I’ve long held the belief that key to enlivening skin at this time of year is by adding a little warmth. Don’t reach for your bronzer just yet, there’s a better way to infuse sun-starved skin with life: add a peachy hue.
The addition of peach is virtually infallible thanks to the way in which it mimics a natural flush; all skin tones ranging from alabaster to honeyed hues can partake. Just stick to these rules if you want to enliven your face //
Choose a shade that is the right intensity for your skin / The alabaster amongst you should try a soft whisper of orange shot through with a pale pink and those with darker skins will look better sporting a more bold shade towards the coral end of things.
Start with a feature you’d like to warm and work outwards from there / If, for example, you chose to wear a peachy lipstick, add a dash to cheeks and even less to the socket line of your eye. If instead you wanted to go all out on cheeks, choose a slightly less bright lipgloss – this is about a natural glow, not an abundance of tropical colours.
Keep it soft and effortless / Overkilling this look will have the opposite effect of health and will make you look like an 80s throwback in the manner of Grace, above.
If you want to keep to the whole pretty thing, don’t add another colour into the mix / Peach/pink/coral looks best when coupled with chocolate browns, blacks or natural tones for best effect.
TRIED & TESTED FAVOURITES //
– Bobbi Brown’s Nectar & Nudes Collection / There’s lots of Bobbi’s signature wearability and versatility in this limited edition collection. I’ve kept the pot rouge in Hibiscus in my handbag since I got it as it smooths onto lips and cheeks extremely easily with fingers and can be built up to a more punchy shade. My favourites of the collection, however, are the glosses that come in flattering peaches and warm the face instantly.
– Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette / This palette was guaranteed to rocket to the top of every make-up fan’s most-wanted list thanks to its predecessors, the cult Naked and Naked 2 palettes. It is every bit as agreeable as them and the golden, rosy shades are perfect for infusing warmth into the eye. This is a good investment palette for summer events, too – as your skin darkens (a touch – use SPF!), you can inject more rosiness into your socket.
– Nars Orgasm Blusher / I’d imagine you’ve already been introduced to this blusher that guarantees an orgasmic flush daily. If not, you are missing a trick. A real big one. This is the blusher beauty editors swipe on before going out. This is the blusher models warm their wane faces with after the strain of fashion weeks (poor dears). If all other blushers were to be eliminated in some cruel make-up cull and this one survived, it would all be okay.
– Clinique Soft Shimmer Shadow in Peach Pop / Fear the peach eye not. It is your friend. I lace this colour through my eyeshadow on most days at the moment to stop it looking too flat. Bear in mind that this shade looks best when danced through the socket line, rather than around eyes. If you do want to use this as a lid shadow, just make sure you’ve lined eyes first to avoid looking washed out.
– Liz Earle Signature Lip Colour in Azalea / If you are choosing to make your lips a stand-out feature, this is a really nice shade to go for. Mix with lip balm for a more subtle stain or slick on a few layers for a brighter, slightly glossy lip.
– Essie Tart Deco Nail Polish / I’m beginning to find Essie’s extensive colour range a little draining on the financial front. Every time I browse their wares I find something new and, lo and behold, here’s a perfect peach for springtime. Damn.
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