RSSWomen and Cosmetic Advertising
February 14, 2010
Bryan Barron became my favorite Beauty Bunch blogger when he wrote “If you don’t like it, you don’t have to read it” in response to a Comment awhile back. When you’re vague and polite, nobody knows what point you’re trying to make . Bryan doesn’t need anyone to like him or agree. That’s not why we go to work. In the blog forum, it’s appropriate to give it more and be careful less.
He posted recently about women and cosmetic advertising in Hope Springs Eternal, But Why’s It So Expensive. Many women made excellent suggestions about why we are so easily and willingly sucked in by beauty advertising. I think about this topic a lot. I didn’t respond on the blog site because I’d write a page. In fact, I’m about to.
Nevermind if you use the Paula’s Choice products. I ask women why they don’t subscribe to Beautypedia. They see the reviews as just another marketing voice, just Paula’s opinion. Maybe it takes training in science to understand the incomparable value of independent examination based on sound research. All science asks for is SOUND proof.
From the latest popular ingredient’s perspective, science only hears the beat of its love affair with North American technology. Science seems to support only boring, mistake-ridden, traditional medicine. That fallacy is fabulous for anyone trying to cash in on that new ingredient, but that’s not at all what science is about. The Paula group is just looking for sound proof. Why it unleashes such a firestorm of offense and emotion, I do not know.
Women figure that sure, the claims are exaggerated, you’d expect that, but they must be half right. If not, wouldn’t there be mobs of angry women coming after these companies? Well, actually, unless you threaten their children or the planet, women don’t get angry. It’s quite OK to hurt us, we can take it, have had centuries of practice. The advertisers know they’re safe from us.
They’ve become expert at keeping us a little uncomfortable with our appearance. It keeps us buying. A confused consumer is wonderfully gullible. If you have 8 lipsticks all the same colour, then they have you exactly where they want you : uncertain. On the Boss>>>>>Bubblegum Princess<<<<<Stripper spectrum, they want you to the right of middle. We spend ourselves silly trying to look like our daughters. It cheapens us. In the same breath, we minimize and reduce our joy and power when they’re the real accomplishment. Once we’re 40, we deny too much of the good stuff on the inside.
Another common response is “I can tell if something works, and if I can’t, my friend can”. Oh, right. Just like you can identify the vitamins in the food you eat by taste. Not going to talk about that.
Could it be that we don’t buy the face cream to be face cream? When the day is bad, we can always afford a little gift to self. We never expected it to do anything. The bottle says what we wanted it to say so we felt better at that moment. If it made us happy that day, then it served its purpose. We didn’t buy it to do anything for our skin. But habits form easily in the absence of anything better. This is where repeat sales come from, not performance, at least in skin care.
Women want the product to create a safe place. Though the women reading this probably don’t fall into this category, the majority feels better if someone else is going to look after their skin (and their money) so they don’t have to think about it. Paula’s Choice embeds their product in a lesson that’s confrontational and stimulating. So does Colour Analysis, for that matter. Most women are avoiders and soothers, not challengers. They feel too tired and un-confident most of the time to take more on.
Bryan’s question was not addressed to women in general, though. That’s my soapbox. He asked “Why do Paula-educated women keep falling for the hype and the hope?”
Because, every now and again, something that truly works comes along. Once they get the glitches out, like the Vitamin A sisters, a new product might be something we should buy.
At 12Blueprints, Jocelyn Is A Bright Winter. With video! To see the potential in yourself as you never have… and in keeping with the theme that change happens from the inside out.
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Hi Christine,
Interesting article, as always. I just wanted to add one thing. About a year ago I decided to not buy into the hypes and the hopes anymore. Instead of spending hundreds of dollars on promises that would never come true, I simply decided: OK, enough is enough. I decided to go with the basics: a good cleanser and a moisturizer that works for both day and night. And you know what? It felt boring at first. Because let’s face it, there is an element of excitement that comes with spending money on a jar full of promises. It’s like buying yourself a present.
But then something happened: a sense of relief. I’m not tempted anymore by those fancy products, I just sweep right past them. I look at the ads and think: I can’t be bothered. I know what I need: my Nivea jar and my Dove soap (and sometimes my Dr. Hauschka cleanser). That’s it. They do the job. Boring? Nope. There’s nothing boring about having products that work! In the process I’m learning to appreciate what I have and live with what I don’t have. It’s a peaceful feeling. For the first time in my life I’m actually starting to see my own beauty.
Hi Kristina,
How’s the color adventure going?
Simplicity… Music to my ears. More and more so, I want to simplify and realize the beauty of having just enough. I have succumbed in the past to the “never enough” mentality, only to find out it was truly less as the saying goes. Easy to get into a rut of wearing the same all the time because it is too much trouble to take in all that one has. Same with makeup– although I never “collected” makeup, these days I am more strict with myself, and try to stick with just a few brands to keep my head from being in a constant spin. The result is that everything gets to be used or worn.
It seems many of us commenting on this blog are part of the over 40 set–we seem to be wanting our freedom back, to get back to our selves, to move away from the things that keep failing to deliver on may levels, and to find more meaning in our lives, and yes, to look pretty and lovely and beautiful doing it too, as defined by ourselves.
Christine, stay on your soapbox. We love it here!
Kristina,
I agree so much about the simplicity. For me, skin care is preventative medicine. I have a more complex ritual, hoping the pay-off will be big in 20 years. Where I really hear you is with makeup. To FINALLY walk past makeup counters and know there’s nothing there I need. I used to have so much of the same product, because of course, none of them was right. When you have the right red, what do you need 4 more for? It’s like a weight off my shoulders. I do not even get tempted, ever. So fabulous.
Fil,
Thanks for the vote of encouragement! Sometimes I wonder if I go too far. I have nothing against the advertisers, only admiration for how well they do their job. It is up to women to get informed and make good choices, not up to THEM to do anything but present their product in the best light. We need to get tough, but in making my point, I hope that I never am insulting.
Hi Fil,
Oh, the color adventure… It’s a process, that’s for sure. I need Christine to make a trip to our snowy country pronto! I feel so certain that I have it nailed, then the next day I’m back to being confused. Maybe I need a therapist.
Yes, simplicity is sweet music… I guess I came to a point where I realized that what makeup and skincare ads constantly tell us is that we’re not perfect, we could always improve. We could always be better than what we are. We’re obviously flawed in some way or other, but if we just fix this or that, then we’ll be okay. Maybe. Or not. And that’s where I got tired. I used to think settling for what I have meant giving up. But now I realize that it actually means being content and being able to rest in the knowledge that I’m good enough. Okay, so I don’t look like Cindy Crawford. But then again, neither does she when she gets up in the morning! I’ve come to realize that as soon as a woman in a photo has better skin than my 11 year-old (who has the most beautiful skin I’ve ever seen) then somebody’s lying to me. I’m not buying it anymore.
Christine,
Yes, nobody knows exactly what we’ll achieve by using all those creams, potions and lotions. Hopefully they will serve some purpose. I’ve come to the conclusion that a couple of things are what really will make a difference: staying out of the sun (my mother doesn’t have any wrinkles at age 87, and I’m certain it’s because she’s an Autumn who can’t tolerate the sun and therefore has stayed in the shade all her life); moisture (locking it in mostly, since adding it to the surface of the skin only lasts until it evaporates); getting enough sleep and feeling at peace with oneself. After all, people with good self esteem and a sense of humour are often the most attractive ones, wrinkles or not. Look at the beautiful faces of Meryl Streep and Dame Judi Dench. Not a face lift or botox shot anywhere in sight, yet they couldn’t be more beautiful and sexy. Intelligence is another wow factor as well as empathy. I think a person that radiates warmth, compassion and humanity can be extremely attractive, regardless of age, amount of wrinkles or extra pounds. I can appreciate a flawless face, but if it doesn’t contain an interesting personality it becomes incredibly boring in a matter of minutes.
You said it so beautifully…
The color thing: can get tricky. I am currently reading Kathryn Kalisz’s (SCI\Art) and Irenee Riter’s books. Really interesting if you are obsessed with color as I am. Irenee also has a book on clothing lines, and how that relates to the different seasons, that makes a lot of sense to me. I will be talking to her soon, and one of the questions I have is about proportions. I am finding that certain ways of wearing my colors don’t work at all, and other ways, with the same colors, do. That has to do with my own proportions (I cannot do one color for a top and a contrasting color for a skirt, for example, I look like I’ve been cut in half, but I can do a solid base–dress or skirt and top, preferably in one or two of my darkest clear winter colors to repeat my hair color depth, with a contrasting cardigan or a contrasting scarf.). This got me a bit confused and overwhelmed by some of my new colors. Irenee has a page on her site on how black and white contrast should be worn differently depending on hair color/depth (i.e., what the relative amount of black and white should be). I think this is also something similar to what I experience mixing my brights with my neutrals and dark colors.
Christine, have you found this to be the case in your experience?
Kristina, I hope you’ll have a chance to do your draping in the near future. I will probably be doing the SCI\Art system as soon as an opportunity presents itself, although I already have the color book–so pretty… (and so my minimalist stance goes out the window
. This is what I have been thinking about though: if I missed seeing my true colors for so many years, what else have I missed about myself that I would like to bring forth in this stage of my life? This is really what I’m after while I look at the colors God created…
Christine, one more thing that is beautiful: for a person to have the courage to pursue their passion and start their own business in their 40′s.
Fil,
While I learned enormously from Riter’s writings, some of it is too clothing-line oriented for me. I don’t relate to it on myself. Everyone has to put their own spin on all this advice. Matching big colour blocks to hair colour absolutely is effective, but beyond that to the size of the contrast blocks is not my area of expertise. There seems to be too much variability in body size and proportions to apply 1 rule to the exclusion of all others.
I would agree with that, Christine. My preference is to have many rules, all coexisting peacefully…
I still don’t understand the concept fully, though. I’m hoping to understand it better after I speak to Irenee, but it makes sense to me intuitively.
Hi Christine and everyone, just seen the thread on cosmetics and so agree with most of what you say. I decided as a new years resolution to buy the minimum of cosmetics from now that will do the job effectively and try whenever possible to buy ethical as not buying so much, so can afford to pay a little extra. I avoid too many chemicals and colours, which tend to irritate my skin anyway. The last time I was persuaded to buy expensive (Clinque) by a store consultant, the toner nearly took my skin off, I had to wash it off immediately and left my skin red raw. Whats in it? I use it now for getting sticky price labels off items, and its great for that! A woman alongside me in a store last year said she didn’t care what was in a cream, how much it cost, or what animals had “died” in testing it, if it promised to knock a couple of years off her looks, she’d put horse manure on her face. What do you say to that?
Hi Fil, Trisha and Christine and everybody else!
). I tried on all the peaches and apricots I could find, then some browns and khakis. All terrible on me. Then I draped myself with one of my daughter’s shirts that is a cool lilac with butterflies in different shades of plum on it (not a pattern I’d choose for my 45 year old self, but who cares). The effect was mind blowing. It’s like Christine says, I was actually taken aback by how my face was smoothed out INSTANTLY. No wrinkles, no ruddiness, no circles under my eyes. I checked the shirt against my Color Me Beautiful book swatches and what do you know: Summer! I know Christine says Summer is unlikely for me, that I’m more likely a Winter. Well, until a draping takes place maybe I’ll just have to live with the uncertainty. I certainly don’t fit the stereotype Summer with my brown eyes and all that.
Fil,
It’s such an interesting thought. What have we missed about ourselves? I for one really feel I’m getting to know myself better as a person since I turned 40+. I love knowing who I am, what I want, what I like and don’t like etc, but I would lie if I didn’t admit that there are days I wish my hair wasn’t so gray or my skin wasn’t beginning to sag… However, I do NOT want to turn into one of those 45 going on 17-women out there who try to hold on to their youth with panic in their eyes. I want to age gracefully, since I admire women who do!
On the draping… I live in Sweden, so an appointment with Christine isn’t going to happen anytime soon. Color is so funny. I spent two days this weekend in Autumn colors: peach blush, warm eyeshadows, apricot lipstick. At first I thought it looked nice, but at the end of day 2 I just hated my tired face and my yellow-gray hair! So I did a little draping excercies myself (Christine would probably cringe at this
Trisha,
Oh, that poor woman. How sad. Something must be seriously lacking in her life (and possibly in her brain) to say something like that. I feel sorry for people that are so unhappy with themselves that they’d do anything to change what they look like, no matter what the cost in terms of money or lives of innocent creatures. (Maybe if she’d engage in a little self- draping in front of the mirror she’d realize that she could have all the youthful looks she could ever want without changing anything but her wardrobe!)
I used to think shopping for makeup was something I did for fun, but now I realize that I don’t enjoy it. It’s money down the drain most of the time for me since I feel so unsure of what will look good, and I usually end up giving my new makeup away to my daughters because I’m so frustrated with the results. I have so much makeup in my home, yet nothing I feel totally comfortable with. I don’t like having tons of makeup sitting around! I’m the kind of person who’d be perfectly content with 2 lipsticks, 3 eyeshadows, 2 blushes, 1 foundation and 1 mascara. Wonder if I’ll ever get there…
Kristina, definitely greater self-awareness and with that self-acceptance. Hoping that increasingly it will lead my actions and activity in this world to be consistent with my deepest values and a reflection of the talents that come to me naturally and effortlessly, and that meaning will extend beyond myself to others, whether through a “sophisticated” or a less sophisticated path. Sounds like fair enough to ask for, but sometimes it still feels like a tall order. But my perspective is slowly changing…
Regarding the colors (and I still think you are a Soft Summer by the way
, I was thinking about this sometime ago, not only your case, the winter (deep, presumably?)/soft summer uncertainty, then someone else also mentioned an uncertainty of sorts between deep autumn and clear spring (I used to have a strong “attraction” to clear spring when I “was” a deep autumn), and currently as an unofficial clear winter, I feel an affinity with cool summer, even though I know it is far too cool for me.
My thinking was, considering the CMB pairings according to temperature (cool or warm), chroma (clear or soft), and depth (deep or light) — and I’m hoping I’m getting the terms right here, what rearrangement of those pairings could account for the uncertainties above?
The conclusion I came to is that those pairings represent movement between seasonal palettes of the same temperature, where hue is very similar, but chroma and depth are different, so going from one to the other would represent remaining a “cool” or a “warm”, while becoming lighter (or darker) and more muted (or clearer):
- Clear Winter —>> Cool Summer
- Deep Winter —>> Soft Summer
- Cool Winter —>> Light Summer
- Warm Autumn —>> Light Spring
- Deep Autumn —>> Clear Spring
- Soft Autumn —>> Warm Spring
Kristina, regarding your makeup, I think you are already there or very close. I remember your description of candy blush and beauty lipstick–it seemed to have the wow factor we all look for, i.e., perfect harmony with your own colors.
Fil, Kristina, Christine and anyone else,
Just had a thought, has anyone else out there seen a copy of “Fashion Feng Shui” by Evana Maggiore (who is also a CMB consultant)? You can only get it via her American website, but she posts to anywhere in the world. Her website address is http://www.fashionfengshui.com. This system is based only slightly on personal colouring, its more about how you feel in clothes and the type of personality you are. I keep meaning to ask Christine if she knows of it, but the e-mails bounce back for some reason. People are grouped into elements, Water, Wood, Fire, Earth and Metal and so apparently have natural tendancies to wear certain colours and textures, etc according to personality, and personality according to this theory tends towards certain colourings in the person quite naturally. Maybe this is coming at Christine’ s thoughts about colour type and personality being linked, from another direction, and not so daft as it sounds then? Aganist all sense, it seems to work for me, as I fall into the Water group with colouring and personality and am quite naturally drawn towards the type of clothes and colours for this group. The focus is not so much the nitty gritty of personal colouring but how you feel is what matters most. I like it for this reason, as I would personally find it difficult to wear something I didn’t feel was right, even if told the cololur was perfect, which I suspect is the same for most people. It shouldn’t work as a theory perhaps, but somehow it does. It put me in the same clothes as the Creative group the CMB perscribed, so can’t be far wrong. I would say its quite an intuitive approach so if you’re quite close to your own feelings and very perceptive, this might work for you. If you want hard facts and a definate description of exact colours to wear, etc, this is probably not for you.
Also “Colour Revival” which Christine has discussed on this site is fantastic, although the exact opposite, about the nuances of how to decide which season you’re in. I love this book, as it shows examples with photos of real people who are hard to diagnose. The only thing I didn’t like about it is its one of these new print on demand type books (you can get via Amazon) and the paper feels quite cheap, but I suppoe you can’t have everything.
Also CMB have a new version of their book (Published yesterday) on Amazon, called “Change your Looks, Change your Life” or something very close, sorry can’t remember exactly. I am going to send for it for a present for someone, so will see how it differs from the old version first before I buy for myself!
Hi Fil, hi Trisha, hi everybody!
This is so interesting. I read and re-read your post Fil, and I think you’re on to something. Clear Winter-Cool Summer certainly rings a bell for me. I’m beginning to decipher why I’m drawn towards Autumn: it’s the softness. But the warmth just clashes with me, and that’s where I’ve been going wrong. Winter is soooo crisp, and I’m not. Christine, who has seen photos of me and my eyes, says Summer is unlikely because of many different reasons, but mainly if I understand it correctly because I don’t have a Summer eye pattern. But your thoughts on temperature vs. depth are so logical, Fil. I seem to need cool but not clear, deep-ish but not blackened (I need “happy” colors and that’s where I’m starting to think Cool Summer). The funny thing is that my hair and eyes can look very mahogany-bronzey, but when I try on Summer colors my hair becomes dark with FLATTERING silver streaks (as opposed to yellow streaks when wearing warm colors) and my eyes turn cocoa-brown (the blue comes through). It really suits me! It’s actually like seeing somebody new in the mirror, in a good way.
The Soft Summer makeup appeals to me but the palette in the Color Me Confident book is very blah to my eye. What do you think?
When Christine started talking about Jaclyn Smith something began to ring a bell in my head. In some photos she looks very Winter-like, but in others she seems far too soft to be a Winter. I can relate to that. In another post Christine clarified the Winter-Summer issue by saying that black isn’t the color that always makes the distinction between the two seasons, but rather Winter’s blackened blues and greens as opposed to Summer’s blues and greens, which don’t contain black. I see what she means and I also see why Deep Winter is so wrong for me: too heavy, too much warmth, not enough “happy”.
This is so fascinating, I could discuss this with you guys forever!
Trisha, thank you for the link to the site about fashion feng shui! Where did you find the different categories (water, fire etc)? Was it when you downloaded the free 5-page information? I’d love to try it out, as I’m sure there is a link between personality and colors.
Kristina,
If you look on the left of the homepage for fashion feng shui, you will see a section with menu of stuff which is useful, including a quiz. In essence there isn’t much as they want you to buy the book. Also download the free stuff, the audio interview lasts an hour but is worth listerning to as it explains everything in the book really. To give a brief idea though-
Water is the Philosopher. A deeply sensitive person who feels a lot, needs a lot of time by themselves and thinks deeply. Tends to be into self development and personal growth, hates being restricted or held back from dreaming, reality is a bit hard for them, and usually dark colouring, hair, eyes and sometimes skin. Body tends to be quite pearshaped, rounded anyway. They like clothes to be flexible, unrestricted and dark, favour knitted dresses, non restricting fabrics like jersey and slouchy boots and lots of suede, which is soft and flexible again.
Wood is the Pioneer. A very active sort, always on the go, often sporty and quite casual in dress. Health conscious, vital, loves new ideas and highly self motivated, active and can be competative even, loves trying new things. Usually has ash hair, blonde to brown, cool colouring with blue or green eyes, quite natual looking, fresh faced and healthy. Body tends to be quite straight and strong looking, wiry or willowy. Drawn to greens and blues and natural colours, jeans, linens, cottons, stripes, things with hoods and zippers, sportswear, sneakers, straw totes. Things that allow for easy movement, but more casual and sporty than the first group.
Fire is the Pleasure Seeker. Usually have warmish colouring, red or red brown or red blonde or just warm highlights or ruddy skin. Fun loving, extravert, talkative, sexy, charismatic and flamboyant. They will be found in nightclubs, in yahts on the med and trendy spots or would like to be. Usually top heavy in shapes these are the people who like ocelot and all animal skin patterns, the latest designer handbag, bold designs and patterns, very high heels, feather trims, satin, red and more red, bright colours and lots of bling.
Earth is the Peacemaker. They are usually very loyal, very conscientious, quite conservative and tradtional in tastes. Golden brown, earthy looking colouring, brown or gold brown eyes, pale to almost dark. Tend to have shorter, rounded bodies. Go for structure in garments, classic designs, dependable accessories, neutral or safe colours. Don’t like anything too modern or flimsy looking like chiffon. Like tweed, wools, beads, plaids, court shoes, classic watches.
Metal is the Perfectionist. They are the modern chic type in dress, a dread of flashy, always in good taste but up to date. Usually pale colouring, elegant and refined, well organised, cultured. Into art and culture, modern gastro food and the latest art novel and film, mainstream tastes, never avant garde, but will get to something by the time its approved as acceptable to good taste. Tends to the modern end of the last group, would hate to wear anything old fashioned or look conservative but is careful not to look too bling, which they have a fear of. Neat hourglass figure usually, modern neutral colours, ie black or chocolate or beige or whatever is seen as the latest neutral safe bet to wear. Well cut clothes, very simple lines, no extra details, a good but non flashy watch or good looking one anyway, tweaks with the latest accessories, but always very tasteful looking. Expensive looking highlights or hair colour, will look expensive even if not.
Can people recognise themselves here? This is of course a very brief description of each group, but somehow all my friends fall into one or another, so it seems to work.
Hi Trisha,
Thank you so much for this!!! One thing is absolutely clear to me from reading your post: they should label the Water category the “Kristina type”! LOL. It’s me all the way, it’s almost scary. I hate anything that restricts me and I cannot stand sturdy fabrics like heavy denim. I always thought I was the only one… Coloring-wise and body shape-wise it’s spot on also. Wow, this is amazing. Thank you so much, dear fellow Water-person.
Off to read the web page now.
I have never “met” a color analysis system I didn’t like, so I’ll resist getting another book, but only for as long as I can
.
I happen to believe all sorts of things are connected somehow. Our physical bodies produce chemicals that also determine our emotional and mental states. Our spiritual well-being can influence our physical health.
What is difficult to do, however, when looking at a particular issue, is to have all the different factors and facets present, it is just too many variables to consider simultaneously. I don’t think any one person or system ever sees the full picture. This is why I so appreciate different systems and different insights, and the people who have the passion, love and clarity to put it all together, because they show me yet another way to look at an issue.
Kristina, I am now thinking of the whys for the relationships between the seasonal palettes. A few thoughts:
- Clear Winter —>> Cool Summer (possibly the winter and summer types with greater contrast)
- Deep Winter —>> Soft Summer (both have a connection to autumn, and more brown than the other winters and summers)
- Cool Winter —>> Light Summer (perhaps a certain lightness or luminosity compared to the other winters and summers? not sure…)
- Warm Autumn —>> Light Spring (I looked in the CMC book and the models for WA/LS (and also for SA/WS) have a similar “vibe”, but I cannot put it in words yet)
- Deep Autumn —>> Clear Spring (same striking quality and a connection to winter, i.e., more blue in them than in the other autumns and springs)
- Soft Autumn —>> Warm Spring
From what I read, it is not uncommon for people to have eye color in a different season from their skin coloring, especially the “border” seasonal palettes, such as Soft Summer (Autumn eyes) or Clear Spring (Spring eyes).
Regarding your makeup, I would probably disregard the lighter shade recommendations. I have to do that often. The Clinique Beauty lipstick you mentioned before seems to be a very interesting color, sometimes coral, sometimes mauve. If you were to add a rose-brown and a gloss just to enhance your natural lip color, that could be all you need. Have you been able to find any brown and pale pink eye shadows that you like? I am now down to two (trust me, it didn’t start that way…), a wonderful neutral medium gray (Estee Lauder in Slate) and a shimmery champagne (Lancome Maquiriche in Honeymoon–an accidental find, and just my luck, it is now discontinued, and it looks different from the Color Design Honeymoon).
Fil,
Oh, how I love to read your thoughts on color and how it is all connected!
I see what you’re thinking when comparing the bordering seasons. When you say that some people often have an eye color that belongs in their neighboring season, that would explain my dilemma. I have cool skin (proof: warm colors make me green and/or yellow), but my eyes are really warm (Autumn + Winter according to Christine when analyzing the pattern, not the color + Spring). Soft Summer may very well be it after all. In a post a while back we discussed fragrances and which season wear what, and according to Carole Jackson’s list of fragrances in her makeup book, I have most of my favorites in the Summer list (Rive Gauche, Chanel no. 19 and a few others) and a few in the Autumn list (Cabochard, Gucci III, Coco). It does seem to fit the pattern.
My only concern is that the Soft Summer palette in the Color Me Confident book looks very pale. I can’t do the sage, the verbena and very pale rose browns and the grayish amethyst. It’s too dusty for me. The Summer colors in my original Color Me Beautiful book are much more saturated, cleaner in a way. I love the medium blue, the pastel and rose pinks, the watermelon, the dark rose browns etc. Does that mean I should look more to Cool Summer, or does that mean that the Color Me Confident palettes are not the best example of Soft Summer? I have no idea how they compare to the Sci/Art system, of course. One day when I’ve figured out my season I would like to buy a palette from Christine, but I would like to get the right one…
Cliniques Beauty lipstick is indeed a beautiful color! But on the days I need it the most (when my bloodpressure is low and my lips are deathly lilac) it tends to look a bit orange at times. The Violet Berry Christine suggested for Soft Summer is better those days, but I would have needed it to be a teeeeeeny bit less blue. A deep rose would probably be a great color for me, but most roses tend to be too light on my lips and that looks cheap and old lady-ish. Since my lips are so pale I need color, but not too dark. Ah, the fine line between good and bad.
Oh, I forgot to say that no, I haven’t found those eyeshadows yet. I look for them or something similar every time I go to the stores, to no avail. I guess eBay is my next option. I did see a Guerlain quad that was just soooo beautiful. It was called Rose Boisé of course (like most blushes and eyeshadows I’ve liked in the past have been called that or Rosewood in English). But the price was outrageous, something like 80 dollars!
There are cheaper alternatives I’m sure, but I haven’t found them yet.
And about lipstick: the rose brown you mentioned sounds like it would be the perfect color for me. I had a lipstick in that color when I was younger, but they don’t even make that particular brand anymore, let alone the color. I guess Color Me Beatiful’s web shop (in the UK) would be an alternative, or the Jane Fardon one perhaps.
Kristina,
Sorry, I meant Clear Winter (Spring eyes) above, not Clear Spring (Spring eyes).
I am going to think about the Soft Summer/Cool Summer dilemma, it is interesting and I love a challenge! Honestly, I think these are really the only two options I would consider for you.
Talk to you soon!
Fil,
You are so kind to give me your thoughts and to share all that you know in this. I truly appreciate it, thank you so much! This color issue should have been solved for me years and years ago – I mean, I got the Color Me Beautiful book in 1982, and my first analysis with a professional was in 1992! Still, better late than never. I’m so happy I found this site and you wonderful women who post here!
Kristina,
Just to let you know I moved the discussion to the Soft Summer thread.
http://www.agreenertea.com/makeup-model-soft-summer/#comment-1911
I am the one who should thank you for indulging my opinionating to no end, but it is so much fun…
I used to subscribe to Paula’s newsletter – but stopped. We are being bombarded with so many new products – enough. I have pared down to a gentle cleanser (Cetaphil), a daytime mositurizer with sunscreen (Clinique Superdefence SPF25), and an exfloiant (Clinique 7 Day scrub- once a week) and a night cream, and my skin looks great. I no longer have break-outs, redness, etc from all of the new products. Also I go reactions to Paula’s products! For skin care, simple is best and be gentle.
The secret to anti-aging is a mositurzer with sunscreen 365 days a year.