Good news for the girls who have had to suffer from looking too orange: cool-toned make-up has been creeping its way back into the beauty world again. Whether it’s the return of M.A.C.’s Folio last year (otherwise known as Angelina Jolie’s lipstick of the ’90s), or Charli xcx’s red carpet glam, the cool girls everywhere are sporting subdued miens and muted tones.
But first, what exactly is cool-toned make-up? By definition, cool tones typically feature blue, green, purple or pink pigments. Compared to warm tones, they appear more grey and shadowy on the face. Their muted quality lends itself well to the grunge and goth aesthetics, making it an understated alternative to bronzy, sun-kissed make-up looks.
@ghoul.in.japan trying the grey romand lip tint + other shades 🪦🖤🕯️ @Rom&nd US #gothmakeup #kbeauty #romand ♬ original sound – ghoul ʕ⁎̯͡⁎ʔ
Naturally, it would seem like cool-toned make-up would suit anyone with a cooler skin tone. While that is true, make-up artist Carolyn Lee (@carorolee) debunks the myth that cool-toned make-up is only for cooler skin tones. “I do [cool-toned make-up] all the time as someone with a neutral, warm-leaning undertone,” Lee explains. “I love using neutral or warmer shades of products on the perimeters of my face, using bronzer on my lips, cheeks and eyes before going in and concentrating cool-toned products in the centre of my face.”
It’s all about creating balance, and cool-toned poster girl Gabbriette is a prime example. In a breakdown of her signature ’90s-inspired look, she complemented the warmth in her olive complexion with rosy blush before going in with greys and nudes.
For anyone looking to experiment with cool-toned make-up, it’s helpful to note that it exists on a spectrum—Lee advises tinkering around with different opacities, intensities and types of formulas. Below, see the ways that you can start to cool off your make-up routine, with tips on how to make it work for you.
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Grey smokey eyes
If you’ve ever saved a ’90s-era Cameron Diaz or Pamela Anderson look to your moodboard, chances are, they’re sporting a grey smokey eye. Since greys are softer in tone, using them to frame your eyes creates an understated, sultry look that’s more wearable than a traditional dark smokey eye. To start, you can either wear a grey eyeshadow all over the lid as a sheer veil, or mix it in with cool browns to intensify the look. The Makeup by Mario Master Mattes eyeshadow palette in Neutral offers a mix of mid to cool-tone shades in buttery smooth formulas, which Lee dips into for eyeshadow, highlight, contour and even brows.
To keep yourself from looking ashy, Lee recommends adding warmth to the edges with a little bit of bronzer on a fluffy blending brush.
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Contour
The crucial difference between a contour and bronzer is that the former is made to mimic shadows, while the latter warms up the complexion. Because of that, the best contours usually feature a grey base, as tones are noticeably absent from shadows. There’s no need to worry about being ashy, however—Lee assures that as long as your base matches your skin tone correctly, most colours will show up fine on top of it. The only thing to look out for is intensity: white-based contours would be unsuitable for deeper complexions, for instance. With nine shades spanning different intensities, the Haus Labs Precision Sculpt Shaping Balm is a good place to start.
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Beige or dusty pink blush
‘Sad beige blush’ has been having its moment on the internet for a reason. While it might look underwhelming in a swatch, it shows up as a diffused flush on the cheeks. Maybe you dislike pinks and reds, or you were just looking for the right pairing with a bold eye look—either way, a true beige blush like M.A.C’s Glow Play blush in True Harmony will add just the right hint of colour.
And for the maximalists? A babydoll pink or lilac will brighten and illuminate the face. The blue pigments—such as the ones in the Dior Backstage Rosy Glow Stick in Pink Lilac—will imbue the cheeks with a porcelain-like finish.
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Greige or true brown lipliner
The next time you’re refreshing your lippie stash, try a cool-toned lipliner. Greige—a mix of beige and grey—will introduce subtle shadows to the lipline, a technique used by celebrity make-up artist Nina Park to create her signature pouts. Make Up For Ever’s Artist Color Pencil in Endless Cacao boasts a creamy, blendable formula that will effortlessly complement your go-to shades of lipstick or lip gloss.
On deeper skin tones, a true brown lipliner will create depth and dimension. Another tip from the pros? Whenever your lip product is washing you out, try pairing it with a deep brown liner to introduce some much-needed contrast to the lip combination.
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Grey-tinted lip gloss or balm
The most accessible entry point of all? A lip gloss or sheer, balmy formula with cool-toned reflects or pigments. They can be layered over warmer lip colours to cool them down, or worn on their own if you’re test-driving the look for the first time. Varying the opacity will also yield different outcomes—Lee recommends a small dab on the centre of the lips for a subtle coolness, or swiping it on liberally for full impact. Chanel’s Rouge Coco Flash in Boy—yes, the very same lipstick used by Sofia Richie Grainge at her rehearsal dinner—will add a taupe-brown wash over the lips, without overpowering the colour underneath.
