Colour me happy

Because no one colour can adequately convey the mood of these unprecedented times, the Pantone Color Institute has declared 2021 the year of two equally beguiling hues. Illuminating (Pantone 13-0647) is a bright, vivacious canary yellow, hopeful and uplifting – and the perfect complement to Ultimate Gray (Pantone 17-5104), a solid, dependable slate grey. From an edgy, smoky eye to a pop of sunshine on your lips, here’s how to take your beauty cue from these pretty palettes…

The colour of bananas, baby ducks and daisies is also one of the hottest make-up hues right now. And, while yellow may not be the shade of your natural flush, don’t let that stop you from using it to colour your cheeks. If you can’t track down yellow blush, let a powder eye shadow serve double duty. First contour the cheek with a gold-tinted bronzer, then sweep a highlighter above the cheekbone for a beautiful mellow-yellow glow.

It may not be an obvious choice for lips but, if you’re after a statement look, reach for a dash of mood-boosting yellow. Especially effective on warmer and dark skin tones or for highlighting the golden undertones of auburn hair, an ultra-bright yellow lip should be the focus of your look, best worn with nude cheeks and pared-back eyes. The season’s ‘it’ hue is also great for layering: mix with pink to create shades of coral and peach for a touch of ombre elegance.

Gorgeous grey simply begs for a starring role in this season’s smoky-eye trend. When it comes to nailing this sultry look, blending – and lots of it – is the clincher. In fact, it doesn’t matter how dark you go, the key is to blend the liner and shadow – and, for this, brushes are your best friend. Save the darkest point for the lash line, drawing attention to the eye rather than the make-up itself. And keep it simple with no more than three shadows and a liner. Pair with a glossy red pout and matching nails for true Hollywood-style glamour.

While nudes may be the first thing that comes to mind when you want something neutral, why not think outside the box and opt for grey instead? An excellent base colour that complements a whole rainbow of other hues, versatile grey is also perfectly capable of holding its own. Sophisticated in gloss or matt and equally elegant when worn long or short, this shade of the day lends itself to all manner of applications, from ombre acrylics to marble gels and reverse French manicures.

Yes, you can wear yellow eyeshadow! In fact, this bright and sunny hue is popping up all over Instagram right now, contradicting the common misconception that yellow is a difficult colour to wear. Marigold lids pair beautifully with an orange lip and subtle yellow highlights on the cheek. Choose a contrasting colour such as deep sapphire or rich emerald for under the lash line to make the yellow really pop. Then add a light touch of gloss to the lid for a lustrous glow and a sweep of thickening mascara to finish the look.