It’s only two days until Easter, and store shelves are brimming with an abundance of green things. Mother Nature has a lot of green going on, too, as skittish plants and flowers finally make an appearance after a long, dreary winter. (Crocuses, I don’t blame you- I’d have stayed underground until mid-April too, if I didn’t need to replenish my eyeliner stocks.)
Green is one of those shades that may seem a bit scary and potentially unflattering in the pan, but many shades of the color really do complement all skin tones. Whether you have brown, blue or green eyes, the hue has a magical ability to look amazing on anyone. That’s not to say greens are foolproof- it’s a fine line between “fresh, springy look” and “extra on the set of Wicked.” Here are five vibrant but wearable greens for every skin tone.
1.) Sephora by OPI in Gleek Out: An amendment to the “not foolproof” rule is fingernails, which are relatively easy to rock in any color for anyone, ever. Sephora by OPI’s limited edition green in honor of Glee makes up for not being minty-green with a wealth of subtle gold shimmer. It’s not “Ballet Slippers” or “Fiji,” but as far as green polishes go, it’s very demure and feminine.
2.) Urban Decay Eyeshadow in URB: My very first makeup gig was freelancing for Urban Decay at the Sephora in Times Square, and I quickly discovered how universally flattering this shade could be. Ethereal paired with pink lips and cheeks and bold and retro with a red lip, Urban Decay’s URB couples well with basic neutral shimmers and looks fantastic set off with a thin touch of sharp black liner.
3.) Shiro Cosmetics Loose Vegan Eyeshadow in Acid: Indie makeup brands are a little controversial in the beauty blogosphere- some cosmetic junkies swear by their favorite little Etsy shop, while others are only into product that comes from a coast-to-coast name brand shop like Sephora or Bloomie’s. I’ve found most indie beauty sellers fantastic to deal with, and the minor variations and customized nature of some of the products can be huge selling points. Shiro Cosmetics’ Acid pigment is loose, so it’s more suited for an all over green look. This little pot of pure color and the “Series of Tubes” (win!) gloss-stain hybrids are on my buy-very-soon list.
4.) MAC Eyeshadow in Swimming: Another assertive shimmer shade, MAC’s Swimming is hugely popular among the brand’s artists as well as their fanbase for its strong pigmentation but not-overwhelming hue. A little tiny pop of Swimming with Dubonnet and clear Lipglass is one of my favorite more intense night looks.
5.) NARS Liner in Patmos: If you’d like a tiny hint of green but not a full on shimmery eye extravaganza, NARS’ Patmos liner, described as a “khaki” green, is subtle enough to work for a conservative office environment while still lending that not-entirely-neutral green mojo. This eminently wearable shade is excellent for redheads.
Do you have a favorite grassy green color for warm weather? What’s your go-to green strategy?
