Porcelain-skinned redhead
The romantic ideal of alabaster complexions is so alluring. I think of Botticcelli when it comes to these gorgeous women. Yet, a lot of women with this coloring have a tough time finding makeup colors that look best on them. I blame the old mindset that cool pinks (like mauve) are the way to go for redheads. The opposite is true! Soft peaches, coppers, bronzy tones, everything your grandmother was told not to wear will make your skin glow (freckles included) like nothing else!

Highlight
Look for a sheer white or vanilla tone. Although you will barely see it, the effect will create a subtle “halo” of light that makes your eyes pop.

Eyes
Choose sable or chocolate browns, toasty taupes, pale golds, peaches, light bronzes, coppers, burgundy browns, eggplants, or khaki greens. Brown mascara looks more natural than black, which can be too harsh against fair skin; this is one of the few cases where I’ll say this, otherwise, I prefer black mascara.

Cheeks
Pick peaches, apricot pinks, or light coal shades.

Lips
Think peaches and warm pinks, sheer corals, apricots, honey-colored nudes, raisins, and gold-flecked reds.

Beware the invisible brow fuzzies
Who knows why, but if you are super fair, chances are that your brow bone is decorated with baby fine blonde hairs. You may barely notice them, but once you slide on highlighter, they’ll show. Keep this in mind when you groom your brows — work in bright light (sunlight, ideally) and tweeze those tiny guys away.

The freckle factor
Women who have porcelain skin, especially redheads, tend to be blessed with freckles. People associate freckles with youth — a good thing! They give you a fresh, sun-kissed look. So please love your freckles and don’t try to hide them behind concealer. Let them show!

Blondes
Blondes come in a wide range of skin tones, from porcelain to olive. Colorful shades like pinks and rose bring color to the face and provide contrast.

Highlight
My favorite shade for blondes is an opal irridescent shimmer. (Opal has a blue-pink oil-in-water glow that shows when light hits it.) It gives the skin a sexy, ethereal look.

Eyes
Choose shades in cool browns, taupes, bronzes, granite, tawny pinks, pastels, mauves, and plums.

Fast fix
Blondes tend to have eyelashes with blonde tips. If you’re in a hurry, simply sweep mascara over the tips for quick, natural definition. For a more permanent fix, get your lashes tinted at a local salon. They use a vegetable dye that is perfectly safe for the eyes, and the color lasts about a month.

Cheeks
Roses, pinks, pinky bronzes, corals, and cool peaches all create a fresh and healthy look on blondes.

Lips
Think pink, mocha pinks, peachy pinks, sandy pinks, roses, mauves, golden raspberry, and cherry reds.
 



Excerpted from The 5-Minute Face by Carmindy. Copyright(c) 2007by Carmindy. Published by arrangement with HarperCollins Publishers.

Brunettes
Brunettes have naturally dark eyebrows and lashes that frame and define their eyes, so they can get away with wearing less makeup. At the same time, their typically medium-toned skin allows them to choose from a wider range of colors that women with other skin tones.

Highlight
Champagne shimmer works best on you.

Eyes
Play with all shades of shimmering browns, silvery taupes, mochas, golden pinks, gold, bronze, navy and sapphire blues, purples and plums, burgundies, and forest greens.

Cheeks
Choose rose, berries, bronzes, and terracottas.

Lips
Wear rose hues, berries, plums, bonzes, golden pinks, browny pinks, shimmering mochas, sheer corals, wines, and true reds. Avoid pastel colors (i.e., any shade that looks like it has white mixed in). These will just wash you out.

Asian
Asian women are among the most naturally beautiful in the world. They usually have full lips (the kind the rest of us dream of) and skin that never seems to age. Asian complexions looks best when color is brought to the cheeks and eyes are defined.

Highlight
Pale pink shimmer looks gorgeous and makes the most of your naturally beautiful skin.

Eyes
Choose colors in shades of tawny pinks, shimmering taupes and browns, burgundy, vanilla, emerald green, granite, silvery plums, and deep purples.

Cheeks
Wear pinks, berries, plums, and roses.

Fast fix
Save time by turning a cream blush into a two-in-one product. Blend the cream blush on the apples of your cheeks then dab the same color onto your lips for a quick natural look.

Lips
Opt for pinks, like raspberry, roses, golden pink shimmers, pinky browns, mauves, deep plum stains, shimmering beiges, and nudes.
 



Excerpted from The 5-Minute Face by Carmindy. Copyright(c) 2007by Carmindy. Published by arrangement with HarperCollins Publishers.
Mocha skin
Women with this coloring have so many makeup hues to choose from, and they look especially radiant in golden colors.

Highlight
Choose golden-pink shimmer. It will bring out the natural gold in your skin.

Eyes
Pick caramels, toffees, coffees, chocolate browns, deep wines, navy blues, granites, golds, bronzes, emerald greens, teals, deep plums, and violets.

Cheeks
Look for berries, golden corals, bronzes, terracottas, deep warm pinks, and dark apricots.

Lips
Think sheer golds, beiges, coffees, caramels, toffees, bronzes, berries, plums, wines, pinks, corals, sheer raisins, and garnet reds.

Dark skin
You can pull off bold, jewel-toned colors like no one else! Anything too light or sheer might look ashy.

Highlight
Choose a true gold color. It’s the perfect hue for you.

Eyes
Choose golds, coppers, bronzes, coffees, deep navy and cobalt, rich dark eggplant and purples, deep jewel-toned greens, slate and dark charcoal grays, metallics, ebony, and deep mahogany and chocolate browns.

Fast fix
Make the whites of your eyes pop by applying sapphire blue pencil along the inner rims.

Cheeks
Think dark raisins, burnt orange, magentas, fuchsia (don’t be scared, it will look beautiful on dark skin), and rich blood reds.

Lips
Pick sheer lip gloss in shimmery clears, golds, honeys, caramels, oranges, corals, tangerine, deep plums, bronzes, and bronzy pinks. Or choose lipsticks in sheer mahogany, blackberry, maroon, raisin, and deep red.

Olive skin
In addition to women with Hispanic roots, this group includes all women with olive skin, such as those from Italy, India, or the Middle East. Bright colors, like coral, on cheeks and lips, and everything from shimmery bronzes and pale golds to deep greens and blues around your eyes will play up your amazing skin color.

Highlight
I love pale golds and pinky golds to highlight the skin and create a luminous glow.

Eyes
Eyes look amazing in rich sparkling browns and burgundies, copper, bronze, gold, warm tawny pinks, eggplants and warm plums, deep forest greens, and sapphire blues.

Cheeks
Think warm pinks, corals, brownish rose, apricot, and bronze.

Lips
Go for warm pinks, sheer shimmery nudes, corals, peachy apricot, bronze and golds, golden berry shimmer, and sheer blood reds.
 



Excerpted from The 5-Minute Face by Carmindy. Copyright(c) 2007by Carmindy. Published by arrangement with HarperCollins Publishers.