10 Pro Tips That Prove Morenas Can Wear Any Color They Want
‘Morena Pride’ makes it clear that morenas can–and deserve–to wear every shade of bold, bright, and beautiful.
Morenas have long been told to “stick to neutrals” or “avoid bright colors.” But those outdated beauty standards? It’s time to throw them out. Our maiden issue proudly featured popular morena personalities who proved that color isn’t off-limits—it’s your playground. We asked the top makeup artists who worked on the story to share their pro tips on how to wear any color confidently, from pink blush to bold red lips and electric eyeshadow, and look stunning doing it.
Here are 10 expert-approved tips and the actual products they used:
1. Pink isn’t off-limits—it’s a power move.
Pink is often seen as a challenge for morenas, but it’s all about how you wear it. According to makeup artist Gery Penaso, “For morena skin tones, the options for pink tones are broad—warm pinks, peachy, and berry.”
He used Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge for Lips & Cheeks in Powder Pink, a deep mauve pink, on the likes of Mylene Dizon, Iza Calzado, and Bianca Gonzalez, playing up the warmth in their skin to “avoid a grayish cast.”
2. Complement or contrast—both work beautifully.
You can go two ways with pink: complement your undertones or create contrast. Penaso chose warm shades for Calzado’s olive tone and added peach (Estée Lauder Pure Color Envy Sculpting Blush in Peach Passion) for a vibrant glow. Meanwhile, artists Juan Sarte and Jigs Mayuga went for contrast, using cool pinks that made morena skin look like it was blushing from within
3. Keep it light—let skin shine through.
Instead of heavy foundation, let your skin breathe. Sarte and Mayuga used minimal base and focused on seamlessly blending blush and luminizers. Mayuga recommends Elf Halo Glow Liquid Filter Complexion Booster in Medium/Tan for a blurred, glowing finish. Sarte used bronzer to play with matte vs. glow textures—like the discontinued Victoria Beckham x Estée Lauder Bronzer, a cult favorite.
4. Bright eyeshadow? Yes, please.
Forget playing it safe. “For morena skin, achieving a pop of color is effortless because its natural richness absorbs pigment beautifully,” says makeup artist Kenric Carpio, who led the Science of Melanin story. Colors like blue, green, and violet naturally enhance the depth of dark eyes, making them look even brighter.
5. Eye primer is non-negotiable.
To make colors truly pop and stay put, eye primer is essential. Carpio recommends starting with a base like Issy’s Color-Enhancing Eyeshadow Base in White or Tom Ford Beauty Emotionproof Eye Primer in Peach—the latter doubles as a brightener for dark circles. “These help colored eyeshadow show up true to pan,” he says.
6. Layer cream and powder for intensity.
Carpio’s technique? Start with cream shadow, then layer with powder for dimension and staying power. “Apply using a packing motion. This helps the skin absorb the color and ensures a smooth finish.” Favorites include the Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Eyeshadow Stick, and brushes from Vice X Jelly and GRWM Cosmetics for precise blending.
7. Try a duochrome eye for that “wow” effect.
“Duochrome adds a wow effect and creates an illusion on the eye,” Carpio says. These reflective pigments shift color in the light and look especially magical on morena skin.
Try Pat McGrath’s Mothership palettes, or local favorite Issy x Slo Lopez Pressed Shadow Singles (Chromes)—best paired with Issy’s Black Base to add opacity and dimension.
8. Red lips are not off-limits—they’re iconic.
Red is often wrongly labeled as “too harsh” for morenas, but that’s a myth. At our Morena Achievers shoot, bold red lips were a favorite. Makeup artists Don de Jesus and Eddiemar Cabiltes agree: “It’s all in the application.” A defined red lip not only flatters morena skin—it brightens the whole face.
9. Define lips to make reds work for you.
Because morenas may have natural lip pigmentation or double lip lines, application matters. “Wear your reds opaque and well-defined,” says Cabiltes.
Top picks:
Colourette Easy Matte All Day Velvet Lipstick in Bop (used on Jean Enriquez)
NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Cruella for clean, bold lines
10. Break the rules. Wear what you love.
Makeup isn’t about sticking to old rules—it’s about expressing who you are. As Jigs Mayuga puts it, “There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to colors.”
Pink, red, blue—take your pick. Morena skin was never the problem. The rules were. Break them beautifully.
