The fall season, where everything seems raw and natural, neutral tones are making a big comeback, from intricately nuanced to unexpectedly dynamic these are the tones that define, exaggerate and enhance the natural tones of the face.
Rich neutral shades of chocolate, beige, rose taupe and tan give you the greater access to play with intensity from delicate light to dramatic and dark and to create illusions of shadow and light. Simple yet exquisitely artistic, these rich neutrals allow the woman to be seen.
LancoÌ‚me’s French Coquettes collection offers a metallic bronze lip, while Chanel’s limited edition fall Quadra Eyeshadow holds shades of copper and chestnut, offset by a complimentary pop of soft pink. Dolce & Gabbana’s fall color story includes a mannequin like buff nail and creamy taupe lips.
Beige, taupes, pinks, ivories, chocolates golds, these are the shades that a painter use to create portraits. These shades celebrate the natural beauty of face rather then camouflaging it with too much color. They offer wearability and minimalism.
This classy fall look is in high demand on the runway displaying the whole new world of fresh and eccentric makeup textures, ranging from luminous to matte to metallic. For example, Lisa Butler for Nars defined cheekbones and eyes in sepia and wheat tones, while at Thakoon, shimmering beige eye shadow dusted in the corner of the eye and a smudge of copper on the brow bone gave an ethereal effect.
Nudes and browns are used to create the perfect, three-dimensional skin," says François Nars, founder and creative director of Nars Cosmetics adding, "Neutrals are used to create defined, groomed eyes and brows, perfectly contoured skin and, oftentimes, deep, defined lips."
DKNY’s take on the trend took earth tones into a more romantic territory, with lips and lids painted a red-infused mahogany.
Page used neutrals on the runway this season to enhance features by adding depth and color. "I like to play with dimension and layering," he says. "To make the complexion a little bright, I’ll drop in a bit of blush color. Deep reds also really work great with brown. It’s fun to play with dimension, adding a hint of red or violet so the brown tones recede a little."
De Mey adds that nude colors can create the illusion of everything from a "windburned cheek" to a Sixties-inspired "cool look," depending on the application process and the makeup’s delivery system.
Fall is all about going nude and going natural, celebrating the color of your skin in its own tones. These rich neutrals create makeup looks that seem more fresh and three dimensional rather then flat and heavy.