Falling Gracefully

FALLING GRACEFULLY
MAKEUP MASTER ALISON RAFFAELE HELPS US PUT OUR BEST
FACE FORWARD FROM SEASON TO SEASON

As a makeup artist, I have a little phrase which refers to how best to deal
with a fading summer tan: fall gracefully in other words, come late September
don’t do anything rash or sudden with your makeup. Rather, take your time
and make a smooth, purposeful transition into the look of the season.

From a beauty standpoint, the most dramatic change that occurs at the end
of summer is when one’s tan inevitably fades. Given the fact that tanning creates a reverse camouflage effect by deepening and reddening one’s skin tone so that it matches better and blends with the color of most skin imperfections (acne, age spots, melasma, rosacea and the like), it’s no wonder that so many women think they look better with a tan—even when everyone knows that sun exposure tends to exasperate these exact same types of skin imperfections over the long run. So, what’s a girl to do? Well, you have two options: Safely continue to deepen your skin tone beyond the summer season with self-tanners and/or bronzing makeup; Understand the dynamics of how your summer tan made you look better and then use that knowledge to help youweather the transition beautifully.

Should you choose the latter, here are the four essential tricks you’ll need to know to help you look your best:

1	As your tan begins to fade, so will Mother Nature’s lovely reverse camouflage effect. So in order to maintain the appearance of a balanced, even-toned complexion as you begin to lose the extra color from your tan, realize that you will need to compensate by adding additional coverage to your complexion makeup. A great way to do this gradually is to mix a bit of lighter colored, more opaque winter foundation into your deeper, sheerer summer makeup. Adjust the proportions accordingly as your tan fades and you'll always wind up with just the right amount of color and coverage.
2	The increased contrast a tan creates between the color of your skin and the whites of your eyes also tends to make you appear more awake and alert. You can maintain a similar, wide-eyed effect by beginning to use more mascara and eyeliner as the fall season takes hold.
3	A common fall makeup mistake is to attempt to add more color to the skin by using more blush. Don't do it; it will only make matters worse. Instead, soften the color of your late summer blush by mixing it with either a bit of bronzer to tone down the color or translucent powder to lighten the shade.
4	Nothing is lovelier against a fair complexion than lusciously colored lips. Try using a more opaque gloss or satin-finish lipstick in your favorite hue to give more visual weight to the color, as well as to echo the increased texture of your fall wardrobe. Keep the shape defined, but not overly sharp, to give your mouth a naturally desirable look.

Alison Raffaele Tatem, founder and creative director of Skin Alison Raffaele, has worked with everyone from Gywneth Paltrow to Alicia Keys to Jennifer Lopez. Raffaele is passionate about making beauty easy for all women via tricks of the trade and her own line of gorgeous cosmetics. To get your gorgeous now, go to www.alisonraffaele.com.