Into the Pink, Part 1
By Gigi Anders
October is Breast Cancer Awareness (BCA) month. Sounds far away. But since we have breasts every day and we love pink in all its variations, we decided to bring you a BCA beauty series, many of whose pink products’ proceeds benefit breast cancer-specific causes.
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Pink isn’t just one color, which makes it perfect for all skin tones. There’s baby pink, pastel pink, Sweet’N Low pink, fuchsia, coral, rose, salmon, shrimp, mauve … It goes on and on. Pink is even literary. When I wrote my second memoir, Little Pink Raincoat, I referred to the loveliness and color of said raincoat as “Daisy Buchanan pink.” As Daisy whispered to her lover Jay Gatsby, “Look at that ... I’d like to just get one of those pink clouds and put you in it and push you around.”
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Let’s start with makeup and nails, everybody’s fave.
As you can see from the majority of these unfortunate images, pink eye makeup can go really bad really fast. Anything Overtly Pink, like shocking pink and shades along those lines – God forbid it disco-ball sparkles -- always looks (a.) trashy, (b.) like you’ve been weeping because (c.) like you live with a person with anger management issues. So. What you want is a suggestive pink softness to transition your look from summer to fall.
This beautiful, 100% vegan and cruelty-free eyeshadow palette with ten complementary colors, five of which are warm pinks, all of which are highly pigmented and completely blendable, is the way to go.
Pacifica Pink Nudes Coconut-Infused Mineral Eyeshadows ($18).
Bet you never thought, I’d like to have pink eyelashes. Of course not. That would be weird. Unless it’s Rouge Bunny Rouge. Their two new mascaras come in a shade called Red Nightfall, which they describe as “Deep wine red, oscillating between a vivid burgundy and elegant cordovan.” I’m not sure about the oscillation, but they are the blackest pinks you’ve ever seen -- imagine spilling a glass of rosé on your LBD in a dimly lit boîte -- and they are gorgeous on your lashes because they register as black but with a little somethin’-somethin’. Also, these fragrance-free mascaras smell divine. It’s part of the RBR irony. Perfumed eyelashes? Pourquoi pas?
Magnitude Mascara Ubiquitous ($30) plumps, fattens, separates, lengthens, and curls lashes, yet leaves them soft and flexible to the touch.
Modelling Mascara Witchery ($30) defines and lengthens every last lash. Its skinny rubber brush provides accurate and impeccable lash-by-lash application sans clumps or smudge, and the texture itself is creamy but light.
Nothing says healthy youthfulness like rosy cheeks and this Clinique compact delivers.
Sculptionary Cheek Contouring Palette in Defining Roses ($34). Three super-pretty, easy-peasy, versatile shades to blend, build, color, highlight, and glow. What I also like is that you can’t really overdo it with Clinique.
Kissable lips are what we all want and these products all get you there with a universally flattering rosy luster.
NYX Pro Lip Cream Palette in The Pinks/Les Roses ($8.40). Remember how we began by saying there are a lot of pinks? NYX knows this and has created an adorably sleek box of six variations on the theme, which you can wear individually or together. They feel good and look even better.
For those who prefer just a peck of pink color and shine, this trio is perfect.
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Lip Shine in Pink Sorbet 40 ($9.99). Everybody loves this gloss because it’s a freakin’ great gloss – nice slide, no stickiness, silky texture, soothing on contact, groovy paddle-shaped sponge applicator, nice color. The other reason everybody who loves it should also love it is because it contains hyaluronic acid, which conditions lips like a balm, fattens them up, and improves their softness over time.
Rimmel London Oh My Gloss! Oil Tint in Contemporary Coral 400 ($6.46). Facial oils have been a huge beauty trend for years. Now Rimmel has introduced oil-tinted glosses that feel like heaven and shine for days. Do not be afraid of the tube. It’s very bright. Do not be afraid of the word “coral.” It’s very fabulous. The shade is translucent and just melts into your lips.
Vaseline Lip Therapy Lip Balm Tin in Rosy Lips ($3.49). Couldn’t be cuter and works like a rose-colored charm. Clinically proven to heal dry, cracked lips, this balm imparts a hint of warm pink color and penetrates lips to lock in moisture. It has a comforting texture, stays glossy, and its scent has notes of rose, vanilla, and red berry.
Another lip palette that will rock your world with more options and oomph as you like it is L’Oréal Colour Riche La Palette/Lip in Pink 01 ($16.99). The kit contains two mattes, five creams, and one highlighter-illuminator that slides like ice across all the other shades or on its own. And the accompanying brush means clean fingertips.
If there’s such a thing as a perfect pink lipstick, this one may be it.
L’Oréal Paris Collection Exclusive Colour Riche® La Vie En Rose in Eva’s Pink ($8.99). This is a feminine, chic lipstick that Princess Diana would have loved. It’s sheer but not too, in a matte, warm, true rose, that goes on like silk and stays put.
Speaking of which, Milani Amore Matte Lip Crème in 25 Allure ($9) goes on like water and won’t budge. This ladylike color is a deep, rich rose that transported me in my mind straight to London on a cool, foggy day as I walked on damp pavement to meet my lover for afternoon tea at The Rosewood.
And finally, nails. The most beautiful pink nail collection ever. Deborah Lippmann’s Limited Edition Bed of Roses ($36) contains six bottles whose polishes range from the fairest nude petal to the deepest plum flush. She calls these “the new twist on nude …both colorful and flattering.” Not to mention, incredibly well priced.
