Violet shadows, malachite mascara, a shade of fuchsia on the lips … Some women do not dare to such experiments, while others are happy to create this colorful action. For yourself or for others?
New makeup collections seduce with color. Bright means full of life: juicy shades attract, attract, push to make a purchase, sometimes despite the objections of common sense. Of course, with the help of makeup – a recognized means of seduction – you can make your eyes more expressive, plump and alluring lips, create a perfectly even complexion and a deliciously fresh blush. But where does the fashion for multi-colored, iridescent, like the wings of a butterfly, shadows on the eyelids, black lipstick, blue nail polish come from? Echoes of ritual make-up, war paint? The desire to hide behind a mask or a kind of creativity, when a woman’s face becomes a canvas?
Give a signal
“Brightness attracts – it is always a challenge, it is a kind of signal,” says psychotherapist Ekaterina Mikhailova. – Moreover, if we are talking about bright, but not natural, that is, shades not characteristic of a human face, makeup is no longer related, as they say, to “healthy beauty”. He frankly declares: “it’s paint”, “it’s (actually) not me.” The desire (and intuitive ability) to apply face paint goes back to archaic customs from the very beginning of human civilization. This is nothing but a special language, a means of non-verbal communication with the outside world. “Applying pigments to the face is definitely a ritual action,” says Gestalt therapist Maria Andreeva. When a woman puts on makeup, she (consciously or not) is preparing some kind of message to the world, a signal that she is going to take action. It is generally accepted that a woman uses makeup to attract a man, but in fact this is not entirely true. It rather turns to its internal resources. The most thorough, the most skillful, or the most striking make-up is used not when going on a date, but to “go out to people”, to communicate or perform certain social functions.
The fair sex uses color to communicate in the same way as wildlife in general – whether it is the call “pollinate me”, “eat me” or “careful, danger!”.
Sign in image
With the help of makeup, a woman creates, enhances, emphasizes a certain image associated with specific qualities. “Seeing this image in the mirror, she begins to feel in accordance with it,” continues Maria Andreeva. – She reincarnates, literally becomes the way she “created” herself – self-confident, experienced and even aggressive, or, conversely, innocent, touchingly infantile. A woman can masterfully use this method to hide something, and to strengthen something, to emphasize something. She creates an image according to the situation, resorting to a targeted message: for example, highlighted eyes – an emphasis on contact, communication, togetherness. And bright lips are perceived rather as expansion, maybe even aggression.
In this case, make-up plays the same role as clothes – filling us with self-confidence, a sense of comfort, security, etc. A woman who is in contact with herself easily joins this game, reincarnates and creates, receiving creativity from this great pleasure.
Change the rules
So, make-up is a kind of mask that hides our “I” under itself or shows certain aspects of it. “Playing with masks, trying on one or another, is sometimes useful,” says Ekaterina Mikhailova. “Sometimes, for example, feeling a little insecure, a woman goes in turn to three different makeup artists to make herself three different makeup options – she is in search of contact with herself, and such a game can help her feel better.” “Such a desire is like a manifestation of inner turmoil,” continues Maria Andreeva. – That external image, which was natural, organic for a woman, suddenly ceased to suit her. Unusual, bright colors become a sign of change, a change of identity.”
In its prime
“Contrary to popular belief, the older a woman is, the more important it is to learn how to use color in makeup,” says makeup artist Andrey Drykin, author of the Beauty Safari makeup video course.
“Natural facial colors tend to lose their brightness over the years, to fade. You can give the image contrast, restore the feeling of brightness of the face with the help of colored pigments, not only natural (natural) shades, but also bright, saturated ones. The face of a woman is a perfect artistic canvas created by nature. But color helps us bring out the best and distract from the unwanted, we just need to learn how to use it to our advantage.
1.Focus on one, but the most advantageous detail of your face: eyes (eyelashes, eyeliners, bright shadows) or lips (shine or lipstick). But you should not use too bright or unnatural shades of blush, this experiment is possible only for very young girls.
2. It is important to determine which color type – warm or cold – you belong to. Usually a warm color type (brown, green eyes, red, wheaten, brown hair) is recommended warm shades; cold (blue, gray eyes, ashy hair) – cold. But I suggest trying out the principle of contrast: for example, you are an ash blonde with a pink blush and fair skin. For the greatest attention to the lips, choose not pink, but orange-scarlet lipstick. Or eye makeup: purple mascara on the eyelashes emphasizes the beauty and brightness of green and hazel eyes, while violet ones, on the contrary, soften and “dissolve”.
3. Don’t forget about harmony: to a bright accent, for example, green eyeliner, you can choose a companion that is more calm in color – for example, green shadows that are restrained in tone or, on the contrary, even brighter, saturated light green mascara. At the same time, I recommend using no more than one bright accent in makeup.
You can try on a different image, change makeup literally at the wave of your hand – this is much easier to do than changing your wardrobe. Like other attributes of fashion, makeup is one way to adapt to an ever-changing reality.
However, not everyone – and not always – decide on this colorful action. Even alone. Inappropriate, ridiculous, out of age, out of status, and generally indecent – about such objections are caused by bright makeup. “Obvious paint on the face is still associated by many with exceptional accessibility,” comments Ekaterina Mikhailova. – In the past, women of certain professions were even prescribed abundant application of paint on their faces – so that they could be easily distinguished from respectable citizens. (Geishas are the most striking example of this.) Now, in modern realities, bright makeup does not always mean a sexual appeal.
To renounce stereotypes, overcome the clichés learned from mothers and grandmothers in the course of the upbringing received, and take a fresh look at yourself – this is really possible in communication with a professional makeup artist. We have written down for you (see boxes on pages 118 and 121) some practical advice.
oral exercises
“Red lipstick makes makeup easier,” says Andrey Shilkov, Chanel’s leading makeup artist in Russia. “If her shade is correctly chosen, then nothing else will be needed except tone and mascara.”
“Every woman can find her own shade of lipstick: there are many tones and halftones. For example, the new Rouge Coco lipstick is released in 30 shades. How to find your color? It is better to start with a visit to the makeup artist. If we compare the process of makeup with filming, then the makeup artist is the illuminator: the right light will breathe life into any frame. And in this light, stereotypes and complexes dissolve. Makeup is a game, and accessible to a woman of any age. We have a prejudice that does not allow women of mature age to take risks. Another stereotype is that for every day you need to choose calm shades, and save bright ones for celebrations. It is from the same series as the myth that foundation clogs pores. This is not true.
Every day, you can use fuchsia, and even orange – such as, for example, the shade of Rouge Coco Teheran lipstick. From beige I will name the shade Mademoiselle. I would also highlight Egerie and peach-pink Ruban Rose. These are win-win options for every day.
And of course, every day you can use red. Red color should be able to afford. If a woman comes to me and says that she never uses lipstick (and for example, only gloss), I do not try to dissuade her. So, the time of lipstick in her life has not yet come. She’s just not ready. I do not persuade, I only suggest experimenting, and in 100 cases out of 100 women are happy to try new shades. Lipstick in the hands of a woman gives her even more femininity and confidence, and it acts magically on men. Take the bottle out of your purse, open the mirror, unscrew the lipstick, touch it to your lips, twist and close the cap with a click – this is an extremely sexual gesture.