Having fair skin doesn’t mean you need to be afraid of getting creative with your makeup. Trying new makeup techniques and colours on pale skin can be a bit daunting because it is so easy to go over-the-top, but with a few tips and tricks, you can give yourself a range of looks for different occasions, as well as simply making your face look brighter and healthier. Here is a basic guide from the experts at London’s skincare clinic, Nuriss.
Skincare
Before you even think about makeup, you need to look after your face and skin health. Using makeup to brighten up your face and cover the occasional imperfection is one thing, but if you’re using it to completely hide unhealthy, blotchy, bumpy skin, it won’t work! Bumps don’t disappear under a thick layer of concealer and dry lines will often catch foundation in them. It is important to maintain a healthy routine of cleansing, toning and moisturising, as well as using masks, exfoliators, serums, eye creams and sunscreen. Check out the skincare range at Nuriss for high quality products, or, if you have major skin problems that you want to rectify, book a consultation to find out what the best options are for you. Healthy skin makes the best canvas for beautiful, glowing makeup.
Foundation
Now that you’re working towards healthier skin, the fun part starts!
Foundation is where many people make the biggest mistake, which is picking a base colour that is too dark for their skin. When you apply your coat of foundation, it will make your skin look paler than you might have expected. Don’t worry though, that is meant to happen, because the point of your base coat is to tone the colour down to the lightest part of your face, taking away the natural colour you would have on your cheeks and nose. Think of it as a canvas that you will add colour to.
The second mistake is choosing a foundation with the wrong undertone. If the veins on your wrist appear blue, then go for the cool (pink) undertones and if they are more of an olive-green colour, go for warm (yellow) undertones. And finally, test foundations before you choose one, and don’t be afraid to try a number of them if you aren’t happy with the first couple. When testing, never use your hand, because it will just about always be darker than your face. The best place to test a colour is on your jawline, blending it down your neck. When you find one that basically disappears, you’ve found your perfect match.
Cheeks and contouring
Now it’s time to add some definition and colour back into your face with a bronzer. Be careful not to get too excited here because your pale skin will not require the same shade as the contouring queen, Kim Kardashian. You should choose a bronzer that is one or two shades darker than your foundation. The idea is to create subtle shadows under the cheeks, jawline and maybe around the top of the forehead to accentuate your face’s definition. What you don’t want to do is end up with dark lines or patches on your face. The key thing to remember is that it’s always easier to add more than take some away, so apply your bronzer sparingly until you’ve reached the desired effect. A gold or beige bronzer is the best option for fair skin. Definitely avoid the browner and redder tones.
Because we’ve included a contour under the cheeks, it’s important to make sure your blush is very subtle. We’re talking a gentle brush over the apples of your cheeks with a soft coral or peach tone that will naturally blend with your pale complexion.
Lips
Photo: Andres Hernandez – CC By 2.0
Fair skinned ladies certainly don’t have to stick to nude lipsticks! Pinks or light coral lips look absolutely stunning on a pale face, often to the envy of people with darker tones, who look completely washed out if they try to use these delicate, pretty colours. From classic icy pinks to warmer honeys and corals, there is a large range of options to choose from for different occasions. And if you want to add a bit more of a stand-out colour, something like an apricot with a nice orange tone is a good choice for people with warm undertones, while medium pink shades look beautiful on ladies with cool undertones.
Eyes
Similar to bronzing, the biggest mistake to avoid is going too dark. Many people try to enhance their eyes with black eyeliner or dark grey shadows. On pale skin, a warm brown will have the same dramatic effect as a black liner has on darker skin tones. It will also look more natural, while still accentuating the eyes, without making you look like you’re trying to join a vampire cult. Don’t be afraid to experiment with eye shadows though. Light pinks, golds and browns are great choices for natural looks, but you can also try orange tones or soft greens or purples for a different effect.
Nuriss is a skincare clinic in central London with a high quality range of skincare products as well as specialist treatments and consultations.
