I am a redhead with very pale skin. I always leave the makeup counters looking way too made up; never finding that "natural" look I crave. Help?
You are so lucky to have the natural, even regal, coloring admired by so many -- in Renaissance art, in romance novels, even in to today's Hollywood (Nicole Kidman, anyone?). Celebrate it! You have naturally vibrant coloring, so the intensity of contrasting makeup colors is something darker-skinned Latin, South Asian, and African beauties can wear so well, but just won't wear well with your fair complexion.
Renaissance artist Sandro Botticelli got it right with his paintings of delicately featured, wonderful females with flowing red hair and the most sensitive of demeanors; could anyone have a better beauty role model? I think not. Here's how to enhance your natural radiance without looking too made up:
- For lips and cheeks, I love the look of pale blue-pinks on redheads, or the sheerest golden amber hues.
- For eyes, try the subtlety of a shimmery gold, copper, or khaki.
- For the most natural look stay away from oranges and orange-reds (so harsh); browns (too muddy) and purples (too freakish).
- For lining eyes, choose a muted charcoal gray/black. Line the top of the eyes only for day, but for night, try smudging a tiny bit under the outer corners for a bit of mystery.
- For eyelashes, curl them, then apply a light- to medium-brown tinted mascara. Wipe the wand first to prevent clumps.
- For eyebrows, do not darken them. If you do need to fill them in, choose a color a shade lighter than your hair. Dark eyebrows on your fair complexion look startlingly inappropriate.
