Monday, April 02, 2012

To look beautiful as the weather slowly begins to cool, you have to use a makeup strategy that’s different from the one you used in February. Sticking with summer’s bronzer will just look fake. What’s more refreshing and modern is giving the season its own signature face.

This year, the frosty shades and tinsel-like shine are gone. Elegant matte texture has taken their place, and lips and cheeks are swept with bright pops of candy colour. Yes, it’s a bold statement, so here’s how to get it right!

1. Add richer moisturisers to your skin care regimen. As the weather starts to cool, depending on your skin type, your skin may start to dry and become parched. Matte foundation can catch on these dry patches, so you need to make sure your skin is plumped up and well-hydrated. Applying a thick moisturiser in the morning can add sheen to a matte face; instead, hydrate before bedtime with a luxurious extra-emollient night cream.

2. Go matte with minimal product. Choose a matte textured foundation in your exact shade and apply sparingly. Set it with a light dusting of translucent powder applied with a large, loosely bristled powder brush.

3. Flatter your eyes with subtle makeup. This season’s bold, bright look is focused on lips or cheeks. While you don’t want to overlook your eyes, you will want to enhance them with neutral makeup. First, give them a bit of a boost by applying a thin black line with a cream or liquid liner very close to the lash line. Define the crease of your lid with a neutral shade of brown or grey shadow. Apply with a crease brush in a half-moon shape. Curl your lashes, and then apply two coats of black mascara.

4. Choose between your cheeks or lips for the bold pop of colour. If you have full lips with pout to spare, go for an assertive mouth. If your cheekbones are high, do an amazing blush flush. Pick only one area or you’ll look overdone. For your colour choices, think flowers and fruit rather than jewels — juicy red, rosy pink, ripe peach. Fair-skinned ladies look best in cooler pastel shades, while darker beauties should choose warm, blue-based shades.

5. If you’ve chosen your lips for that extra oomph, apply a matte lipstick straight from the tube. You’ll want to skip the liner so the look is soft. A nice bonus: Matte lipstick lasts longer than satin textures, so you won’t need to touch up for hours. Balance a bold mouth with a soft, natural blush along the cheekbone.

6. Playing up your cheeks? Moderation is key. Apply too much colour and you’ll look like you have windburn. Apply too little and the effect doesn’t pack enough punch. Most cream formulas have a sheen finish, so choose a powder blush, which layers beautifully over matte skin. With an angled blush brush, apply the colour right along your cheekbone. Building up colour slowly as opposed to heaping it on will keep you from looking clownish. Finish with a slight touch of colour to lips.

Embrace bright colour this season and you’ll beat the blues gorgeously!

Tasha Reiko Brown is a celebrity makeup artist who helps get young Hollywood stars radiant for photo shoots and countless red carpet events.