Rocking a one-color makeup palette just needs a few tweaks.
Washed out. Bland. Flat. Mention monochromatic makeup to your clients and these lackluster adjectives might spring to their minds. Who wants a head-to-toe—or rather, forehead-to-chin—look that’s all one color? Apparently, fashion designers do because the single-chroma movement popped up on the Etro, La Perla and Jill Stuart catwalks, just to name a few. Your clients needn’t dismiss this mono-rific trend; in fact, you can help them catch mono makeup mania with a few educated tweaks.
First, assess your client’s skin tone. The shades you choose should be slightly darker than your client’s natural skin color, according to Colorlab Cosmetics education director Lisa Ryan.
Look at the skin’s undertones, says Arlyne Roer, president of Joey New York. “In order to interpret this look without your client appearing lifeless, use colors such as taupe and beige that have a hint of pink or peach undertones; these undertones will work to pump life back into the face.”
Celebrity makeup artist Debra Macki agrees. “If your client’s skin has warm undertones, choose a yellow-based family of nudes. For clients with cool undertones, pink-based nudes will suit their skin best.”
Then focus on the features. To avoid a blank—or featureless—face, Ryan suggests warming up beige eye shadow with a strategic touch of peach or rust (depending on skin tone level); making sure neutral blush allows only a hint of peach or pink to show through on the apples; and applying nude-brown lip liner to the entire lip and then swiping a light coat of soft peach, red, pink or berry gloss over the liner “so that lips aren’t lost on the face,” says Ryan.
Sormé Lipstick in Guess, Pumped Up and Smile
Mineralogie Lip Gloss in Moonstone
Joey New York Collagen Boosting Lip Gloss Duo in Subtle/ Brown Sugar
Colorlab Cosmetics Mineral Eyeshadow in Nature’s Shimmer
Jane Iredale PurePressed Eye Shadow in Allure and Shell
Von Natur Eye Colour in Agate
Mineral Mine Lip Liner in Sandstone
Aveda Shimmer Accents in Moonstone
Debra Macki Blush in Fairy
