For the Makeup Artist in You
This fall is going to be a fun season, with lots of texture, depth and warmth in makeup colors. It will be a time to play with new products that are designed specifically to update last year’s colors. So why throw anything out yet?
In acknowledgment of the growing sophistication and savvy of the average makeup customer, cosmetics companies are offering custom-blend sets. Physicians Formula and Chanel, for example, have introduced color sets for the lips.
Physicians Formula Lip Spectrum offers sets in red, brown, mauve and berry. Each compact includes one of these colors plus three others--black, white, golden-brown (or blue)--sort of like a paint set.
The colors in each compact can be blended into as many as 100 shades, according to the company. Black, for example, can be used to darken, white to lighten and either a golden brown to warm up or a blue to cool down a color.
In November, Chanel will offer Levres Reflets Lip Brilliance, a lip compact with soft pastel and metallic shades to enhance regular lipstick, as well as Pure Frost, a product that adds frost to face, lip and eye colors.
Tommy Hilfiger’s makeup line, Tommy Color--introduced this month--has 14 “transistor” products that can be used to change the shades of the makeup you already own. For example, a white pearl-hued lip liner can be applied under or over your everyday lipstick to change its texture and color.
When it comes to the eyes, a new color for fall is an army-green shadow, a shade that will be seen in fall fashions as well.
Sephora, the mega-store for cosmetics, already offers green lipsticks. Says Willie Melchor, regional director for Sephora, these odd sticks are popular in Southern California, not because we are so “out there” with our makeup, but because so many women are or have been in the entertainment business that they know how to mix offbeat makeup colors--such as green and orange--to get what they need.
Other fall color palettes include lots of bronze, berries and plum--all colors from last year. Estee Lauder’s Winter Beach collection is full of grown-up wines and gray heathers, and Sebastian’s Trucco collection is devoted to raspberry.
This year’s makeup is richer in texture than last year’s. Makeup lines as classic as Yves Saint Laurent and as flashy as MAC Cosmetics are introducing velvety, matte lipsticks. Even lip gloss, with its sheer glimmer, is going to have more depth and color.
Many companies are adding industrial grays and silvers to last year’s pinks and lilacs. The result: a more feminine and soft sensuality to everyday looks.
Maybelline’s Industrial Revolution line is full of grays washed in pinks, mauves and taupes. MAC is even introducing a Frozen White collection this December featuring all gray-based colors for the eyes.
Perhaps the biggest surprise for fall is that glitter--a trend everyone figured had half a shelf life--is still going strong. But it’s not the straight glitter application of this summer. This time, glitter is in the lipsticks, blushes and eye shadows--adding depth and texture.
Barbara Thomas can be reached by e-mail at [email protected].
