The Power of Great Make Up Shades

House of Colour

The power of great make up shades

Go along to any make up counter and there is a bewildering array of colours from eyeshadow to lipstick, not to mention the incredible ‘looks’ on offer. I think there comes a point where we aren’t really interested in creating a ‘look’ per se but rather a better version of us. And the right colours are brilliant at doing just that in the usual ways you’ve used them before. Nothing fancy required just a little more oomph. The reason make up can be so useful and just plain great is that it brings contrast back to our face. As we age we lose that contrast; our hair colour lightens, our lip colour goes, cheek colour lightens. You may hear of women feeling ‘invisible’ as they age, this is what is happening. Our eyes like to see contrast and are drawn to it.

A few tips to consider:

So, warmer skin tones need warmer shades of make up and cooler skintones need cooler shades of make up. This applies to everything except foundation which should be matching your natural skintone anyway. The wrong colours can almost add to shadows, highlight redness, and give a starker appearance. You may even feel like ‘someone else’ in the wrong colours. Lipstick – is your hardest working friend in your make up bag. I never really realised this until I had had colour analysis. I had always opted for a nude pink shade and focussed purely on my eyes as needing more make up. I was astonished that such a simple thing can be so powerful - it has the most amazing capacity to improve the glow of your skintone, open up the eyes and bring that contrast back. We all have several shades that work really well for us (wrong colour can have the opposite effect) and it’s not just for ‘going out’! Not all lipstick shades are easy to choose as pink for instance can have a warmer base or a cooler base. However a thorough colour analysis session will show you exactly what works for you. Blusher – a great blusher can give definition to your natural asset on the face, the cheekbones. Again this is great at adding that all important contrast back. Warmer skintones need the peachier shades while cooler tones can opt for the pinkier end of the spectrum. Always use a blusher brush or the sweep you apply will be too broad and focus on applying it to the natural apple of your cheek where you smile. I find even when I am at my palest at this time of year I could do with a slightly stronger shade of blusher than I might do the rest of the year. Ask your consultant for advice as the year progresses sometimes our blusher needs to shift too. Eyes – when you’re wearing your lipstick and blusher your eyes don’t necessarily need that much more if you want a quick easy look. You could add some mascara and finish there (how very quick is that!). So warmer skintones will need brown mascara and yes it really does make a difference to get this right. It also follows that warmer skintones need to avoid black/charcoal eyeliner and eyeshadow. Eyeshadows in creamy golden and brown shades are best for warmer tones while cooler skintones can enjoy the plums, navy, and lavender shades. On zoom calls a lot? Then you’ll need more make up than you might usually as the screen tends to mute our skintone. Consistency is also important – not mixing a cool shadow and a warm lipstick for instance which can be jarring. There is so much fun to have with a simple natural look that just enhances what is already there, bringing you back into focus.

Article by Jennie Billings – House of Colour House of Colour has a network of stylists to help you update your look – find your nearest at houseofcolour.co.uk/find-a-stylist

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Have you planned your spring declutter? Are you having a good clear out at home?

Many people find a good old clear out very therapeutic. World-renowned tidying expert Marie Kondo links tidying to wellbeing, saying: “Putting your house in order is the magic that creates a vibrant and happy life.” She encourages you to organizing your home by getting rid of physical items that do not bring joy into your life. Here are three steps to a “feel good” declutter:

Step 1: THE Declutter Question

Ask yourself: “Does this item bring me joy?” Yes? Keep it! No? get rid of it!

Step 2: Don’t Ditch It, Donate It

Our charity is grateful for quality donations we can use as raffle prizes (such as gifts that you don’t want/need). We recently offered a FitBit fitness tracker as a raffle prize. It was brand new and unused… the person who kindly donated it had one already! Unusual items generate extra interest - such as the telescope that was given to us.

Step 3: Visit HMSTC, Letchworth

Decluttering can give you the extra space you need, ensuring your belongings bring joy to your life (if you followed the “KonMari” principle) – and help a great cause! We welcome items (no clothes or electrical items please) that we can use to help raise funds for our charity – and appreciate your support. Our current target is new oxygen therapy equipment. Can you help? Please call 01462 684214. Thank you.

01462 684 214