3 minute read
Colours of Make Up Design
BY ANNIKA RAYMAN OWNER, ANNIMATIONS MAKE UP
Pretty in PINK
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In this issue, we honor the colour pink, which in of itself is an institution in the beauty world in all of its forms. From fabulous fuchsia to bridal blush, pink is socially known worldwide to signify new or unabashed love, sweetness, positivity and hope (think Valentine’s Day). Soft pinks such as salmon, light rose, and blushes come off as calm, caring, and are commonly associated with youth, whereas brighter or deeper pinks like orchid, fuchsia and hot pink can exude passion, assertion, confidence, and individuality.
Being a mix of red and white, the aforementioned descriptions of various pinks come as no surprise. Even so, as artists we must be aware that for each event and each client, their own perceptions of this colour can directly affect our creativity and use of it. Pink’s common association is with femininity. Femininity and feminine energy is often not being portrayed as a universal trait, it is changing but remains present always. We have the power, particularly with creative projects such as branding and marketing, character creation and development in film and television, to neutralize the use of pink and allow it to be seen for its values which can exist in any person. Our influence and education on pink needs to create fluidity of use across beauty products, branding and applicability for all consumers.
1. Soft & Subtle
Starting with a blush tone on the lips, this type of pink falls into a “nude” category. Though the lip shade is soft and subtle, the client’s beautiful full lips are still a noticeable part of her features, but now make way for the lovely work on the eyes to really stand out. There is a pink nude for everyone, sometimes it just takes a bit of ingenuity! Using multiple products to layer i.e. liner with liquid lipstick then a satin lipstick to finish as I did here, can help your client achieve that perfect blush nude they may have felt in the past they were not able to find in a single tube.
2. Wedding Inspiration
Here we have a perfect example of a dusty rose, which has been a shade that has dominated both bridal and non-bridal beauty for the past few seasons. As this client gets her hair done, she is captured having an effortless moment of equal parts shyness and confidence. I remember remarking that I would need to add her to my payroll because I knew the beauty of her wedding look was going to bring me a lot of business, and while looking down as her photog @crista_lee_ photography expertly advised, she cracked this gorgeous smile. And the results? 6 years later and I still have client’s screenshot this image and send it to me for their wedding inspiration. Called it!
3. Barbie gone Bollywood!
I love this softened, cool-toned take on hot pink we chose to really elevate the fun colours and vibrant atmosphere of this South Asian wedding. I started out with a very cool, lilac liner which I feathered the lips in with, and topped it with a creamy hot pink lipstick mixed with the slightest touch of the client’s concealer. For the client’s colouring, her outfit, and the rest of her makeup, we wanted to maintain some of the brightness of the colour but cool it down by neutralizing the stronger presence of red that makes hot pink, well, hot. The completed look along with the gorgeous pop of matching blush and the lightest smidge of pink sparkle on her eyes was stunning and went amazingly with her scheme and colour theme.
Pink often carries connotations of health and wellness as well – rosy cheeks, hydrated pink lips, healthy pink gums, and so forth. The correlation between good or better health and youth is subconscious to us, and dates back to our nomadic days when life expectancies hardly passed 30. Take this with hope and also with
a grain of salt – there is no colour which is 100% not ‘appropriate’ for any person. Aversions to colours based on age and other factors is learned, which means it can be unlearned. Additionally, health and wellness can be universal, which could help you as a starter “selling point” when encouraging the use of different pinks with your clients or talent. Together, we can unleash the hopeful, passionate, and playful power of pink!
