EVERY year since 2000, design company Pantone has released a different shade for its Colour of the Year.
Last year, the chosen colour was Living Coral,a personal favourite. The vibrant orange-pink hue served as the perfect shade to influence major make-up trends. Make-up palettes for eyes and face offered coral, which is suitable for various skin tones.
To mark the start of a new decade, the company has named Classic Blue as the colour for this year. According to its official website, Pantone describes Classic Blue as a colour that is elegant in its simplicity.
“Imprinted in our psyches as a restful colour, Pantone 19-4052 Classic Blue brings a sense of peace and tranquility to the human spirit, offering refuge,” says the company.
The colour has received mixed reactions from online users, with some claiming that it is boring and safe while others did not seem to mind. I adore Living Coral over Classic Blue, but I don’t disagree that the latter brings a sense of calmness to the eyes.
The Classic Blue revisits the blue family. If you look back at the history of Pantone’s Colour of the Year, the very first colour selected was a shade of blue.In 2000, the Colour of the Year was a Cerulean Blue. This serene shade was described as a colour that represented the excitement of a new millennium.
I find the blue shade intimidating when it comes to make-up because it can get tricky to achieve a stunning result. But as we are all aware, make-up is all about experimenting with new looks.
Here are some beauty product suggestions that you can match with this year’s Colour of the Year.
STILA: Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner
We’re used to the standard black eyeliner, but if you’re looking to spice things up a little without going overboard, dark blue is a pretty safe bet. Because this particular product is waterproof, it dries quickly and won’t smudge when applied.
For Muslim women, just be sure to take it off with proper eye make-up remover before prayers!
Vibrant and colourful eyeliners were a trend in 2019 and it looks like the trend is continuing this year but adding a touch of dark blue to your
make-up won’t hurt.
CIATE LONDON: Paint Pots
If blue hues on your eyes or lips is not your thing, you can opt for blue nails. Just like eye make-up, you can go overboard with your nails. The Pool Party isn’t exactly a deep dark classic blue shade but it’s still a good match.
BENEFIT COSMETICS: Badgal Bang! Pencil Eyeliner
If you’re into pencil eyeliners, try this product by Benefit. It is not only creamy but also waterproof, so it glides on easily. Look for Midnight Blue.
KAT VON D: Beauty Everlasting Glimmer Veil Liquid Lipstick
This is for the ferocious one — if you dare to step away from nude, pink and red lippies, up your lip game with this blue liquid lipstick. Not only is it blue, it also has a glimmer finish. Look for the shade named Reverb.
HUDA BEAUTY: Obsessions Precious Stones Eyeshadow Palette
Huda Beauty offers many eyeshadow palettes with gorgeous, pigmented shades. This one,curated by Huda herself, includes a stunning variety of blue shades, perfect for the Classic Blue.
Eye make-up is really fun because it allows you to unleash your creative side by blending in various colours and finishes.
The dark blue is indeed an intense colour, so you might want to save it for evening events. This palette includes a mixture of mattes and shimmers — go crazy!
TIPS TO WEAR BLUE MAKE-UP
• When using blue lipstick, it’s best to keep the rest of the face natural with minimal make-up. Since the blue will be the focal point of your make-up look, you don’t want to go overboard with dramatic eyes as well. If you wish, add a little shimmer to the lips to soften up the shade.
• When wearing the blue eyeliner, keep it on the top lid only. You can choose to blend it with some black eyeliner to create an ombre effect. After you have applied the dark blue eyeliner, then take the black eyeliner, trace it along the lash line, smudging it a little to create a gradient finish.
• Similar to lipstick, when you wear a heavy, bold colour on the eyes it is its best to keep the rest of the face natural. A nude lip and maybe a light blush would balance the intense eye make-up perfectly.
An average Jane with a make-up obsession, Syahirah Mokhtazar believes that the journey to the right lipstick shade is akin to finding your soulmate. Join her as she explores the beauty world, one lipstick swipe at a time. She can be reached at syamokhtazar@gmail.com.