Fashion Q&A: Ignore color fads and stick to the lipstick shade that works for you

Fashion Q&A |

Q: I love bright lipstick, especially red. But now it seems I cannot wear red lipstick and be in fashion. I noticed about half the stars at the Oscars were wearing pale colors.

A: And the other half were wearing ... ?

That's right — your favorite. Red.

I checked my latest Allure magazine, a good source for all things cosmetic. The lipstick colors featured in the editorials and advertisements ranged from nude, lilac and pastel pink to deep rose, blood orange and the reddest red.

The message is clear: There are lots of choices out there, but your choice is yours alone. What a red-carpet celebrity wears to an awards show is her choice (or that of her stylist). It is not a rule to be followed mindlessly.

I put your question to Tim Quinn, head chief artist for Armani Cosmetics, who was leading a makeup clinic at Neiman Marcus in Orlando, Fla., recently. His advice: Forget the thousands of lipstick shades out there, and ignore color fads that come and go. All a woman really needs is one signature lipstick, a go-to color that she can wear with just about everything.

Armani tweaks its lipstick palette every season, says Quinn, but there is always a red shade and always a nude. That's because about 50 percent of women like a nude shade, and the other half — you included — prefer red.

So stick with your favorite. It will do wonders for your smile.

Q: Recently you had all tips for choosing foundation. But how do I really know whether a foundation works for me if I can't first try it on?

A: Actually, you can try on foundation — provided you shop in a store with hands-on makeup counters. These allow you to test cosmetics before you buy. Most also provide tiny samples you can try at home to try at your leisure and in a variety of lighting conditions. And all have associates to help you make your selection and demonstrate how to apply products.

Specialty cosmetics boutiques, such as Sephora, Douglas and Ulta, all feature sampling stations for a wide range of brands. Usually, all the foundations are concentrated in one area, lipsticks in another, and so on — which makes comparison shopping a breeze.

Department stores also encourage testing, but each brand is confined to its own counter. To try a variety of brands, you have to go counter-hopping around the cosmetics department.

Cosmetics in specialty boutiques and department stores are generally more expensive than in discount and drugstores. But if you are buying a product for the first time, it may be worth paying a little more for testing, sampling and personal service.

And a word about cosmetics-buying etiquette. You are not obliged to buy anything, just because you have tested it or an associate has spent time advising you or doing your makeup. However, if you do decide to purchase products — initially or later — try to purchase from the person who spent time with you, because she probably works on commission.

Q: Is there such a thing as matte black nail polish? My daughter says she has seen it on models in her magazines, but we can't seem to find it at the drugstores.

A: Knock Out Cosmetics makes three shades of polish with a nonshiny finish — which they dub flatte, not matte.

There are three shades: Flatte Black, Flatte Powder (ivory) and Flatte Calamine (pink). Each starts flatte and wears to a satin finish. For some reason, the flatte colors seem to look best on short nails. Quite pricey at $22 a bottle, the Knock Out polishes can be ordered at koknockout.com.