09-08-09 | Posted by Dorene Kaplan

Share this

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Linkedin

Photo Credit: Chanel, Saks.com 

Guest Bag Lady: Arianna Gold

I believe that the perfect makeup is the ultimate accessory. Maintaining your natural skin tone, and giving it a little boost with spectacular accent colors on your eyes and lips, can change your appearance for the better.

Women with porcelain or fair complexions tend to chose lip colors in lighter hues such as pink, nude or peach. Fair skinned redheads look best with apricot colored lips with honey undertones that bring out their naturally warm, reddish-pink coloring. Ladies with olive skin look lovely in golden undertones or any shade of berry or brown. For brown skin, deep reds - brick or burgundy colors – with fuchsia undertones work best.

Eye shadow is where the real experimentation happens. There are basic guidelines to follow with application, but eye color offers an opportunity to veer off course and take a risk with your look. For brown-eyed girls, any shade ranging from plum to gold can really work. Blue eyes look best in the beige to brown family. Pastel colors such as grays, lavenders, silvers and violets make blue eyes pop. For lighter blue eyes bordering on gray, the best colors are deep gem stone blues, greens and charcoal. Iridescent colors really bring out light gray eyes. If you have hazel eyes with touches of green and gold speckles throughout, the best shades are honey golds, greens and browns. Those colors really bring out the tiny shimmers in your natural eye color. Green eyed gals should stick with lavender, brown and deep greens. 

The hottest new eye colors for fall run the gamut. Zac Posen’s Fall 2009 show sent girls down the runway with big hollowed out eyes and huge lashes, and various shades of taupe on the upper eyelid with smoky black underneath. The look was tough, moody and slightly goth – but still very beautiful.

Chanel’s Fall 2009 show was the polar opposite. The “Collection Venise” pulled colors from the beautiful and ancient city of Venice, using iridescent greens and blues to channel the city’s vast watery surroundings. Chanel’s idea of the perfect smoky eye mixes shades of gray and white, a bit more subtle than the typical black charcoal look of a smoky eye.

Reminiscent of the wonderful carnivals of Venice with their beautifully sculpted masks and costumes, Chanel’s limited edition burgundy-red crème shadow is another big hit for fall. Most of Chanel’s fall lip palette is pink-brown, including: Clandestine, a rich brick color, Captive, a classic brown tone, Amusing, a beautiful rosewood, Comedia, a true rose hue, and Instinctive, a pinky-nude. The glosses have a pink-gold base that really shines. All of these colors are really appropriate for any skin color and absolutely perfect for fall.

The “it” colors for eyes and lips this fall are purple or plum. Although they can be a drastic change from your everyday routine, these colors really pop for any eye or lip. Choose a hue that really works for you, whether it is a deep plum or a light lavender. It is important to maintain a balance. If you use a very deep purple shade on your eyes, your lips need to take a backseat. Opt for a nude or mauve color and let your eyes stand out. This is true for both eyes and lips. If you choose a deep plum lip color, choose a shimmery taupe or beige eyeshadow.

Color is key! Show off your personality and make your eyes and lips truly pop this season.