Add a Pop of Color
LESSONS:
ADD A POP OF
COLOR
Our experts break down how to add bold bursts of color to a neutral palette to create a fresh and striking summer look.
- Written By
- LENA RAFF
- Photography By
- GUY AROCH
- Creative Direction By
- VICEN AKINA
- Makeup By
- LAURE DANSOU
- Hair By
- HOLLY MILLS
- Styling By
- COCO CASSIBBA
- Nails By
- HOLLY FALCONE
Something about summer–the heat, the lingering light, the crackling electricity in the air–makes us want to add a little touch of something special to our everyday looks…something that makes them come alive with a zing, like a bolt of lightning in a sudden, unexpected seasonal storm. Bold pops of color may not feel as easy to pull-off during the day as a go-to brown eyeliner look paired with a clear minimal gloss, but when you break it down, as we have here, it’s much simpler to add a powerful color pop than you might think.
For a truly fresh, sophisticated look that incorporates a little “oomph”, turn to that old adage–less is more and start by creating a canvas of even, flawless skin (we recommend Hanacure’s Nano Emulsion for instant hydrating and brightening in a lightweight, summer-appropriate texture). Then, as makeup artist Ashley Cornett says, “Establish the architecture of the face,” by carving out key zones: amplify lashes using Surratt’s Eyelash Curler and Victoria Beckham’s Future Lash Mascara for a your’s-but-better effect, and set and define brows with MAKE Beauty’s Clear Brow Gel. The key is to keep everything else neutral and clean, choosing a single area to add a bold color, like eyes (with MAKE’s waterproof Continuum Gel Liner) or lips (with their hydrating, never sticky Serum Balm Intense).
Ami Colé’s Founder & CEO, Diarrha N’Diaye-Mbaye draws an apt parallel to styling clothes,“It’s like mixing cheetah print into your wardrobe,” she says. Meaning, you wouldn’t necessarily dress head-to-toe in a loud print, you would incorporate it into your outfit with a single piece, keeping the rest of the ensemble simple. The same goes for putting together this kind of makeup look. N’Diaye-Mbaye gives an example, “For days when I am grabbing my classic red lip, my face is bare with a touch of mascara.”
With this minimal approach in mind, we’ve curated a list of ten bare and bold essentials to help you pop this summer.