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Should I go mahogany?
I have pale skin and rosy cheeks and am thinking of dyeing my mousy brown hair very dark brown. What makeup colours/tones should I be thinking about using?
The first key rule is to ensure that the hair colour you pick has warm, rich undertones and by no means strays into blue/black or deep purple undertone-territory. Stray into this rather 'gothic' arena and you're on the fast track to Scary. Keep the colour soft, though, and the pallor of your skin will appear luminous rather than ghostly.
Add to this radiance with shades that play up your natural colouring. Sheer soft pinks that add an extra flush to the cheeks (a creamy colour stick such as the suit-everyone pink of Nars' Multiple, Portofino, works best) with a similar blushing shade on the lips will work perfectly, while for eyes you'll find this season's trend for pretty, candy-coloured shadows ideal. Try the look sported on Stella McCartney's spring/summer 03 catwalk: paint a fine line of wetted down turquoise green eyeshadow (Estée Lauder's Serpent Pure Colour Eyeshadow is the closest I've found) along the upper lash line, for a flash of eye-opening colour that looks modern yet not overdone. Smoky eyes will require a lighter touch than when you had fairer locks, so choose soft grey shadows and work them in with a charcoal pencil, as opposed to using all-black.
The crux of the colour choice matter is to stick to pink, rather than yellow, based hues (they'll make you look sallow). So choose silvery highlighters over golden ones, and add colour with blush as opposed to bronzer, unless you tan naturally, of course (I'm guessing that this isn't the case by the description you give me of your colouring). The reason? Pale skin with rosy tones will make bronzers look orange and even dirty?not the desired look for an English rose indeed.
Why not chat to other iVillagers about cosmetic products on the Beauty Talk message board. Take a look at some of the LIVE discussions happening now on the board:
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