever tried IMAN cosmetics?