In theory, warm tones can work for everyone. In reality, make-up with any hint of red in it can be tricky.
Red doesn’t have to mean the brightest scarlet, though we all know how a red lipstick can unintentionally enhance redness in the skin (don’t let that put you off – a bit of concealer is all that’s needed to restore the balance). Any warm hues, from sandy browns to pinks and ambers, have some red in them, and quite bright reds and oranges have become more popular over the past couple of years – a search under the Instagram hashtag #smokyeyes is enough to confirm just how popular.
Experimenting with a warm eye look is tricky. A colour that looks sultry and appealing on one person can inexplicably roar “eye infection” on someone else, but there are warm tones that work for everyone. The eyeshadows in the Amrezy x Anastasia Beverly Hills Amrezy Palette (€53.90 at Arnotts) have an array of finishes from mattes and metallics to glitters but all, apart from the shocking pop of bright blue, have warmth to them.
For something subtler still, try Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Eyeliner
Think of this as a gateway palette for anyone who feels nervous about red and orange tones. The golden and russet browns are particularly easy to wear, and contrast wonderfully with blue, hazel and green eyes.
For something subtler still, try Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Eyeliner (€25 at Brown Thomas). Tilbury has built an entire product line out of her bestselling Pillow Talk lipstick. This eyeliner is a berry brown – more interesting than cool brown and more forgiving than black, it’s perfect layered with eyeshadow or worn alone for definition.
If you prefer to keep warm tones away from the eyes, Chanel Baume Essentiel in Golden Light (€42 at counters nationwide) is a new, warm-weather iteration of the brand’s exceptionally good Baume Essentiel highlighting stick. Bronze shades aren’t just for summer – they can be a lifeline for grey or pallid winter complexions. While this looks a little intimidating, it imparts the subtlest veil of golden warmth along with incomparable glow for instant, skill-free “expensive skin”. It is particularly flattering, even on pale skin.
My favourite collection of warm make-up tones in quite some time launches on February 6th, and is worth making an early note of because it is sure to sell out. The whole collection is something of a love letter to dramatic, golden-hour shades; the sort of make-up that evokes the sun setting on a face.
Extra Dimension Skinfinish in Hot Damn-oiselle (€31.50 at Brown Thomas and Arnotts from February 6th) is the undisputed hero – a buttery rose-gold highlighter that just makes the skin sing. MAC Loud and Clear Eyeshadow in Bougie Babe (€17 at Brown Thomas and Arnotts), though, is an excellent beauty basic to pick up. The sepia shadow gives the enlarged, almost mournful effect of make-up in portraits of movie stars from the 1920s, but it will also elevate a smoky eye or make a face look "dressed" worn by itself with a slick of mascara.
