ONE SIMPLE WAY to UPDATE YOUR MAKE-UP this season …
Max Mara AW18
There’s an overload of matte make-up launching for the new season, and it will make your regular lipgloss or sheer colour feel really tentative and hesitant. Even if you’ve not considered a richer matte texture before, now might be the time to try some full-pigment shades that make the strongest statement: new technology in make-up means that matte no longer has to mean dry and heavy. Leave others to lap up trends like jelly nails and harsh metallic lip colours and keep it simple – just one matte element of strong saturated colour, whether on the mouth or the eyes, is what will look most fresh and modern this winter.
The key to wearing it: a matte lipstick or eye colour works best in contrast to luminous, enlightened skin – so keep it unpowdered and fresh-looking. “Matte applied to a glowy face creates a sense of depth,” says Chanel’s Global Creative Make up and Colour Designer, Lucia Pica – she advocates ultra-matte eyes and lips against dewy skin.
There are fabulous ultra-matte collections on the way to nearly every beauty counter, including Giorgio Armani, Lancome and YSL, whose Rouge Pur Couture The Slim leather-matte lipsticks launch in October (€35.50). But these are the ones we like best:
1 Chanel’s Apotheosis, Le Mat de Chanel collection for autumn/winter features mattes for eyes and lips, and even nails. “As the light darkens outside, you need a little extra help from colour” notes Lucia Pica. “Your features can be made stronger and more defined in autumn; bold, super-extreme matte lips look entirely natural, for example.” Pica describes this as a new approach to matte that’s also translucent and not dry – new technology means that matte now feels like velvet and retains moisture on the skin. For lips, try the glide-on lip crayons (€35) and liquid Rouge Allure Inks (€36), which stain the lips with varying tones of pink. They had us at the packaging, all cool matte black.
2 For eyes, try Ombre Hynose Kajal Chroma from the Lancome x Proenza Schouler – it comes in black, brown, grey and petrol blue, €23 and I like the weighty feel of it and chalkier matte colour. More daring are the Matte Shakers for lips in bright purple and orange. “We like the idea of matte lips against a perfect complexion,” says Lazaro Hernandez of the fashion label. “We usually avoid over-the-top looks, but do like to add subtle things here and there to enhance a girl’s natural look.”
3 If matte still feels too much for you, try these: we always love a berry shade of lipstick for autumn and this year we’re wearing YSL Rouge Pur Couture number 81, a satin matte – it brings to mind lush ripe plums and blackberry juice without being overly dark or heavy, €26. I also love Urban Decay‘s Lo-Fi Lip Mousse (€22), for a soft stain of matte colour that can be worn just patted on so it looks fading and subtle, or layered for full coverage. I highly recommend Frequency, a hot orange-red.
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