BRIGHTEN UP

BY : FELICIA YORK 

 

Celeb Lust: Rihanna breaks the rules by putting pink on her lower lash line but she compensates by keeping the rest of her face neutral and fresh. Get this look by using Donutella Perfetto Eyeliner by Tokidoki (available at Sephora) $16. This liner is vibrant and waterproof and will allow you to achieve this look in one swoop.  Other ways to achieve this look is to use apply a shadow/pigment with a liner brush. Ricky’s NYC has a bright pink and M.A.C. has a pigment called Fuschia that is gorgeous! Make sure the skin looks healthy, moisturized. Apply bronzer on the cheeks and a nude gloss with a hint of shimmer.

As the sun spends more quality time with us and the weather brightens up  - we ought to consider brightening up our cosmetic arsenal –leaving fall and winter colors the objects of last season’s appeal.  Go for the colors of the season! This summer brings us pretty pinks and orgasmic oranges. Learn how to acheive " THE LOOK"!!! 

EYES

Pink eye shadow can either look really great or really…not so great. This is a tricky one! The fairer you are, the more pink shadow can make you look sickly. Stick to shades that are more taupe-ish or have a shimmer to it. The darker in skin tone you are, the more color you can pull off.

If orange eye shadow sounds a bit daunting for you, a shimmery shadow with gold flecks may be just what the doctor ordered. If not, think rust or deeper hues. However, the rule of thumb is if your eyes are bloodshot tired - try out those shades on another day. These shadows will enhance bloodshot eyes which is not the look you’re really going for.

LIPS

Fun lipsticks like MAC Girl About Town or Elizabeth Arden Hot Pink works well on all skin tones. A bubblegum pink like MAC Pink Nouveau or Rimmel Pink Blush is easier to pull off on fairer skin tones. If pink lipstick is too daring and bold, a sheer lip gloss like Sephora’s Ultra Shine Lip Gloss in Hot Pink or L’Oreal Color Juice in Raspberry Smash - lookS bold in the tube but go on sheer.

CHEEKS

A quick way to add some life to your face is to sweep blush on the cheeks. If rose-colored blushers make you pause, go for a stain or cream formula. These products usually leave a wash of color. For a softer pink, Illamasqua has a cream blush called Promise and Bobbi Brown has a Pot Rouge for lips and cheeks in Pale Pink Number 11 which is great for fairer tones. Also for fairer tones, use an orange blusher that has more of a bronzing effect or a pale orange like Makeup Forever Tangerine. For deeper skin, go for a pink blush with a bit of shimmer in it. Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Nectar is great. I also personally love Black Radiance in Spiced Ginger, $5, available in any drugstore. As for orange blush, olive skin tones and African-American women will fall in love with Nars Taj Mahal blush. It is absolutely gorgeous. Rule of thumb: The more dramatic the blush, keep the rest of the face at a minimum. Only 2 features should be accentuated (at most) at a time.

NAILS

Go bright! Beauty editors are raving about YSL Ultra Orange Nail Polish, $20. OPI Atomic Orange is nice as well. For pinks, kick neutrals to the curb. Orly Swizzle Stick or OPI Aphrodite’s Pink Nightie are great. Opting for coral (pink-orange), try Essie Tart Deco.