Makeup is not a one-color-fits-all and needs to be customized to match your skin tone and complement your individual features. The following tips should help you easily choose the best shades.
Always look at the undertones in lipstick, blush, or eyeshadow and find the shades that complement your skin tone. All colors have undertones, and it’s important to break them down when choosing colors for your face. For example, green is comprised of yellow and blue. If there’s more yellow it’s considered warmer, whereas if it’s bluer it’s a cooler shade. Every shade can be broken down this way, even neutrals such as brown.
In order to know if you should opt for cool or warm colors, examine the skin on your inner forearm; if it’s yellow-toned, you fall into the warm category, and if it’s bluish, you’re cool-toned. Also, those who tan easily and like to wear earth tones are probably warm. If you burn, then tan, and feel you can wear almost any color, you may be neutral. Those who burn easily and like to wear jewel tones probably have cool skin tones. Cools are generally flattered by rose lavender and eggplant, while warms look great in browner and more golden tones.
If you wear the same neutral makeup to work daily and want to achieve a new look for evening, you don’t need to purchase a whole new makeup palette. You can adjust your style with the products you already have. Applying makeup differently may give you the transformation you seek. If you’re using a neutral shadow over your whole lid for day, try adding some more in the crease and in the outer third of your lids to intensify the color and create depth and drama. As far as lipstick goes, you can simply add a brighter lipliner. First outline and color in the entire lip. Next, apply your usual neutral lipstick over the lipliner. This is the fastest and easiest way to punch up the color on your lips. To give the cheeks a bit more pop for evening, simply add a drop of extra color to the apples of the cheeks. Then add a bit of your highlighter to the top of the cheekbones for some luminosity.
Makeup is a creative art and not an exact science. So have some fun, experiment, and play a bit because you may just find a look you love.
Risselle Naimark is a Professional Freelance Makeup Artist and Skincare Consultant. She carries an extensive line of personalized skincare, cosmetics, and anti-aging products. Risselle is also available for weddings, Bar Mitzvahs, makeup lessons, and all of your beauty needs. She can be reached at 718 263-5517.