Hearts and flowers and a palette of pink whisper sweet nothings in his ear on Valentine’s Day. Your makeup can cast a rosy glow or light a fire. Try these pinks on for sighs and see where the evening takes you.
Lipstick
What’s New: How do we love pink? Let us count the ways. Or we can just run through the MAC Flamingo Park and count the lipsticks. This is a collection of nine limited edition and permanent shades in bold and vibrant as well as soft and delicate pinks.
Have Your Cake is a slightly muted, medium-dark magenta purple with cool undertones and a semi-matte finish. Nice to Meet You is a deep pink-red. Both are available through March 19. Please Me is a popular, muted rosy-tinted matte pink and permanent MAC fixture. These are $17.
Tried and True: A popular soft rosy petal pink with a glossy sheen is the Lancôme Love It! in the Color Design collection. This $23 natural color is one of those incredibly easy-to-wear pinks that works with either a smoky or neutral eye. This medium mauve-pink nude has the slightest lilac iridescence.
Eyeshadow
What’s New: NARS Kari Dual Intensity is a soft, muted medium rose pink shadow with neutral-to-warm undertones and a pearly sheen. This $29 powder applied dry gives a semi-sheer coverage and is fully opaque applied damp.
Tried and True: For a peachy pink light beige with rose gold shimmer, count on Urban Decay Scratch. Texture is buttery smooth with a velvet finish as long lasting as its popularity. Price is $19.
Blush
What’s New: Dior Rosy Glow in Petal seems wildly, extravagantly pricey at $44 even measured by NARS Orgasm Blush standards. The thing to keep in mind is how little is needed to mimic a healthy, natural glow that lasts a long, long time. Reviewers say the pretty pink color adjusts to your skin tone and looks very youthful and natural. This was noted by reviewers who find NARS Orgasm too peachy and too sparkly.
Tried and true: Long considered the best of the best, NARS Blush Orgasm is a universally flattering shade of shimmering peachy pink with an extra dose of golden sparkle. Price for this repeated makeup artist and beauty editor favorite is $30.
The shade that is flying off the shelves at my local Sephora is Two Faced Love Flush in Love Hangover. Love Hangover, which is flattering on all skin tones, is priced at $26.
Revlon Highlighting Palette comes in Rose Glow, Bronze Glow and, if you aim to replicate the NARS Orgasm experience, Peach Glow. The cost is real world, especially if you are a casual makeup wearer who only wants to get done up for Valentine’s Day. Price runs in the $9 to $12 range.
Nail Polish
What’s New: A limited-edition collection of the Formula X Colorcurators Patrick Starrr Edition is available exclusively at Sephora for $12.50 only in February and just in time for Valentine’s Day. Colors are Yazzz, a bold fuchsia; She Better Werk, a soft romantic peony pink; and Lucky Starrr, a hot pink glitter.
Tried and True: Nails inc. Mayfair Lane Gel Effect Polish is a perfect for V Day delicate, pale pink. Price is $15.
