Matching makeup warmth level to outfit?

Sorry, my title is a little cryptic!

I am neutral toned in my coloring, which means I can wear both warm and cool colors (and both silver and gold jewelry). In the book Triumph of Individual Style, the authors recommend that such people wear silver jewelry with warm-toned outfits, and gold jewelry with cool-toned outfits. This is supposed to mimic the mix of warm and cold in the person's natural coloring. I don't have much jewelry, so the jury is still out on how this works, but I feel instinctively like my eye will like it.

Anyway, I have been thinking of this idea with regard to makeup. (I've just started wearing makeup.) Specifically:

1. Do those of you who are both cool and warm colored always wear warm makeup colors with warm-colored outfits, or do you mix and match by wearing, say, warm makeup colors with a cool-toned outfit?

2. Do you ever mix and match warm and cool makeup colors, for example, wear a warm coral blush with a cool-toned lipstick? Or do you always pick makeup shades for a given day from the same warm or cool family?

10 years ago

Alexandra

(website)

Veteran

No, I have one preferred makeup look, which I wear every day. All my colors look good with it. The blush and lip colors come from the red range, eyeshadow is barely there pale pink, mascara is black, and eyeliner charcoal. I don't see the point of changing makeup looks on a daily basis anymore than I would change my hair color with such frequency. YMMV

unfrumped

Both. I usually wear "cool" colored makeup i.e. cooler pink or mauvy tones in blush, but really,very pale peach seems to work and sometimes in summer light seems more natural. And my lipstick, when I wear it, I usually pick with some nude or neutral tone in the pink or berry, rather than true reds--I don't feel as though I can pull off the stronger colors now. I guess I would say that I stay pretty low-key so that it doesn't really shout orange vs. bright pink!

Lyn D.

I can wear both too Gigi.
I always use the same blush, but often put on a warmer/deeper lip colour if I am more dressed-up or if it is for an after-dark outing.

deb

I can wear both but I prefer the cooler tones. Especially with blush. Now that I have my perfect blush I never use any others because I do not look as good in them.

annagybe

I totally switch up my blush & lip color depending on the outfit. With warmer colors I use Nars orgasm blush & either a red-orange lipstick like Heat Wave or a true orange lipstick. Or I'll do a pink blush & true red or pink lipstick.

K. Period.

I switch depending on whether the outfit is warm or cool. If I'm wearing a subtle, natural looking lipstick/blush, then I won't worry about it too much. If I'm wearing a lipstick that is bold, though, I definitely coordinate with my outfit. Of course, it also has to be a color that looks great on me! If it doesn't suit me, I don't buy it in the first place.

I really miss Prescriptives' old color match/contrast philosophy a lot. I can buy them online, but they no longer divide their colors by color family. That was such a fab concept. I loved how they would make colors that didn't seem good matches work great. I had tons of cool and warm reading colors from them that still looked great on my skin.

Aida

I'm also neutral, but for makeup seem to need warmer colors; truly cool colors (particularly the icy tones) don't really work for me. I do switch my lip color per outfit, but it's less of a warm-cool thing and more of a color vibe thing or match to my mood I'll wear all manners of reds and oranges, and mix in some coral, berry, plum, and light pink.

EDIT: Regarding the gold/silver thing, well those I wear with whatever and often at the same time ^^

rabbit

I'm pretty firmly in the wearing cool colors camp, so makeup is a pastel to more saturated version of this. The only exception is those very few rare times when I've been in the sun a lot and have a lot more red/gold in my hair and freckles/farmers tan. Then I do warmer makeup colors.

Helena

I can pull off a *tiny* bit of warmth in my clothing and make-up, but I keep things consistent ... so if cool-toned lip then cool-toned cheek, etc.

Style Fan

I am a warm toned person (golden hair, skin and yellow flecks in my eyes). You could not get warmer than me!!! Strangely I can wear silver and gold jewellery. I wear both at the same time.

In terms of make up I tend to wear the same make up no matter what I am wearing and I change it in terms of intensity if it is an evening or special event. I personally don't see matching make up to clothes. I think make up goes with your face. That is my view. I like to enhance a person's beauty and not see their make up.

Gigi

Some of you have mentioned changing colors with the seasons. Now that you mention it, I remember the SA where I bought the makeup saying that some people do that. Right now I'm feeling drawn more to my cooler colors, so maybe that is the influence of spring.

Style Fan, I had wondered about that point of view too. It sounds like you view makeup like Angie views glasses—the makeup, like the glasses, complements your face. But I can't help but wonder: If a person has neutral coloring and got two pairs of glasses, one cool and one warm, would the person's overall look be significantly better when matching the warm frames to the warm outfit, and the cool frames to a cool outfit? Food for thought!

Totally, Gigi! I don't wear my glasses most days, but I do have multiple pairs (right now, one cool blue and one white and warm tortoise shell) that I wear. They have different feels to them. I used them to compliment and complete a style persona. And I use lipstick as another way to introduce a bold pop of color! Makeup is like clothing. It really can run the gamut for people from functional to self expression. I think of a bold lip as another opportunity for self-expression. Just like a nude lip and bold liner are. I don't usually wear a bold lip with a bold glasses frame because that is too much accessorizing in too limited a space. I suspect that is why Angie-of-the-bold-glasses primarily wears a lip color that is a very natural look.

Adelfa

For warm colored clothes I wear a peachy blush, peachy or bronze lips, and golden bronze eyes. For cool colore clothes I wear a pinker blush, pink or plum lips, and cooler bronze eye shadow.

My foundation and bronzer are always the same, and I always wear black mascara.

Thanks for the input on the glasses, K. P.! I might be getting new glasses this fall, so I'll have to think about the implications of choosing warm vs. cool. (I'll probably be able to afford only one pair.)

The makeup possibilities have been eye-opening for me. I have a pretty basic collection: foundation, concealer, finishing powder, navy blue mascara, plus two shades of blush (warm and cool), two shades of lipstick (warm and cool, with the cool one also being paired with a lip pencil), and three shades of eyeliner (light brown, dark brown, black). I also have bronzer/highlighter and two tubes of Burt's Bees tinted lip balm :^). I hope to have some eyeshadow soon (dark brown) if I can find one that I like.

I'm new to makeup, so I was just doing things the way the aesthetician taught me. But then Deb introduced me to the Lisa Eldridge site, and I realized that I didn't have to do the same look every day! I could do a very minimal look, or I could do a very warm look, or I could do a mostly bronzer look, or I could play up the eyes and tone down the lip, or I could do a bold lip and go easy on the eyes (haven't tried that one in public yet!). And that's when I realized that like you say, makeup can also be an opportunity for self-expression. It kind of freaked me out, because it's like its own "wardrobe": you can pair this with that, or emphasize this instead of that, etc. So there are all kinds of possibilities. It's like having an adult toy box. :^) Unfortunately, it's a bit of an expensive toy box!

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