9 Positive Ways to Describe Dark Skin
Recently I heard dark-brown skin described as,
"charcoal". What a negative way to describe a dark complexion,
right? It was said in an attempt to be funny, however it has stuck with
me ever since. I decided I would help provide some examples of more positive
words to use when describing the type of skin that has been naturally blessed
with extra melanin. Take a look at the list below and check out this video for nine positive ways to describe dark skin tones.
1. Ebony
Ebony is a dense, black hardwood. It is an almost black brown
color. Black piano keys and black chess pieces are often made with ebony. The
word ebony can easily describe the complexion of model, Khoudia Diop. She
has very dark skin which is very similar to that of ebony wood. True ebony skin
is quite rare, so I do not think it should be used to describe most skin tones.
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| Model, Khoudia Diop |
2. Espresso
We can naturally use types of coffee as inspiration for naming
various shades of brown. More specifically, an espresso is typically pure
coffee without additives like milk or cream. Espresso is typically one of the
darkest shades when picking a foundation or even furniture pieces. The lovely
Hollywood actress, Lupita Nyong'o shows what espresso skin looks like.
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| Actress and model Lupita N'yongo |
3. Chestnut Skin
Chestnuts have a nice, warm brown finish. It is medium-brown with
a hint of red. There are also some other nuts that show a similar color
including pecan, hazelnut and walnut. This color range can describe the skin of
supermodel, Naomi Campbell.
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| Supermodel and actress Naomi Campbell |
4. Mahogany
Mahogany is a type of wood that is quite a few shades lighter than
the aforementioned ebony. It is a very warm brown color with strong red undertones.
It is similar to the pigment of former Destiny's Child singer, Kelly Rowland.
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| Singer Kelly Rowland |
5. Almond Skin
Consider an almond's external skin. This color shows more of a lighter, even brown. Unlike mahogany or chestnut, this color does not have a reddish undertone, but instead a yellow one. The model Jessica White shows off an almond complexion. Gabrielle Union would be another example.
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| Supermodel Jessica White |
6. Melanin-Rich
Melanin is the pigment that gives all humans their skin, hair, and
eye color. Darker-skinned people have more melanin in their skin than
lighter-skinned people have. The term melanin-rich or melanated gives a
broader, scientific description of dark skin shades. The term has gained
popularity over the past few years.
7. Chocolate
Who doesn't like chocolate, right? When describing a smooth, rich
brown color there is one word that easily comes to mind. When using this term
it is like having a two for one deal. A positive name for brown skin and also a
sweet compliment.
8. Cocoa
This describes the dark brown color of cocoa or cacao beans. This
would describe someone closer to an ebony shade and is typically used to
illustrate dark makeup colors. Cocoa is also a very cute name and maintains
very positive, feminine vibes.
9. Mocha
Well, hmm... PrettyMocha is the name of this site, so why not
include this one in the list? We know mocha describes the color of a type of
high-quality coffee. Specifically it describes a chocolate flavored caffe
latte. This type of color can range from various shades of dark brown. Mocha is
also used to describe makeup.
Now that you have an array of nice words to describe dark skin,
please begin using them daily. Say them to others and use them to describe your
own skin if it applies.
Xoxo,
Jess
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