Benefit cosmetics
Jennifer Balbier, in her office, discussing the favorite fall colors and also the process in which to make them. New York, New York. September 9, 2011. Credit: Mimi Ritzen Crawford for The Wall Street Journal.As the weather gets colder, many women rethink their nail color. "You can be running around in a tweed outfit and fluorescent nails," says Jennifer Balbier, senior vice president of global product development, artistry brands, at Este Lauder Cos.Ms. Balbier, who oversees her company MAC Cosmetics, among other Este Lauder brands, feels that very bright and fluorescent colors look out of place when juxtaposed with the heavier, darker fabrics of fall. She typically switches to deeper shades after Labor Day.Many shades that are currently trendy go with autumn rich hues, she says. She is a fan of nude skin tone colors, which are versatile and more current than pinks. She also likes brown shades with a hint of gold, deep reds with blue tinges or an unexpected shade of deep, greenish blue.
Gray and grayish black, too, are nail color trends this benefit cosmetics season, Ms. Balbier notes. And black and navy blue which started as fashion trends several years ago have now joined red in becoming fashionable fall staples.Of course, women who dress primarily in black may want to avoid adding pure black nails. Ms. Balbier suggests wearing a nail shade with some shine when going very dark. Pick a shade of black that has hints of blue or green in it, she suggests. For such ensembles, Ms. Balbier favors colors that "look like the sheen when the street wet when you move your hands it makes it look as if you dipped your fingers in an oil slick."
For the more conservative woman, Ms. Balbier suggests a deep, dark purple or red with a shiny top coat. "You still on trend but staying close to the red, purple family is often less daunting than the greens, grays and blues."Women should also consider skin tone when picking polish, like they would when choosing makeup. "If you have olive skin, you have to be really careful about putting on shades that are too cold because it clashes with your skin," Ms. Balbier says. For dark skinned women, "nothing looks better than a nail with a hint of pearl in it," she says.
Gray and grayish black, too, are nail color trends this benefit cosmetics season, Ms. Balbier notes. And black and navy blue which started as fashion trends several years ago have now joined red in becoming fashionable fall staples.Of course, women who dress primarily in black may want to avoid adding pure black nails. Ms. Balbier suggests wearing a nail shade with some shine when going very dark. Pick a shade of black that has hints of blue or green in it, she suggests. For such ensembles, Ms. Balbier favors colors that "look like the sheen when the street wet when you move your hands it makes it look as if you dipped your fingers in an oil slick."
For the more conservative woman, Ms. Balbier suggests a deep, dark purple or red with a shiny top coat. "You still on trend but staying close to the red, purple family is often less daunting than the greens, grays and blues."Women should also consider skin tone when picking polish, like they would when choosing makeup. "If you have olive skin, you have to be really careful about putting on shades that are too cold because it clashes with your skin," Ms. Balbier says. For dark skinned women, "nothing looks better than a nail with a hint of pearl in it," she says.