As the leaves change into brilliant colors of red, yellow and purple, the sky gets darker earlier and our faces get paler, the time comes to adjust our makeup routine. The season of smoky eyes and deep lips is here. While in summer it's all about wearing less makeup so it doesn't sweat off our face in the heat, fall and winter are all about packing on the eyeshadow and painting the lips.
This season, the more metallic your eyes, the better. Several brands like Sonia Kashuk (sold at Target) and Urban Decay are selling palettes comprised of shiny hues of silver, blue, green and purple. Jewel tones are not just a passing trend; they are a staple of fall and winter makeup, so investing in a palette full of these colors is not a bad idea.
If you want to take the look even further, apply a clear lip gloss or vaseline to your eyelids. It will crease the eyeshadow, but it will add to the grungy, glossy look that is all over magazines and runways. The slick, wet eyeshadow look may not be subtle, so if you're uncomfortable going to class wearing shimmery blue eyeshadow, it is a great option for parties around the holiday season and New Year's.
Along with metallics, deep plum and cranberry shades are among the highlights of pretty much every fall season. Dark red, or oxblood, is the color of the season, and incorporating it into makeup is effortless with a smooth lipstick or lip gloss. This fall, however, the lip colors have become even darker. That's right, rocking completely purple lips is on trend; brands like MAC and Rimmel have released eggplant shades like those seen on the runways in all of the fashion cities.
But it's not for the faint of heart – wearing aubergine on the lips is a definite statement that takes some confidence to pull off. Generally, such a dark lip should be paired with a bare face and tons of mascara. It's an incredibly clean look that brings attention just to your lips; however, it may not be wise to overcrowd the face with a lot of blush or eyeshadow.
While it is often recommended to either play up the eyes or the lips, this season is the opportunity to break that rule – smoky eyes plus deep lips have not only been fall staples on their own, but are now being brought together for an impactful look. The options are really endless, as a smoky eye can be achieved with any color: emerald, ruby, eggplant, and onyx have all been popular colors to use on the eyes this season. If you wanted to play it safe, a brown smoky eye will go with anything – simply use a bronzer or a matte brown eyeshadow all over the lid and tons of black eyeliner across the lashline.
But if you are feeling daring, consider using colors on both the eyes and lips that complement each other: for instance, if you are doing a green smoky eye, pair it with a red lip (which is also appropriate for the holidays) or if you are doing the traditional black smoky eye, pair it with deep purple (or even black) lips. It may be out of the ordinary, but it will get you noticed (in a good way).
jbranda1@ramapo.edu
