May 21st, 2014
With the sun finally showing up, most of us are reaching for our blues, corals and bronzes. However, this week’s BAFTAs showed us that there’s a clan of the anti-summer colour lovers: deeper shades for eyes and lips which seem totally at odds to the rising heat and current trends. As all MUAs know, trend colours aren’t always what you reach for on a job, which is why at Warpaint we’ve taken a step into the shade to round up some of the less conventional, though no less beautiful, colours we’re loving.
The Eyes Have It
Sultry, smoky shades shouldn’t just be limited to winter or darkened nights. Smudged kajal liners and deeper colours in lighter formulas can be surprisingly easy to wear for warm summer evenings. One of our favourites is the Burberry Sheer Eyeshadows (£22.50) which deliver absolutely on colour, with a formula that is so soft it can be blended out to give anything from a faint wisp of colour to an intense look. We’ve been loving the shade Midnight Plum, a smoky bruise-purple, for a bit of a twist, which looks great worked into the crease and blended out.
Sticking with shades of purple, the HD Brows Eyeshadow palette in Vamp (£29) delivers five shades of graduated warm hues, from nude Candy to the blackened purple of Current. With the range of shades it’s great for on the go, or slowly working up the layers of colour to create to perfect dark eye. Another palette with great smoky eye shades is the Smashbox Smokebox Palette (£32), with four darker colours and two highlighters, as well as a mixture of matte and shimmer textures.
If you’ve never tried working with a kajal formula for a super-intense eyeliner finish, the Bourjois Queen Attitude Kôhl Kajal Black (£6.99) is a great drugstore find. Petite and powerful, the conical shape is precise and effortlessly intense. Work quickly to blend it out for a softer look before it sets or leave it bold and defined. If you’re a dab hand with a kajal, the unrivalled finish of the Guerlain Khôl Me Kajal in Noir (£23.50) would make Cleopatra jealous.
If you like the flexibility and durability of gel textures then the New CID i-gel Trio (£22) has gained a reputation for being one of the best in the business. The Granite, Graphite, Carbon colour choice gives you different shades of greys and blacks to achieve your desired gothic look.
Emphasise your seductive and vampish look with eye adornments from Face Lace – our favourites are the gorgeous Swirlyqueue pattern (£13.29). These intricate stick-on tattoo styles add flair and interest to a look and photograph beautifully. Ideal for editorial shoots or high fashion, we’ve even seen them out and about during daytime too.
Lip Lust
As Joan Smalls proved at this year’s Met Gala, a bold and unusual lip colour can make an otherwise simple look take on a whole new appeal. Millie Mackintosh also made the same bold lip move for her appearance at the TV BAFTAs this week. One way to keep the deep colour summer-appropriate by changing up the texture; the Barry M Gelly Hi Shine Lip Pencil in Vega (£5.99) has the same bold wine shade, while its light and glossy formula makes it much easier to slick on and appear seasonal.
If impact is what you’re after, Illamasqua’s lipsticks (£18.50) are so intensely pigmented that they stand out from any crowd. Favourites include rich mahogany Growl and pure matte black Pristine. Whether for shoots or to make a style statement, such bold and unusual shades rock.
On the hunt for a sultry, gothic-tinged red? Estée Lauder Pure Color Lipstick in Plum Couture (£20) is a very wearable and flattering choice. Undeniably dark and rich, this multi-tonal red is bold though it won’t overwhelm the other elements on the face, and would look amazing against deep bronzes more typically associated with summer.
For an even darker red-based lip colour, there is MAC’s Sin lipstick (£15), a matte dark blue-red reminiscent of thick blood. While countering all of the season’s trends for bright, glossy pouts, this lipstick is edgy and intriguing enough to get away with it.
Comments
Related Posts
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.