Published January 15, 2015 · Updated March 28, 2015
Dark Skin:For ethnic skin tones, select soft rosy cheek colors, sultry cat-eyes, and deep plum-berry lip stains with lots of gloss. Darker skin requires more pigment to be visible, so rich lip hues help accentuate the mouth and jaw while keeping up the minimalist look. Avoid true reds as they will clash with your skin tone and look unnatural. For a bit more pop, a honey-brown hue or slight dab of creamy gold eye shadow will bring out your eyes. Especially during the winter months, avoid any unnatural hues when it comes to eye shadows such as blue, green, or purple, or eye enhancers like glitter or shimmer, as they are best reserved for the summer months.
Tan Skin:Those with tan skin can get away with much more color on all of their features, but also have to be extra cautious to properly balance their colors and features well. For dark eyes, gold tones and soft, earthy browns underneath a thick coat of mascara can do wonders, and light eyes are complemented well by dark, smoky browns. Bronze-skinned beauties will benefit from a matte mauve lip stain and very little to no blush. Because dark colors can quickly overpower your face, it is best to choose only one feature to play up while keeping the others muted.
Light Skin:Being light-skinned can be advantageous in the ability to wear a wider spectrum of makeup looks, but its downsides can be far and wide in the realm of being publicly wearable. When it comes to finding the right shade, many factors come into play, such as eye and hair color, face shape, and complexion, so more diligence is required when seeking out what’s best for you. A sleek, classic cat eye is always a go-to look for the eyes, but for the more adventurous at heart, try a cascading black and brown shadow with liquid liner on top. When it comes to cheek play, the soft lighting of the winter sun pulls out all the detail in your face, so it is best to go with a soft, red blush with warm undertones to pull out the color and keep your face from being washed out. Polish off the look with a rosy pink lip shimmer or cherry red gloss.
Fair Skin:Ladies with moonlit skin should be wary of deep colors as they can easily overtake your face, and not enough color can leave you looking washed out. Choose hues that are subtly vibrant but not too dark, just to ensure you’re not inadvertently making yourself look older than you really are. Just a little bit of color goes a long way and you want to be sure you are balancing your makeup properly. The best combinations for pale-skinned pretties are nude cream shadows, soft pink cheeks, and light, sheer lipstick or lip balm for just a touch of color. You may buy into the deep berry lips trend without going overboard by keeping the rest of your face a neutral color palette.
