It all began with Benetint. A product first designed for strippers, to tint their nipples so that they would be more seductive. Most people, of course, just dab this liquid on their lips and cheeks. It's a rose-scented liquid, red in color and sheer in application. And it's spawned off any number of copycats, first in the selfsame liquid form, then as gels, creams, liquid-gels, jellies, balms, felt-tip pens, just about everything. For example: Tarte Flush Cheek Stain, Philosophy the Supernatural, Origins Pinch Your Cheeks, Paula Dorf Candy Apple Cheek Color Cream, MAC Cheek Jelly, L'Oréal Rouge Gel blush, Stila Rose Convertible Color. My personal favorite of this trend is L'Occitane Teinte Baume, an afforable $12. It comes in a discreet, apothecary-like tin, teeny enough to slip into a pocket. Inside is this lovely creamy smelling (the shea butter) balm with the perfect consistency: not too waxy, not too sheer, not too sticky. In fact, it blends very easily and smoothly. On pale, translucent skin it's romantic, under freckles, absolutely delicious, on dark skin, deeply alluring, on tanned skin, extremely flattering. The reason behind its success is that it mimics the natural effect of a true blush, a rush of blood to the skin. It's a soft berry, but it's sheer, and tempered with muting agents like brown, so it's not garish. Think of it as Benetint in a hopelessly chic tin... perfect on any complexion, but easy enough for the palest of the pale to manipulate. Dab softly for a hint of flush, or rub vigorously for a fevered ice skater's cheeks. If, however, you are leery of cream, liquid, or gel blushes, or just prefer powder blushes, allow me to suggest Nars Desire, which is a bright, graish pink in the pot, but affects the same, bloodrush glow. It's my favorite blush, in fact, and I can't imagine life without it.
I'm terrible when it comes to recommending lip colors, at least compared to my skill with eye colors. But two products reside in my mind as beautiful colors that would work on almost anyone. Stila Blush Lip Shine is a jazzy, yet subdued pink glimmer. Touched with brown, tempered with soft shimmer. Chic and sophisticated, but still sweet, very innocent. It's like Jane's Loco Cocoa lipstick, but reincarnated into a gloss (it's a more muted). A cute and perfect gift to get for a cosmetic inept—it's that easy to wear. If you prefer lipstick, however, MAC O is the most perfectly universal color out there. There are very few it doesn't look smashing on. I could describe, say that it's a plum-rose-berry-red with bronze-and-gold frost, but a description is essentially meaningless for O. It morphs to look different on every complexion. On me, it's more a muted rose-plum with gold shimmer—I apply it sheer like a stain.
And here, just as a tribute, since you can't get it anymore, Jane Loco Cocoa Lipstick. Speaking of, here is the one, the original, muted rose iridescence, infused with hints of peach and plum. A true chameleon of a shade, shift its allure with any gloss or lip pencil. Even differring application methods reveal new sides to it. A special, unique shade, yet quiet enough for everyday wear.
Revlon Brown Suede Softstroke Powderliner, an everyday chocolate, dusted with a hint of amber shimmer. What makes this special is that it glides on lids like silk, no tugging whatsoever. Easiest pencil liner to use, ever. A no brainer color that isn't boring, because it got the tinest little kick to it. It can be a bit tough to locate, however, so try L'Oréal's Wear Infinité pencil in Brown Suede, which is the same shade under the same name.
Nars All About Eve (great movie) eyeshadow duo is the shadow to go for if you just don't have a clue. THE universal eyeshadow color, that is, a champagne. Think beige with shimmer, and you've got a champagne. It comes in many incarnations, from a very pale, whispering hue (Stila Starlight), to a glittery explosion (Urban Decay Midnight Cowboy), to a pinkish-peachy frost (Stila Kitten), to an antiqued sparkler (MAC Magrittes Paint). All About Eve, here, has a soft, slightly peachy medium-light color, and a more neutral, lighter one. It's as basic as they get. The shimmer isn't too harsh; it's got just the right amount of substance, a little bit of brown depth, to be universal. It looks flattering on any lid, because it's so close to the natural shade of skin.
Another discontinued product, Jane Purple Heart Eyeshadow. It's the color... bold, daring purple shimmer in the pot, quiet grayish-violet iridescence on. No product ever truly compares to its unexpected complexity, but a similar effect can be had from Prescriptives Fig Softlining Pencil. It's the shade to slip into for smoky, sultry eyes. A light line (using an eyeliner brush) is natural enough for day wear, but a heavier hand will yield to the temptress within. Enough gray to be neutral, but the violet, which flatters any eye color, gives it a little kick.
I have to admit, green is not a color I deem universal. But Urban Decay Urb eye shadow is such a soft, celadon green that it would flatter anyone. And if you don't like the gold microglitter (it's very subtle) imbedded in it, Paula Dorf has a color just like it, sans glitter, Enchant. The green is so muted, and so demure, no one need fear it. It's especially flattering on brown eyes. But if you insist on a more natural color, try Nars Ashes to Ashes, which goes on sheerer than it appears. It's a softly luminescent brown, somehow warm and cool at the same time. Looks stunning on blue eyes, but is overall gorgeousness on everyone. Sunday, October 27, 2002 »0 comments
