Trends, for the rest of us

We all love following the latest beauty trends on fashion blogs, pinning up a storm with inspirational looks and following those step-by-step how-to’s. But when it comes to wearing these new looks on our own, many of us are quite daunted by the bright pigments and bold lines we see on the models.

We find ourselves thinking, “Well I could never pull THAT off!” Or, even worse, we might actually try it and end up like this lady:

As makeup lines introduce their spring collections (the Kimara Ahnert collection is coming in just a few weeks!) we’re seeing trends of rich, tropical colors like warm coral, hot pink, orange and lavender. While these colors might look gorgeous in a catalogue or at the makeup counter, they can be a bit challenging to apply for real life.

Luckily, you’ve got us.

Our talented makeup artist Anita has toned down this spring’s trends and given us lots of tips on how to get over our fear of bright colors. Follow these steps for a bold look that will impress your friends instead of scaring them away!

1. When it comes to color, Anita says “it’s all about where you put it”. Use a more pigmented color (like Tango) and blend it all over, then use a lighter color over it (like Biscuit) and dab it in the center to “cut it”.

2. To highlight between the lid and the brow, Anita uses an even lighter color (like Crystal) to brighten up the eye. “It’s important to keep all of the colors in the same family- here, everything is a warm color you could find in a rainbow sherbet or a Hawaiian juice.” She uses Charm, a bright pink in the same color palette, to accent the outer corner of the eye.

3. To add even more color, Anita uses our new Lavender Chill shadow in the inner corner, which she says “opens up the whole eye”.

4. You often don’t need an eyeliner when you’re blending a lot of colored shadows, just mascara. But if you want to add a liner, Anita advises staying in the “soft” category with a shadow as a liner. Here she uses Midnight Blue, a navy that will compliment brown eyes.

5. For the more adventurous, our Lavender Chill shadow can be used under the eye too. To keep the look soft, try placing the shadow on the outside and inside corners of the eye underneath the lashes, and don’t place any color in the bottom center.

6. For even more drama, use the navy liner color underneath the eye and add mascara to lower lashes.

7. When using bright blush, Anita says you should ALWAYS use a fan brush. The brush will diffuse the pigment and give you a more even application. But don’t be scared- bright color is a good thing! For a pop of bright color, try our newest baked blushes Shortcake and Petit Four. And our favorite Lollipop is always a great go-to!

8. With a lot of color on the eyes and cheeks, you can go two ways with your lips: keep them neutral, or use another complimentary “sherbet” color. Try our new En Pointe and Satin Slipper to finish of your bold, bright look in two different ways!

We hope these steps will keep you from shying away from all of spring’s exciting new colors! If you ever have any questions, we’d be happy to help. Call us at 212.452.4252, email us at info@kimara.com, Facebook us, Tweet us, or stop in to see us in person!