Artistic, bright, bold & beautiful

Every year, fashion trends shift the beauty world to a new place of innovation. They inspire agencies and ingredient suppliers to collaborate on colour forecasts, which help brand owners and manufacturers create colour cosmetics consumers will love. By Abby Vorster

Merck’s colour forecasts have been shaping makeup palettes for decades. According to the Beauty Business Journal, creating the right colour palette is an important element of a product’s success.

Colour forecasting also provides a reliable gauge of next season’s popular colours.

For its 2019 spring/summer colour forecast, Merck has focused heavily on fusions of the natural and artificial, bringing interesting contradictions into play. Developed in collaboration with Nelly Rodi, a renowned international forecasting agency, the Captivation forecast presents four key themes.

Solar Shaman

Karen Maier, Merck’s head of performance materials in South Africa, says the Solar Shaman theme is a good look for the local market. It is natural; Ethnic; full of sunshine, light and earthy tones; primitive and it celebrates life.

‘The main colour range resonates with South African skin tones and is complementary to local consumers’ needs,’ she explains.

Solar Shaman celebrates life to the rhythm of the sun and earth.Influenced by tribal cults and primitive rituals, this woman envisages the world from a mystical point of view. Her inspirations are the fruit of the cultural melting pot assembled in a joyous tumult of psychedelic chaos.

The first look, Solar Celebration is based on a makeup palette that gives skin a sun kissed look and warm radiance. On the eyes, shades of red earth and clayey browns are combined with the colours of a canyon’s fiery sky. The deep, dense pigments of Neo Folk – the second look – plunge into twilight spirituality. Sticky, oily textures are crushed and spread like fruit directly applied onto the skin.

Its textures like these which inspired Merck’s glossy lip finish formulation (see Table 1). Hot and almost molten in texture, this innovative lip care product is based on the deep red of Merck’s Ronastar Flaming Lights and Ronastar Red Allure with Colorona Red Brown, protected by RonaCare AP.

Organic Experimental

Consumers want beauty brands to be ethical. Mintel’s trends and innovation consultant, Marta Panasiuk says consumers judge beauty brands by the way they treat their employees, suppliers and the communities within the regions in which they operate. ‘Sustainability is also important, but companies have to be totally credible and transparent,’ Panasiuk comments.

Sustainable, green innovations are the starting point for Merck’s Organic Experimental theme, which has a strong multifunctional focus on ‘care and colour’ or ‘colour and protect’ concepts. It speaks to the curious, ingenious consumer who believes in the power of nature. The Organic

Experimental woman is fascinatedby the vital force of plants and thedevelopment of microorganisms. In herpersonal style, she pushes biomimicryto self-metamorphoses and dares towear the craziest contrasts.

Solar Celebration is based on a makeup palette that gives skin a sun kissed look and warm radiance

Green is present in this theme in a variety of bright, fresh shades. There are two looks, one for the daytime and another bolder evening look. Green Lab is based on laboratory romanticism, with pastels and variations of pink in the palette. InMicro Organism the colours become deep and intense, with dense reds spread over midnight blues and heavy greens – a perfect palette for the evening.

Magnetic Vestal

Ethereal, sophisticated, digital and evanescent, the Magnetic Vestal woman is radiant and captivated by the sun’s magnetic glow.

‘Strobing, radiance, luminescence and glow are key characteristics of this theme,’ comments Maier. ‘Both theLuminescence Fantasy and Floating Cloud looks of Magnetic Vestal require metallics in order for the trend to be effective. Eyeliners are used in unconventional ways, from interesting effects to geometric shapes.’

Floating Cloud consists of a natural palette imagined like astral nudes with gradations of greys, beiges and gold, which enhance the skin. Touches of silver illuminate the neck, creating a gentle floating impression. Lips are enriched with warm gold and light shine while chrome like tones accentuate the eyes.

The face plays to the rhythm of the vibrant colours of virtual light and the techno rainbows of pastel tones evident in the Luminescence Fantasy look. Skin is shiny, iridescent and radiant; cheeks and eyes are revealed through irregular haloes.

Sassy Candid

This young and cheeky theme is pretty, sophisticated, refined and humorous.Ultra-femininity takes centre stage as the Sassy Candid woman aims for good taste and declares couture her new lifestyle manifesto. Both the Cute Couture and Abstract Gaming are suitable for the South African market.

Cute Couture features touches of pink applied generously to the cheeks, while eyes and nails play on whimsical asymmetric patterns. Colours showcase an array of satiny pastels and patinated crepe like textures, highlighted by golds and bronzes.

The Abstract Gaming look flaunts an assortment of daring, playful colours. Reds and fuchsias merge while classic red is twisted by fluoro tones. Lips are striking and eyes dazzle with self-assurance. •

Merck – www.merckgroup.com