Pantone’s Color of the Year announcement for 2016 was extra special. There’s not one but two colors for this year. Rose quartz and serenity, a soft pink and pale blue, are perfect to incorporate in your spa. According to Pantone, rose quartz and serenity reflect connection and wellness as well as a soothing sense of order and peace. Sign us up! We talked to Anne Nicolet, vice president of marketing for makeup company Merle Norman, who shared a few tips for using soft blue eyeshadow.
- Use it as a sheer wash of color on the lid, keeping the color focused only on the moving part of the lid. Follow with curling lashes and generous coats of mascara. This keeps the blue hue looking fresh and modern, with the color just peeking around lashes. Pair with neutral blush and lipstick, allowing the eyes to be most prominent.
- Smudge Merle Norman Eye Shadow Sky across the lower lash line, being sure to blend well so there isn't a harsh line of color, rather a softer haze of the blue hue. Apply light neutral shadows like Champagne or sand-toned shade on the upper lid. Use a blush that mimics the hue you normally flush and follow with a lipstick shade close to the same color as your natural lips. The result is a well-rested look.
- To have a little more fun, apply a bit of blue shadow at the upper and lower lash line just at the outer corners. To achieve this apply blue shadow to the outer quarter of the eye at the upper and lower lash line. The key with this is to smudge the shadow so the effect is subtle, not defined lines. Pair with a bit of bronzer and a glossy lip for an eye-popping look.
We also chatted with Kerrie Quinby, director of artistry at Colorescience, for her thoughts on rose quartz for day and night. "The good thing about rose is that most shades are blue-based and 90 percent of people look great in a blue-based shade, so it is very universal," she says.
If you're doing a day look, rose colored lip gloss is a great choice, Sunforgettable Lip Shine SPF 35 in Rose. I always like to keep it light and fresh for daytime. - If you’re going for an evening look, pair a rose lip—either matte or glossy—with a lipliner in a matching tone (Mineral Lip Pencil in Rose). Slightly fill in the lip with liner, then add a pop of color (Pressed Mineral Cheek Colore in Soft Rose) onto the apples of the cheeks, and a nice champagne-colored eye (ideally slightly luminous). The eye color helps the lip and cheek rose colors pop.
"As consumers seek mindfulness and wellbeing as an antidote to modern day stresses, welcoming colors that psychologically fulfill our yearning for reassurance and security are becoming more prominent," says Leatrice Eiseman, executive director for Pantone.
What are new ways you are incorporating mindfulness and the 2016 colors in your spa?