WOMEN’S WORLD
Back in the day (and we aren’t talking that long ago, maybe four or five years back), beauty magazines and makeup artists told us that we all had a color season, based on our hair and eye color.
Those of us with black, brown or auburn hair and a full spectrum of brown, green or hazel eyes were defined as “winters” and advised to stick to rich bold colors like black, navy blue, dark greens, deep purples and bright reds.
Lighter haired women, with golden brown, red or even blonde tresses and blue, green or turquoise eyes were deemed “springs” and told to wear soft, pale colors such as peach, beige, light yellow, golden brown and sea green.
These girls also got to wear ivories, bright greens, true reds and some lighter shades of coral, but were cautioned against dull and muted hues and black eye makeup, which, they were told, could wash out their skin tones.
Dishwater and ash blondes with brown, blue or hazel eyes were categorized as “summers” and strictly forbidden to don dramatic, vivid hues that would not blend well with their complexions.
Instead, they were corralled into playful soft neutral and pastels, along with muted colors with cool undertones.
Powder blues, muted pinks, mauve, light purples, light plums and pales yellows were the cotton-candy hues reserved for the summers.
And then there were the “autumns,” with golden, reddish or chestnut locks and dark brown, hazel or green eyes (no blue-eyed girls here).
These lucky gals were encouraged to wear rich deep golden, spicy and earth-toned colors.
Autumns, we were told, could wear both muted and rich warm colors often seen in autumn leaves such as brown, yellow, red, light green, olive green, rich orange and gold.
They even got to wear almost every shade of gray and mauve.
And how did we know which season we were (since very few women fall 100 percent into any of the above-mentioned categories)?
We scuttled down to our local department store beauty counter and let an “expert” dictate what color foundation, lipstick, blush, eyeshadow and mascara to buy.
But now Almay makeup artist Juan Carlos Frank says seasonal color groupings are a bunch of baloney, or at least a passé concept that most women should avoid.
“Every woman is different and there are no hard-and-fast rules about what color she should or should not wear when it comes to makeup,” Frank said during a presentation of Almay’s new color line.
“Obviously, she does not want to wear a dark foundation if she has fair skin or an ivory matte powder if she has a reddish complexion, but other than that, the concept of matching your makeup to your natural coloring is an antiquated idea.”
Frank said that today’s woman can choose to either match her eye and lip color to her natural complexion and hair color or create a shocking eye-catching effect by contrasting shades.
“I think that women like to explore new makeup trends and try out different combinations,” he said.
“And most women have a range of makeup styles and color palettes. What may be appropriate for a night on the town may not be suitable for work, and what she looks like for a lunch with friends may not be how she wants to look for a romantic dinner.”
Frank admitted that there is some validity to the old season-coded color divisions but said that nearly every woman can use every color in the rainbow as long as she chooses a tone that she feels looks good on her.
“If you are not certain about a new color, try it out at home and see how you look in different lightings,” he said.
“Don’t be confined by rules that limit you to a few colors. Be adventurous and choose the colors that you like and which work for you. If you still want to fall back on the old seasonal divisions of color, use them as a guideline, not a strict rule book. Remember, today’s woman makes her own rules.”
WHAT’S NEWS
Romantic Fragrance
Spanish luxury design house Loewe has added yet a fourth variation to its now-classic Aura
fragrance line. Aura Floral is a fresh, flowery gourmand that has amber and a touch of carrot (this is the first time that the company has used the essence in its fragrance). It opens with bergamot and lemon, followed by a heart of violets, roses and jasmine, and closes with vanilla and leather. Introduced just three years ago, the Aura Loewe is inspired by the magnetism of an artist’s muse. The original Aura Eau de Parfum has notes of roses and leather, Aura Eau de Toilette is lighter and fresher, and Aura Magnética is scent with more spicy undertones.
Glowing Cheeks
Give your cheeks a rosy glow with Givenchy’s new Le Prisme Blush Lune Rosee powder rouge collection. The convenient little compact includes a radiant quartette of sweet shades of tangerine, bright pink, rosy pink and poppy pink that will make your cheeks luminous. The discreet built-in brush, which tucks away under the powders, blends the shades together to create a natural flush of color that resembles a delicious bouquet of roses. Just swish the blush over the apple of your cheeks to create a soft, youthful glow or across the entire cheek for a healthy, sporty look. Le Prisme Blush Lune Rosee can also be used to brighten under brows.
Intense Beauty
Dior has just relaunched its extraordinary Prestige Le Crème face cream, a prodigiously rich cream
endowed with the replenishing powers of rose de Grandville nectar to nourish, pamper and transform sensitive complexions while irrigating every layer of the skin. Le Crème’s new formula is produced with a dynamic enfleurage process to capture the molecular power of the nectar in a concentrate that is 40 times more intense. Used morning and night to plump skin, it increases radiance and harmonizes contours with a sensuous cocoon effect that wraps skin in voluptuous comfort. There is also an accompanying serum.
Mix and Match Shades
The Swiss watch company Swatch has ventured into a whole new realm of accessories with the introduction of its first sunglass line, Swatch the Eyes. The collection includes 15 quirky pairs of shades with detachable ears that allow you to interchange the pieces to create 210 different styles. Teaming up with the Italian eyewear firm Safilo, Swatch has geared its new sunglasses to a young and trendy market with a campaign slogan of “I always want more looks.” The launching of these fun and provocative spectacles was timed to coincide with the start of spring and the Swatch sales team has promised that there will be at least 15 new Swatch the Eyes designs available come summer.
Water Mask
Laneige, the top-selling youth skincare line in South Korea, is now available in Mexico through online and television sales plans. The company, which is a subsidiary of Korea’s mega-makeup
conglomerate AmorePacific (with more than 30 brands), has already gained popularity across Asia and has had significant success in breaking into the U.S. and Canadian markets. Now it is setting its sights on Latin America, with Mexico being its testing ground. Laneige is feeling out the market here with the introduction of a luscious Laneige Water Sleeping Mask, that can be used two or three times a week at night to replenish lost moisture and undo the damage of environmental aging, and a BB Cushion Pore Control tap-on foundation with a built-in 50+ SPF sunscreen to protect against UV radiation.
THE NEWS