Playing Picasso

Playing PicassoSpring’s brave new hues and innovative applications will speak to your inner artiste.

View PDF version here »

The bold strokes seen backstage during spring 2008’s fashion weeks are certain to elicit cries of glee from makeup artists ready to go Van Gogh. On the flip side, their works of art (cautious clients) just might turn tail and run. After all, not many can pull off lips slicked in a jolt of unadulterated claret or eyes masked with a pigmented dash of peacock blue. So when you apply your best, bold brushstrokes to your precious canvases, you’ll have to morph these highly conceptual trends into viable, wearable beauty.

“The average woman doesn’t use her makeup for shock value,” points out Rea Ann Silva, creator of Beautyblender and celeb makeup artist to pop-shocker Christina Aguilera. “You can introduce vibrant, fresh color to your client by suggesting she wear the hue as an accessory to create synergy.” Then, as she becomes comfortable with her blinding coral bangles, your client just might allow you to paint her lips and eyes a daring shade of tangerine, too.

Or, take Iredale Mineral Cosmetics team member Todd Taubman-Walker’s approach: “I always ask my clients, ‘What colors would you absolutely never wear?’ Whatever their answer is, those are the colors I use. I urge my clients to break away from their comfort levels and explore new possibilities. You’ll never know unless you try it.”

And this is the perfect season to embolden your clients with vibrant color choices and sparkling finishes. So grab your brushes, sponges and the newest spring cosmetics, and borrow bits of the following showstopping trends to create your own masterpieces. As surrealist Salvador Dali famously divulged, “Those who do not want to imitate anything, produce nothing.”

—Karie L. Frost
 

More in Home