The only surefire way to find a perfect makeup match is to try it on (and if that product doesn’t work, try another). Alas, that color calibration can be very tedious, not to mention pricey. So the idea of digitizing the trial-and-error of getting gorgeous is truly appealing. Answering the call, IMAN Cosmetics, one of my favorite lines for women of color, just launched its new color-matching app. To get the matching process started, the app prompts you to take a selfie. It guides you to extend your phone to just the right distance, so the app can catch your features and their tones. Make sure the lighting is natural—any extra brightness will wash out your skin and lead to shade results that are way too light (Yes, this happened to me). Getting an accurate picture is the toughest part—if you get that right, it’s smooth sailing. I’ve used many IMAN products over the years, so I was pleasantly surprised when the app selected all the right face makeup (foundation, BB cream, concealer) shades. The interface isn’t always entirely intuitive. For example, the icon that takes you to your matches is a grid of four colors—definitely not screaming “Your Matches Are Here.” But all things considered, this nifty (and free!) download gets two thumbs up.
Download the IMAN Cosmetics app on the iTunes app store. And click here for a collection of all our favorite beauty apps.