5 Ways to Incorporate Colour into Your Makeup for Work

Working a 9-5 can be boring (trust me i know) - from the corporate dress code which usually involves solid, sombre colours and definitely tucked-in shirts and tops to being expected to wear muted, nude and neutral shades of makeup accompanied by tucked-in hairstyles. They usually say that in the corporate world, one is to be crisp, smart and by no means distracting to the clients in any way, manner or form. 

I don't necessarily disagree but it can be a tad tedious and boring, especially for some of us who like to play around with a bit of colour every now and then. I found there are ways to play around and after working in a bank for almost 4 years, I daresay, I've been waiting for this moment to share 5 ways you can incorporate colour into your makeup for work. I've tried them all and if they worked for me while working in a bank, they are sure to work for you too.

5 Ways To Add Colour To Your Makeup For Work

1. Coloured Liners

These are a very common option when you want to incorporate colour into your makeup look for work. What you may not know is that this option can be done in different parts of the eyes 

• upper lashline area, to replace the regular black liner
• lower lashline area and smudged out for a slightly coloured smokey look
• waterline for a subtle pop of colour every single time you look up

The coloured liner tip for work makeup looks can be achieved with either coloured liners or eyeshadow. I think that is actually the best part of this tip.

2. Mascara

As surprising as it may sound, coloured mascara is a great live-saver when it comes to quick colour while rushing out of the house in the mornings. 

It is pretty much like regular eyeshadow but this time around, it is coloured. While it may not be overpowering, there is a certain look coloured mascara gives the face. I usually prefer to apply coloured mascara with next to no other eye colour or just a little colour.

3. Blush

This can be tricky for a lot of women as blush is not something a lot of women are not used to. However, they are a very good way to incorporate colour into your work makeup. 

Here's what you can do

• start small by just applying very little onto the apples of  your cheeks i.e. the part of your cheeks that rise when you smile
• blend, blend, blend so you don't look like a Babushka doll
• work your way up from there and feel free to experiment with more blush and with spreading it across a wider area of your face

Check out this short blush application excerpt 

4. Lip Tints

Also called Lip stain. Honestly, every single lipstick can become a tint if you know the trick. Here's what I do to turn a great lipstick into a tint:

• Apply lipstick generously on moisturised lips
• Smack lips together to ensure even, full coverage
• Using a tissue, press down on lips and smack together to verify the amount of product left on lips
• Repeat the above process until there is barely anything on the lips
• There will be a stain left on the lips over which a balm can be applied

Do note that this applies only to bright or dark colours in the reds, pinks, purples and oranges. 

5. Eyeshadow

This is usually where people are likely to go over-board as a light hand is required to apply colour to the lids without it being overpowering or distracting.

advise: get an eyeshadow palette or quad that is regulated to office or work use only. This will ensure you don't get distracted while doing your makeup in the morning. 

To apply a light eyeshadow application, use a fluffy eyeshadow brush with medium density. That way, there is sufficient fluff to diffuse the product while ensuring there is still colour. If you are adventurous, the 4 colours in the below quad will be perfect to incorporate colour into your makeup for work.

One last tip; for each of these tips on how to incorporate colour into your makeup for work, the ultimate key is to ensure the focus is on that colour ONLY. For example, coloured mascara, liner or eyeshadow should be paired with nude lips or plain glossy lips and lip tints should be paired with a simple eyeshadow look and black mascara. 

While one would like to add pizzazz to their work makeup, there is absolutely no need to be a distraction to others with it so do be careful and remember to always use a light hand.