When I read that the colour trend for spring 2014 is based on pastels I immediately reflected on how I could reconcile these cool-based colours with my desi skin.
WIPE OUT BY WHITE OUT
The fundamental issue is that pastels’ coolness clashes with the warmth of desi skin.
Pastels are soft, unabashedly feminine colours that brighten up the face. However, if your skin is darker, the delicate pinks and soft sky blues in the eye shadow set look like a white shimmery mess on the eyelids. Pastels, especially when they are shimmery, do not have a heavy pigment and are prone to being dominated by the skin tone. I cannot count how many times I applied pastel blue eye shadow and a sweet friend then complimented me on my mint green eye shadow.
UN PONT VERS LES PASTELS EST POSSIBLE
At first blush, it appears that when it comes to pastels biology is destiny, and darker-skinned women should avoid this spring trend.
However I opine that what needs to be tweaked is the approach towards pastels. Pastels should not be used to create a complete look, rather they should be used create a highly-stylised look that focuses on the eyes with a beautiful accent on the nails.
Jennifer Lopez’s brilliant icy pastel make-up in the All I Have music video is an excellent reference. Putting aside the heavy contouring and the concealer-tinged lips, Lopez’s eye make-up is unforgettable. The icy pastels contrast against, and hence highlight, the beauty of dark eyes.
Pastel manicures, like their dark brethren, require short, trimmed nails, because one chip ruins the whole manicure. Just because pastels are light does not make them neutrals. They are powerful because of their milkiness and require the same diligence and care reserved for dark manicures.
PAS DE PONT ICI
I eschew applying pastels to the cheeks and lips. Blush is supposed to highlight the cheekbones and have a somewhat natural look. A pastel blush will highlight the cheekbones but because they contrast rather than blend in with desi skin tones the colour looks like a pair of fading pink doll cheeks. The effect is not flattering.
Arguably pastel lips is a look, just like pastel eyes. The problem is that there is no darkness in the lip area to anchor the lightness. The lips’ natural darkness overwhelms pastel colours making the lips look washed out instead of fresh.
PREPPING FOR PASTELS: BASE AND TEXTURE
All make-up, and pastels in particular, require priming to neutralise naturally-occurring darkness in the skin and to create a smooth base upon which pigment sits but not slides.
I recommend covering the eyelid with a cream-to-powder primer such as Dior Backstage Eye Prime in 002 (Primer). It is dry to the touch, spreads easily and dries quickly. The soft mocha colour evens out the eyelid colour.
Previously (see Wipe Out by White Out), I discussed how shimmery pastel shadows lack the requisite pigment to show up on dark skin. Dior addresses the issue with its Diorshow Fusion Mono shadows (Shadow) which now come in a matte finish. The Shadow feels like a soft gel sponge which sets to a powder finish in mere seconds if applied dry. You can also moisten a brush, dip it in the Shadow and then gently tap it on the eyelid. Again the Shadow dries in mere seconds but the pigment is richer and more opaque. The wet application helps desi women achieve a highly-stylised pastel eyes look with minimum effort to maximum effect.
PROCEEDING TO PASTEL EYES
The following steps will help you achieve highly-stylised pastel eyes:
- Even out skin tone and apply concealer;
2. Tap the Primer all over the eyelids with your ring finger which has the least pressure and hence will be gentle on the eyelid (Never pull the skin on the eyelid because it encourages wrinkle formation);
3. Moisten a flat, duck-billed eyeshadow brush such as Make Up For Ever 226 Straight brush (226 Brush);
4. Drag the 226 Brush across the surface of the Shadow (My two favourites are Dior’s Céleste (a barely-there lavender) and Fantaisie (a soft peachy pink));
5. Close one eye and then tap the 226 Brush on the lower lid;
6. Wait a few seconds for the Shadow to set;
7. Define the crease by dipping a contour brush such as the Make Up For Ever 234 Straight & Wavy brush (234 Brush) in the Shadow;
8. Half close the eye and then tap the 234 Brush in the crease to define it;
9. Open the eye and continue tapping in the crease until the veil of colour is apparent (Note that in the All I Have video Lopez defined the crease with black eyeshadow. This is risky because black eyeshadow particles can migrate and create a sooty mess.);
10. Close the eye and pull the lid taut;
11. Take liquid liner such as L’Oréal The Superslim Liquid Eyeliner in black and place the tip near the inner corner of the eye;
12. Draw short quick strokes along the eye line;
13. Return to the inner corner and then draw a smooth line that unites all of the short strokes into a single line;
14. Starting at the inner corner of the lower eye line trace a soft line along the lash line by using a steel grey liner such as Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes 21L Dark Grey (Grey is preferable because it has the intensity of black but is soft enough to not enhance dark circles);
15. Repeat steps 2 through 14, inclusive, for the other eye;
16. Curl the lashes with Shu Uemura New Generation Eyelash Curler;
17. Apply several coats of curling and thickening mascara such as Dolce & Gabbana Passion Eyes Mascara.
CHEEKS, LIPS AND NAILS
Highly-stylised pastel eyes make quite the statement and to avoid looking like a clown, the rest of the face should be light but never bare. The cheeks and lips should contrast the eyes in terms of finish. Instead of applying matte colours, apply some shimmer so that the face has dimension and does not look flat.
Highlight your cheekbones using a soft silver colour and then blend it into the skin. I smile and dab on a few strokes of Nars the Multiple in Copacabana on the apples of my cheeks.
I then take my pointer and middle fingers and blend it up to the hairline, so that the light bounces off my bone structure and looks diffuse. The blending is done correctly when you do not see streaks of silver, you just see definition.
As with my cheeks, I want my lips to look done and have dimension. I use Bobbi Brown Pink Mist Lip Gloss, a soft, iris pink gloss loaded with shimmer. Unlike lipstick, the glossiness prevents the pigment from just sitting on the lips, instead they look shiny and the colour looks fresh. The shimmery finish refracts the light, making the lips look lush.
The nails because of their distance from the eyes enjoy freedom in terms of colour. My spring 2014 favourite is Dior Vernis in Porcelaine, a delicate pastel sky blue that immediately evokes images of Marie Antoinette’s sumptuous gowns, such as the one she wore in her portrait painted by Lié Louis Périn-Salbreux. Moreover given that it is not stark white, it does not contrast strongly against the hyperpigmentation in my cuticle area and was the natural choice for my photos in this blog.
PASTELS: THOUGHTS AND CONCLUSIONS
Pastels can work on every skin tone. For many desi women a full face of pastel leads to wipe out by white out. By focussing on the eyes and accenting the nails, desi women can transform pastels into a statement look that allows them to use colour and contrast finishes for a beautiful effect.
Beauty Tips for Desi Ladies in North America and Europe 