Colour cosmetics trends assessed

Often affiliated with breast cancer awareness campaigns (though a number of celebrities have been posting carefully lit ‘no makeup’ images for some time) the trend has received considerable coverage in the media and sparked debate about the role of makeup in the lives of women. The explosion of no makeup selfies also fits well with the ‘barefaced beauty’ trend that has been progressing since 2012. The barefaced beauty trend requires people to adopt a ‘less is more’ approach, which may necessitate regular facials, creamy nude hues and sparkle-free bronze tones.

While the prospect of no makeup images and barefaced beauty may not initially sound very promising for cosmetics manufacturers, the reality is that to achieve the impression of little or no makeup still requires the use of products – just certain types and applied in specific ways. It will also mean more attention is paid to the health of the skin, and therefore more people will be considering what cleansers, exfoliators and moisturisers they use. Although avoiding the obvious use of makeup, consumers will still be keen to achieve a flawless look to their skin.

The minimal look is also achieved through using sculpting techniques to emphasise facial features, so people will be reaching for their bronzer and blusher to do this. Perhaps the most effective way of highlighting features is through the use of an illuminator (for instance Touche Eclat from Yves Saint Laurent) which reflects light, smoothing out contours and creating a healthy, natural glow.