Pastels for Spring: Innovative, since Meryl Streep didn’t quite talk in The Devil Wears Prada.
Every April, sugary, cloying shades appear on the runways and cosmetics shelves, just as, every April, many of us discard them without a second glance.
This year, the insult is added to the injury thanks to the appearance reminiscent of the one last seen under the fringes of the 80s. ‘The horror!’ exclaims a friend when I suggest wisteria eye shadow.
And yet, pastels can not only look very 2024, but also extremely flattering, especially against gray hair, as they provide not only a light color, but also a soft and shiny one to paler skin tones. Witness how fabulous Josh Wood’s Pink Quartz, Blue Reef and Peach Blush hair polishes (from £5, joshwoodcolour.com) can look on silver locks.
Givenchy is famous for its intelligence with its multi-dimensional pastel powders, which means its makeup artist, Claire Mulleady, is my first port of call for wisdom.
Pastels can be not only very typical of the year 2024, but also extremely flattering, especially against gray hair, since they provide not only a light color, but also a soft and shiny one for paler skin tones.
“A soft pastel liner on your upper or lower lash line, like the Givenchy Khol Couture Waterproof in Lilac (£21, Givenchybeauty.com), gives you a modern dose of color without looking over the top,” she explains.
‘Keep the line sharp or blend for a subtle watercolor effect. Finish with black mascara to avoid feeling washed out and pair it with a bright, dewy complexion. The key is to keep everything else reduced and undone.”
‘If you’re not sure what color to choose, choose a shade that matches your skin. For cool tones, pastels like icy blues or mint greens work well, while corals and yellows work best with warm skin tones.
She’s not wrong. Cool people with bluer veins, like me, will want to opt for baby blues, pinks, and lavenders. People with warm complexions, with greener veins, will suit sunny yellows, soft pistachios and apricots.
If you want to add a symbolic touch to pastels, Maybelline Tattoo Liner in the shiny silver 812 Lavender Light (£4.08, notino.co.uk) will work well for the former; Victoria Beckham Satin Kajal Liner in Seafoam, a pale matte green (£30, victoria beckhambeauty.com) for the latter. While women who sit neutral (neither warm nor cool) may want to think about what kind of contrast will make their eyes really stand out.
For me, joy is, if not full, fuller. Besides eyeliner, I crave eyeshadow, blush, and a lip. One approach is to work from what suits you best in a bold shade and then set it to a softer, less saturated shape. As an example, my beloved purplish berry turns into lavender. For you, it could be a coral turning into a peach.
The easiest and most contemporary way to create a face full of pastel inspiration is to head to a Dior counter and let yourself go. To indulge my lilac love, I picked up a Diorshow 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette in Pastel Glow (£58, dior.com) (warm ladies will prefer the beige Coral Flame quintet, £58).
Next, I bought a Rosy Glow Blush in Pink Lilac (£34), (Coral, £34, is a perfect equivalent for the less cool types) and a Lip Glow Oil in Pink Lilac (£32) (again, Coral, £32 , for people with warm complexions).
UK beauty expert Hannah Betts recommends the Diorshow 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette in Pastel Glow
The sheer lip keeps things modern. And Claire is right: a bright, dewy complexion is key. This is not our mother’s very powdery 60s pastel look. She’s a juicier, more natural-looking 21st century incarnation.
Other pastel passions include Vieve’s Eye Wand shadow in lilac (£23 vieve.co.uk), as simple as it is sophisticated. Fenty and Morphe have fantastic warm pastels; The Morphe Quad Goals Multi Palette in Fresh Peach (£16, uk.morphe.com) is an incredible combo that spans eyes, lips, cheeks and shimmer.
Experimenters will go wild over Morphe’s Artistry 35Y palette (£28), which it describes as 35 “enhanced” pastels.
Sisley’s Phyto-Blush Twists (£60, sisley-paris.com) are surprisingly fresh. The same goes for Glossier’s Balm Dotcom (£14, glossier.com). Strawberry is last, mango an apricot rose, but I’m obsessed with lavender.
BUY TOWARDS IT!
The truly epic new Lancome Hypnose Drama Mascara (£23.20, lookfantastic.com) launched last week. It is the brand’s most spectacular mascara to date. Apply in a zigzag pattern to create longer, fuller-looking lashes without clumping or smudging. Its 2 percent adhesive complex allows for 17 times more volume after two coats. Awesome.
MY ICON OF THE WEEK
Anne Hathaway
Anne Hathaway, 41, takes care of her skin by using La Roche-Posay sunscreen daily
The Mothers’ Instinct star, 41, has a London facialist: massage queen Su-Man Hsu (from £260, su-man.com). Beyond this, La Roche-Posay SPF is non-negotiable (from £16, boots.com). Anne also admires Chantecaille Bio Lifting Mask (£152) and Westman Atelier Vital Skin Foundation Stick (£62, both at cultbeauty.co.uk).
FIVE SKIN PACIFIER
(£50, dior.com)
Now with pink houndstooth checks to celebrate the first birthday of the successful balm.
(£38, skinstitut.co.uk)
An intense ceramide ointment that soothes skin prone to eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis.
(£16, marksandspencer.com)
Softens lips, soothes hands, nourishes cuticles and protects from wind burn.
COSMETIC CRAVING
The pleasure of a bubble bath is unbeatable.
However, such foam can be dry. Past a certain age, our time in the bath should be as nourishing and relaxing as possible, which is why many of us turn to aromatherapy oils.
Neal’s Yard Beauty Sleep Foaming Bath (£19, nealsyardremedies.com) brings the two together: it produces a luxurious foam that doesn’t dry out the skin, with divine essential oils of ylang ylang, patchouli and sage to help you relax before bed. It smells sublime.
I wish I could say more about its intoxicating delights, only my boyfriend keeps stealing my supplies, so I’m lacking experience.
I insist that you store us both immediately, or my revenge will be bloody and terrible.