Nude makeup: A field guide

by Jennifer Campbell
From top: Smashbox Double Take Lip Color ($25) in "Amaretto", Eye Shadow Palette ($48) in "Monarch" and Lip Gloss ($22) in "Crowned." Photography by Nicole Stafford
From top: Smashbox Double Take Lip Color ($25) in "Amaretto", Eye Shadow Palette ($48) in "Monarch" and Lip Gloss ($22, smashboxcanada.com) in "Crowned." Photography by Nicole Stafford

One of FASHION’s favourite beauty trends this season was the nude face. But this wasn’t about ’90s-style brown lipstick. Runway artists used neutrals to create beautifully layered monochromatic looks, and many purposefully skipped eyeliner and mascara to keep everything uniform.  “A nude face is about blending the right products in the right order,” says Lori Taylor, lead makeup artist for Smashbox (smashboxcanada.com). Below, Taylor shares a few tips for creating the new nude face.

Eyes

A smokey eye looks especially fresh with neutrals—remember, smokey eyes are about technique, not colour. Taylor gave us a great tip for a two-minute eye:  Choose an opalescent shadow and a similar, slightly darker matte.  Do a light shimmery wash from lash line to crease, she explains. “Then, take the matte and go all the way around the eye—you can forgo liner.” Actually, that was more like one minute.

Cheeks

“Women are still not wearing enough cheek colour,” says Taylor.  For this look, you’re after tans, soft peach, bronze, beige—you get the idea. As with the eyes, the key is mixing finishes. “Something we’re seeing right now is something that has a bit more texture; a little bit of luminosity.” Pick a palette that gives you a matte and a shimmer for a more complex glow. A liquid cheek colour is another good option for a slightly flushed look.

Lips

If you don’t have one already, a good addition to your makeup case is a neutral lip pencil. “I really think liners are having a rebirth,” says Taylor. “But you don’t really want to see the lip liner, you just want to define the shape of your lip.” To get the definition without the harsh line, Taylor recommends choosing a pencil just one shade (or even a half shade) darker than your natural lip colour. Use it on your whole lip—under any shade of lipstick. Bonus: It helps your lipstick last longer.

Read more about the season’s biggest hair and makeup trends in our Fall Beauty Guide.

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