After 9

Do you ever get confused when selecting your evening shades that will bring out the best in you after sunset?  Although spiced-up neutrals can get the majority of skin tones through a summer day and positively glow in natural light, a tawny face can seem sallow after the sun sets.

Enliven your look this summer by playing up either your eyes or lips, leaving the rest of your face monochromatic ~ the effect is bound to get attention as the bolden contrast accentuates shadows with various lighting.  To do this you need to choose a satin-finish foundation.  At night, matte shades look dull and dewy ones look greasy.

When your eyes or lips are the center of attention, use a light hand when applying blush.  Choose a blush with a satin texture to keep a warm and natural look adding definition to your face.  Sweep the blush from under the cheekbones all the way up to the ears.  Building the colour gradually ~ it’s easier to add than to take away.

To create your evening “eyes”, trace the top and bottom eye lash lines with medium brown matte liner ~ be careful to get between each lash.  If you run over your make-up with a cotton swab it will help fill-in any spots.  Dust your eye lids with a shimmery brown eye shadow for added depth, blending it with a skinny, natural hair brush.

Lips that stand out in the evening deserve special attention with bold shades of apricot lipstick.  It’s an unexpected statement giving the face life.  Those who prefer gloss should look for transparent shades of pale peach ~ goopy, sticky gloss in a hot colour doesn’t look elegant.  The safest way to go for that elegant look is use slick nude colours with a topcoat of clear gloss ~ the gloss will help the colour shine and keep it from disappearing in the dark.

There’s nothing like a hint of sparkly eyeshadow to add a flirty twist to a glam night out.  Jan Thomas, chief make-up artist for Max Factor says, “To make your eye colour pop, choose a colour from the opposite side of the colour wheel.” He adds that blue and green eyes work best with warmer shades like golds and pinks, while hazel and brown eyes benefit from cooler shades, like green and blue.