When you get sick of staring at the same old walls in your bedroom, a fresh coat of colorful paint is the quickest and easiest way to redecorate. The same strategy works if you’re bored with what you see in the mirror. A new shade of lipstick or a bright, shimmery eye shadow can be the ticket to instant makeover. But proceed carefully, because color can make or break your look.
To find your most flattering makeup colors, follow these easy steps:
![]( "How to Choose the Right Makeup Color")
Shop for colorful cosmetics at Vitacost. Are you warm or cool? Step one to picking a perfect color palette is figuring out whether your skin tone is warm or cool. Skin tone, in this case, refers not to the actual shade of your skin but to subtle “undertones” that can be seen in certain lighting. If you’re warm, you’ll reflect more of a yellowish-red or golden color; if you’re cool, bluish-pink shines through. How can you tell your type? Hold a sheet of white paper beside your face while looking in a mirror. What do you see?
- Balance the base. Color choice is crucial for foundation””use the wrong shade and your face won’t match your body. To get it right, consider warm/cool undertones in addition to matching your skin’s surface color. Foundations can be either yellow based or blue based. If your skin tone is warm, you want yellow (look for words like “honey” or “caramel” in the name). Women with cool skin tones should choose blue-based foundations (a name might be “cool beige”). If you’re not sure about a product, ask for help at the makeup counter.
- The eyes have it. Colorful eye shadow lets you have the most fun with your look, whether you want just a touch of glamour or daring, dramatic effects. In general, bronzes, browns, creams, corals, pinks and greens look great with warm skin tones, while grays, blues, purples and silvers complement cool types. For eyeliner, choose brown if you fall into the warm category. Both black and brown both work if you’re part of the cool group.
- Lip service. The finishing touch on a made-up face, lipstick has the power to pull everything together””while making as bold or subtle a look as you’d like. Don’t be afraid to try bright and exciting, just stay within your color group (reds or browns for warm; pinks and purples for cool) for best results.