Decide for yourself if conflict is compatible

HAMBURG: Eye make-up this spring is both a glimpse of the past and the future - tender reserve on one hand and the courage to use shrill tones on the other.

When applying eye shadow and lipstick this spring, women can choose from the entire color palette. Nostalgic looks appear next to futuristic ones, natural faces next to those dramatically made up.

"It is a season that is full of conflicts," says Martin Ruppmann of the professional association of cosmeticians in Berlin. "Sexy or elegant, natural or glamorous, romantic or seductive are just a few of the opposites." Conflicting doesn't mean incompatible, though.

"In the coming spring almost anything goes," says cosmetic expert Olaf Zieseniss of Frankfurt. Bold combinations of pastels and luminous tones are permitted as is going colorless.

The latter is referred to as the nude look and is once again absolutely hot after a short pause last year. The art of this naked look is that the face is made up to look "unmade up". This look can be achieved, says Zieseniss, by using pastel or smoky tones of eye-shadow.

"You can leave out eye-shadow altogether and simply use mascara," says Claudia Seizinger, who works at a Berlin-based cosmetic school. She describes the natural make-up variation as the doll look and says the basic version of it is suitable for young skin. Older women should vary this look, otherwise their faces can look sick. To remedy this, Seizinger recommends a little more rouge, beige-brown eye- shadow and mascara.

At the other end of the spectrum is make-up that wraps women in a true rush of color. Ruppmann says the trendy eye colors are blue, green, pink and violet. Makeup artists are being inspired by the wild times of the hippy era that goes back to the late 1960s.

A smudged, smokey look is also in style in eye shadow. This spring dark browns and blues complement the classic variations of black and gray used to create the look. Seizingert warns, however, that it requires a bit of practice to create the look, which is reminiscent of the 1920s.

"You really must be able to do it, otherwise it can go awry," she says.

Considerably quicker is a make-up style for going out, which Zieseniss says was a hit during the recent fashion week in New York.

"With a hint of gold on the lids - that's the best advice," says Zieseniss, who operates a beauty service that makes house calls.

Whether a woman chooses the nude look or glamour make-up for her spring and summer make-up style, her lips are by all means allowed to shimmer and shine, Ruppmann says. The color palette runs from a tender rose shade to pink and from orange to red.

Meanwhile, fingernails are playing only a supporting role. White, opaque rose and discreet apricot are the low-key colors that are in style. For women who want to draw attention to their hands, pink is the nail polish color to use. In the evening dark metallic blue is perfectly acceptable. After all, it is a season of contradictions.

DPA

(China Daily 03/04/2008 page19)