Welcome to Beauty Prism! I’m so excited and proud to be writing my new Column in partnership with The Body Shop for Marie Claire. I’ve always loved The Body Shop since I was a kid in the 80s. Their activism, care for the environment and fair trade for the past 4 decades speaks for itself. I love beauty and always have. The beauty world allows us to play, express ourselves but also examine our values, aspirations and identity, not only as individuals but also as a society. Join me as we have fun and explore the wonderful world of beauty together.
Today I'm talking makeup colour as it has the power to uplift and really shift the mood. Many of us want to be more experimental but seem to fall into the same old trusted make up ruts. Before lockdown I was the same. I could do my make up in my sleep and in the morning for the school run, I usually did. It wasn’t until I had more time at home and time to think that I busted out more colour. Covid-19 has changed the world and made me think, if this really is the end of the world, I’m going out in a power pink eye and red lip.
Lockdown has taught me the time is now when it comes to colour. Terry Barber, MAC’s Creative Director advises, “If you’re new to colour, make it easy on yourself and just pick one area of your face to focus on. Remember to also pick colours you really like, whether it’s pinks or blues, just try and tell a story. Are you feeling like a princess, do you want to create a Lady Di moment with a pastel blue eye- storytelling is so important when creating the look”.
A simple baby step into colour and “storytelling”, as Terry says is with pigmented eyeliners. I love Revlon’s Colorstay Eyeliner in Sapphire, £6.29, a vivid 80s electric blue, which pops on my skin. I use it to line my lower lash line or it can be used for a subtle kitty Kat flick to wing out your eye look. You can also take it slow by using The Body Shop Paint in Colour Eyeshadow Palette, £15. Mix and match with these 12 vegan shades, which are a mix of safe natural tones and more vivid brights. The pigmented eyeshadows also glide on, as they are enriched with Community Trade marula oil from Namibia.
Make up artist Andrew Gallimore who has worked with Bjork, Rankin, and Cheryl Cole suggests colour newbie’s wear blue or burgundy where you would normally wear black or brown. I love Victoria Beckham Beauty Satin Kajal Liner in Bordeaux, £22, as it’s super creamy and quick to create a day time smokey eye. Just line the upper and lower lash line and smudge and wing out the rich pigmented pencil. To add even more drama, try layering on the NARS Orgasm Eyeshadow Quad, £41.
Coloured mascaras are also a quick way to add a pop of colour to the eye. Try slicking the tips of your lashes with the Ciate x SmileyWorld Keep An Eye On Coloured Mascara, £16, which comes in three shades Be Brave (pink), Be Bold (aqua) and Be Happy (yellow) for a quick colour pop.
If you’re ready to go big when it comes to finger painting on your face, look no further than bright, bold and primary colour loving palettes. Experiment with Anastasia Beverly Hills Norvina Pro Pigment Palette Vol.4 £68, which literally looks like an artist’s palette boasting 25 shades of metallic pinks, silvers, cinnamon and highlighter yellow. Clash violets and pinks or yellow and silver together. Also try mashing up different textures together, like my favourite matte pinks with multidimensional pink shimmer, pressed into the centre of the eyelid, to make the whole thing sing and pop.
If primary colours aren’t your thing, You can instead swop your blah blah browns for golds, which all look great on people with olive and yellow undertones. Marc Jacobs Beauty, Eye-Conic Multi-Finish Eye Palette in Extravagance, £40, has buttery soft pressed eyeshadow powders, which feel super creamy. A sheer wash of gold across the eyelid up to your crease looks very soft and fresh or you can use an emerald green on the outer corners of the eye to smoke it out.
Pastels are also a great way of getting more colour into your make up routine. Lighter skin tones can tap into their inner Elf princess with Huda Beauty’s Rose Obsessions Palette, £27. The sorbet pinks and lemons look fresh, while lilac, lime and frosted sparkles are endless fun to play with.
You can also give a nod to colour with your blush with The Body Shop Lip & Cheek Stain, £8. This liquid stain is buildable for a sheer or full on rosy glow. It looks great on all skin tones and it’s said that Emma Watson is a fan of the Red Pomegranate shade.
A slick of lip colour is also a great way to make a colour statement. You can keep the rest of your make up very neutral and tonal and then go boom with a vivid violet like The Body Shop Colour Crush Lipstick in Nairobi Violet, £8, which offers a high dose of drama and fun on the lips. This creamy and moisturising lipstick, leaves lips soft with Community Trade Marula oil and the lipstick is also rose scented.
Make up artist Ruby Hammer MBE loves wearing reds and says, “ I have a yellow skintone and like to use a red with a blue undertone to help to brighten my face. It just means my teeth look whiter and my skin looks more vibrant. Someone who is Olive or has a lighter skin tone can wear a more orange red, which won’t make them look washed out”. Ruby’s favourite blue red is Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Red Carpet Red, £25. For a warmer tomato red, try Becca’s Ultimate Lipstick Love in Crimson, £20. Slick both colours straight from the bullet or create a more precision line with Ruby Hammer’s Magnetic Brush Set, £28. If like me you’re a gloss gal, the M·A·C Teyana Taylor Limited Edition Collection, Lipgass in 10s Across Da Board,£16.50, is a candy red with a slight pearl and is part of R&B superstar’s Teyana Taylor’s new collaboration with the brand.
Colour shouldn't be intimidating but experimental and fun. Smear, flick, gloss and sparkle your way into a more positive and happy state of mind!
Shop Ateh's top colour make-up picks:
