Facial make-up since time immemorial has been the crux of every woman’s pursuit of beauty. The character of a face is enhanced beyond any doubt when accentuated with the right amount and the right type of make-up. Cosmetic brands all over the world have, and are continuously endeavouring to attain a certain level of precision with their products that may befit the desires of today’s woman.

Be it the unforgettable queen of Egypt, Cleopatra’s pursuit of precision with dark earthy colours, or the late 1500 Baroque era’s  pale chalked look, make-up trends down the years have left indelible impressions.

One can hardly forget the sharp precisely lined eye make-up and the perky red lip make-up that Audrey Hepburn became synonymous with, in the mid forties and fifties. In a similar way make-up styles have created trends upon trends with the passage of time. For example, during the 30s and 40s the prima donnas of Hollywood emphasized on luscious red lips and notably thin eyebrows which according to the time was the ideal for creating an idyllic, mushy look. The 60s and 70s brought the youthful, flowery look of the liberated hippies. This era highlighted both on floral patterns and bright colours as well as deeply intensified eye make-up with dark colours that went along with the disorganized sort of clothing of the time. Both make-up and clothing of that time spoke amply of freedom for movement in large volumes.

Make-up trend of the 80s and 90s was modeled to fit women who became increasingly active in business and in political world. Precisely cut high quality clothing together with slightest make-up using stark earthy colours that brought out a professional yet a sophisticated look became the order of the day. It was probably at the time that the platform for day-makeup and evening make-up was set. Day make-up being minimal with soft colours while evening make-up being brighter and deeper with darker and richer colours.
Make-up trends continuously keep changing and evolving with an attempt to achieve a greater and better look that goes along with the times we live in. The most interesting aspect of make-up trends down the ages have been that irrespective of what part of the world we have lived in, the wave of the most accepted trend  initiated in some corner of the world, has spread the around the world in the about the same sphere of time. In other words, women around the world are more or less in sync with one another through the medium of make-up trends. Women following latest trend in make-up is growing progressively around the world today.

Colours based on metal colours with shimmery consistence that created an out-of-the -world look was triggered off into becoming the latest colour trend during the dawn of the millennium. Covering the face and the body with bronze powder creating a healthy shine both on the face and the body, began during the millennium. This particular trend based on golden, silver, bronze colours have set a new standard becoming the best worn evening make-up.
Our sense of beauty and the beautiful have indeed changed since the beginning of time, and the ways of acquiring such an effect that fits aptly with the modern trend has become even more diversified with the introduction of seasonal colour trends. Big make-up brands like Chanel, Lancomé, Helena Rubenstein, Estee Lauder, IsaDora, M.A.C, Clinique, Shisiedo, Max Factor and many more have based their colour trends representing four different seasons of the year with colours that compliment all skin types and all skin colours around the world.  Today, make-up colour range changes four times a year with each season celebrating a particular colour and style of make-up. Cosmetic companies have their own representation of the season but there is a standard set of colours that they all follow for a particular season nevertheless.

Spring make up 2009

For example spring make-up 2009 was all about clarity, softness with a shade of fantasy. Cosmetic companies at the time released softer pastel collections for the eyes. Violet colour for the eyes was promoted to create a smokey look that usually befit all skin tones. Spring 2009 was all about making the skin look natural, untouched, in order to emphasize the beautiful smokey eye-make up or a strong lip make-up. For summer of 2009, it was bold and bright with eye make-up, so colours like magnetic violets, solid blues, and affectionate greens were the standard colours of the eyes. Coloured moisturizers with good SPF value against the summer sun that was perfect for all skin types were in vogue. Fall 2009 called upon the colours of the earth and the forest, creating a dark deep look with just a touch of golden, chrome hint. The colours of the fall came straight out from the artist’s palette giving a bohemian effect with moss green, rich gold, turgid grey, deep clay and so on .

This winter, the trend is based on the snowy light colour of winter so a lot of light frosted colours are the colours of winter 2009. The snow fairy like look is the look of Christmas holidays 2009 with soft shades of sparkling pinks and purples that are complimenting to all eye colours around the globe.

Snow Fairy Trend Holiday 2009

Similarly nail and lip colours comprise of frosty winter colours representing colours of frost and snow. Thus glistening pinks, light frosted purples, and frosted snowy whites are the colours for winter 2009.

Colour trends in facial make-up following different seasons have thus become  instrumental in bringing out different facets of today’s woman. The seasonal colour changes in make-up tradition has revolutionized make-up trends in a major sort of way that, now facial make-up is much more based on colours of the seasons rather than one look of the year. So whether it is the natural fresh look of spring or the bohemian rhapsodic face of the fall or the snow fairy countenance of winter, make-trend based on seasonal colours is definitely here to stay!

Article published in Shangri – La in flight Magazine, Jan – March 2010

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