Pastels for fall: 6 Beauty Panel tips for transitioning soft shades into the season

Date October 2, 2014

Pastel shades are usually reserved, quite exclusively, for spring. Since we are not ones for rules when it comes to hair, nails and makeup, we asked our talented and experimental Beauty Panel to show us how they transition pastel colours—like lavender, mint and rose—through the seasons. As much as we love deep burgundies and rich browns for fall, this season it doesn’t look like we’ll be putting away our lighter products.

Challenge 76: How do you wear pastels in the fall? See the answers now! »

Have a beauty question you want to see the panel answer? Send it our way at [email protected]. Read on for the answers to this week’s challenge and for more goodness, get to know all contributors on our Beauty Panel hub page.

Brittany Messner
Calgary | Life, Set Sail

For this look I opted for a more natural base, foregoing mascara and focusing more on healthy looking skin and a fresh pop of coral or pink on my lips. One of my favourite combinations is an upgrade of my childhood years…that’s right, pink and purple.

For my eyes I wore a light wash of cream coloured eyeshadow, adding a small amount of shimmer in the inner corners and on the brow bone. Since I didn’t apply mascara I did make sure that my lashes were curled and that I filled in my brows, so as not to look completely undone.

On the cheeks I applied a similar colour to my lipstick, Make Up For Ever’s HD Cream Blush in #410 which is a lovely medium orange coral. On my lips I placed a healthy dose of Too Faced La Creme lipstick in Juicy Melons and on the nails, Essie’s Lilacism. I love how fresh and easy this looks and feels and that it can be achieved with minimal effort.

If you’re completely against bare lashes, I’d suggest a light mascara such as Clinique’s Lash Power Feathering mascara or even your regular mascara combed through with a clean spoolie brush.

Products Used: Guerlain Lingerie de Peau in 03 Beige Natural, Origins Plantscription Concealer in Light, Make Up For Ever HD Cream Blush in #410, Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Skimp and Venus, Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Soft Brown, Too Faced La Creme Lipstick in Juicy Melons, Essie Nail Polish in Lilacism

Ashley Pettigrew
Calgary | Lions Lace Lattes

On first thought, I would not identity pastel colours with fall, but when I took a second to stop and think about it I realized that I often incorporate pastels into my makeup looks year round. The pastel colour that I incorporate into my makeup looks the most often is pink, whether it is a favourite pink lipstick or pink eyeshadow. For this challenge I decided to create a look with an orange shadow to incorporate a common colour associated with autumn.

I started with an orange shadow by Joe Fresh in the colour Apricot all over the lid. To add some dimension I used the MAC shadow in Paradisco in the crease, then to a add a little more depth I added a little bit of the colour Cover, which is a brown shadow with a hint of red, into the outer v. To finish the look I added a brown eyeliner and lots of mascara. I ended up with a subtle pastel orange look that also complements my blue eyes.

Products Used: Joe Fresh eyeshadow in Apricot, MAC eyeshadow in Paradisco, Urban Decay eyeshadow in Cover from the Naked2 Basics palette, Make Up For Ever Artist Liner in M-60, Make Up For Ever cream blush in 410, Make Up For Ever Lipstick Rouge Artist Natural, Clinique High Impact Mascara, Loreal Magic Nude Liquid Powder Foundation.

Jennifer Francis
Durham | Spiced Beauty

I haven’t gotten comfortable with pastel on my eyes or lips but I do love to wear it on my nails. It’s the perfect expression, without having to say anything. I also love when you find a pastel polish which has full coverage and is pigmented! Right now, I’m a fan of The Revlon Gel Envy line. Add two coats of colour and then seal with the diamond top coat.

Products used: Revlon Colorstay Gel Envy™ Longwear Nail Enamel- All or Nothing

Shayna Wiwierski
Winnipeg | A Pop of Colour

Since makeup is art, who says you have to play by the rules? Although pastels are more Easter-appropriate, as opposed to Thanksgiving-chic, if you do them right, you can wear them year round.

Since I have blue eyes, pinks and purples typically make my eyes pop like crazy (so much so, that I often get people asking me if I’m wearing coloured contacts). To tone them down for the cooler months, try putting a matte brown in your crease to darken up the colour, pair it with a cat eye, and make sure that you have that pretty pop in the middle to the inner corner of the lids. Try a shimmery lavender or a pale pink to really draw attention to the eyes.

As for lips, I’m all about the baby pink year round. To make it fall-appropriate, pair it with a brown smoky eye. Easy as that!

Products used: used: The Body Shop Enchanting Eyes palette in “Dolly Pastels”, OCC Lip Tar in “Digitalus”

Mikayla Tran
Toronto | Beauty Echoes Magazine

Soft, delicate pastels are typically associated with spring, but since I hardly ever follow the unwritten rules of colour, I decided to channel my inner rebel and try a soft purple for fall.

One of my tips for wearing pastel nail polishes, especially if you’re not a fan of the softer hues is to wear a clear high shine top coat which will help add more vibrancy to the pigment. Additionally, I find that adding an accent metallic silver helps to bring more dynamic to the delicate lavender, as though creating a paradox between colours.

Products used: OPI’s “A Grape Fit”, Deborah Lippmann’s “Stardust” and Dolce & Gabbana top high shine nail coat.

Ellie Somfelean
Montreal | My Beauty Box

I am slowly starting to make peace with he fact that fall is upon us and part of that process involves switching up my look, trading in t-shirts for sweaters, sandals for boots, sun kissed skin for blush, heavier eye makeup and dark lips.
As I ease into the darker hues I find softer colors such as pastels help me make the transition easier. My favourite look to sport these days is a soft smokey eye with a peachy pink pastel lip. This is one of my go-to looks for work, where I don’t want to be too dramatic or over the top and the soft lip tones down heavy eye makeup.

Products used: Revlon ColorStay Shadow Links in Onyx and Vert de Gris, Revlon Colorstay Skinny Eyeliner and Clarins Lip Balm Crayon in Creamy Pink