Choosing a colour palette – and a trend – that’s age appropriate and runway ready.
by christine cho
Take pride in yourself and your appearance. This doesn’t mean that you have to spend hours or a fortune primping yourself; all it means is take a few minutes to care for your skin, try some new makeup tips and make the effort to look as good as you feel.
Colour-Coded
In short: Embrace colour! Finally, Spring/Summer 2011 makeup trends point to all things bright and bold. For lips, whether you stick to softer pastels for daytime or a muted look, or amp it up a bit for evening and make a bold statement with brights like red, orange, violet and hot pink, your kissers will attract some much-deserved attention. Switch up your everyday clear gloss for a tinted gloss (try a berry-coloured stain) or if you’re braver, try a moisturizing lipstick. Everyone can wear red lipstick – you just have to find the right shade. Red lipstick can be cool (like raspberry tones) for the fair lady, or warm (think brick or copper tones) for the golden goddess. It’s a perfect time to glam up the eyes as well. Try smoking out a black liner with any deep-coloured eyeshadows, or for a softer look, use chocolate brown or deep purples like aubergine/eggplant. Double up the coats of mascara and you’re ready to warm things up with a night on the town! Brighten up those eyes and have fun with blues, greens, purples, pinks, and yellows – revisit your favourite crayon shades.
AU NATUREL!
Clean, fresh, natural – it’s a timeless look to have a simple, flawless face that’s always in fashion. Try a subtle kiss of blush on cheeks, mascara on your eyelashes, and neutral gloss or nude lipstick, and it’s all about you.
SMOKE LINGERS!
Smokey eyes are also a timeless favorite. An easy and fun way to glam up your look, you can smoke up your eyes with classic neutrals like black, charcoal and brown, but for a little adventure, try dark blues, purples, or greens for a super sexy smoke.
20’S Sunscreen is your friend all year long. Try to use moisturizers with built-in SPF throughout the winter – the sun doesn’t hibernate! It’s never too early for preventative measures. Avoid excessive sun-bathing and keep makeup on the face to a minimum.
30’S Use added extras like concealer and bronzer sparingly, especially around the eyes or the neck area. Remember: less is more. As we age and get more comfortable in our skin, those “helpers” often end up creating that “caked on” effect we dread so much. Instead, invest in day/night moisturizing creams and facial treatments once every four months.
40+ Soft and subtle wins the race. To achieve the effect of walking around with your very own lighting crew (à la Sarah Jessica in Sex and the City), skip the face powder and leave the skin nice and dewy this winter.
