Colours for your skin
Nov 11, 2010
YOU will all agree with me on this one. When it comes to shopping for outfits, many of us get stuck when it comes to choosing colours and end up blundering.
By Cecilia Okoth
YOU will all agree with me on this one. When it comes to shopping for outfits, many of us get stuck when it comes to choosing colours and end up blundering.
While some colours flatter us, some just do not work for us. We just need to know our skin colour and go for those colours that flatter us best. And when you blend them well, you are already in business — the business of looking good.
Paula Butagira, the Flair and City Beat magazines’ stylist, says: “Before choosing any colour for your skin complexion, the most important thing that matters is the colour that is closest to your face. This can either make you look good or bad at the same time.â€
She adds that if you are dark-skinned, pastel colours like banana yellow and light blue would be good, whereas royal purple, olive green, neutral beige and brown can be very appealing for light-skinned people.
“Avoid colours like orange and yellow that will make you disappear in the outfits if you are light, or look awful if you are dark-skinned,†Butagira adds.
The easiest palette of colours to wear would be browns, nudes and berry tones. Harder colours to pull off are citrus colours, greens, friendly yellows and oranges.
So, which are the colours that flatter us all?
Lavender
Bright purples can be tricky, but muted lavender is universally becoming popular. It is midway between warm and cool, so it suits warm, yellow-toned skin, as well as cool blue-toned skin. Plus, this shade looks sober enough for work — try it if you find black draining.
Grey
Dark grey is like a kinder version of black. It is still slimming, but it does not make you look drained or pale. Dove grey is gorgeous on warmer skin tone, and not as harsh as pure white. Grey tops look great with a red or pink lipstick to brighten up your look.
Red
Traffic-stopping scarlet only suits a handful of women. But true red, which sits between tomato and cherry, is surprisingly flattering. Your best bet with red is probably a scarf or jumper, as such a strong colour on your bottom half can make you look larger.
Torquise
We are not talking harsh aquamarine, but darker, bluer teal shades. These colours work because they are the precise opposite to the pink in our cheeks, which, by contrast, enhance, giving their wearer a healthy glow. Titian haired beauties should pay special attention.
Putty pink
You heard. Not bubble gum, or full on fuchsia but the palest of putty pinks. This tone accentuates the natural glow in our skin, unlike pastel pink which only flatters certain complexions. This shade of pink also mixes easily with darker colours – perfect for a work blouse under a suit.
Black
Butagira says black suits anyone as long as you match it with the right accessories. That is why everyone should have a little black dress in their closets.
YOU will all agree with me on this one. When it comes to shopping for outfits, many of us get stuck when it comes to choosing colours and end up blundering.
While some colours flatter us, some just do not work for us. We just need to know our skin colour and go for those colours that flatter us best. And when you blend them well, you are already in business — the business of looking good.
Paula Butagira, the Flair and City Beat magazines’ stylist, says: “Before choosing any colour for your skin complexion, the most important thing that matters is the colour that is closest to your face. This can either make you look good or bad at the same time.â€
She adds that if you are dark-skinned, pastel colours like banana yellow and light blue would be good, whereas royal purple, olive green, neutral beige and brown can be very appealing for light-skinned people.
“Avoid colours like orange and yellow that will make you disappear in the outfits if you are light, or look awful if you are dark-skinned,†Butagira adds.
The easiest palette of colours to wear would be browns, nudes and berry tones. Harder colours to pull off are citrus colours, greens, friendly yellows and oranges.
So, which are the colours that flatter us all?
Lavender
Bright purples can be tricky, but muted lavender is universally becoming popular. It is midway between warm and cool, so it suits warm, yellow-toned skin, as well as cool blue-toned skin. Plus, this shade looks sober enough for work — try it if you find black draining.
Grey
Dark grey is like a kinder version of black. It is still slimming, but it does not make you look drained or pale. Dove grey is gorgeous on warmer skin tone, and not as harsh as pure white. Grey tops look great with a red or pink lipstick to brighten up your look.
Red
Traffic-stopping scarlet only suits a handful of women. But true red, which sits between tomato and cherry, is surprisingly flattering. Your best bet with red is probably a scarf or jumper, as such a strong colour on your bottom half can make you look larger.
Torquise
We are not talking harsh aquamarine, but darker, bluer teal shades. These colours work because they are the precise opposite to the pink in our cheeks, which, by contrast, enhance, giving their wearer a healthy glow. Titian haired beauties should pay special attention.
Putty pink
You heard. Not bubble gum, or full on fuchsia but the palest of putty pinks. This tone accentuates the natural glow in our skin, unlike pastel pink which only flatters certain complexions. This shade of pink also mixes easily with darker colours – perfect for a work blouse under a suit.
Black
Butagira says black suits anyone as long as you match it with the right accessories. That is why everyone should have a little black dress in their closets.