The Spectrum | Wine

I was thinking a little about Pantone's new Color Of the Year recently and trying to find an organic and relevant way to include some Marsala talk on the blog.

While the brown/red/terracotta shade is one that I think is immensely flattering and easy to wear across a lot of skin tones I don't actually own anything in a true Marsala shade. 

So instead I thought I would cover some of my favorite Vino inspired shades.

This way if Marsala doesn't sing to you we can help find another grape that will.

On the Lips:

All of my lip options veer very much to the purple toned wine shade. The most purple being the Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in Shameless. This is a true red based purple shade with a long wear time and a matte finish. I've sung the praises of this formula before and I'm sure I'll do it again but if you are feeling particularly bold I think this is a fun shade to try.

The next option is the Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Train Bleu. This is a deeper brown based purple shade that is easily the darkest of all my options. Like the Revlon this also has a much raved about and comfortable matte finish. This unlike the Revlon can be sheered out to create a "wine stained' effect on the lips which rears it's head as a runway trend once every few years. I personally prefer to wear this pretty full on with a pale and minimal face but it allows you some versatility if you aren't brave enough for the vampy lip.

For the ultimate in versatility I like the OCC Lip Tar in Black Dahlia. Unlike some of my other lip tars I reach for this shade pretty regularly and despite it's scary appearance in the tube it is actually a beautiful slightly translucent deep wine red shade. You can literally apply as much or as little of this product as you like until you get the desired density of color. The lip tar formula is not my favorite as it is prone to bleeding but for a good color it's worth the trouble.

On the Eyes:

I love a good burgandy shadow. It's like Olsen times a million when you reach for the red eyeshadow. While the wine tones here can be a little intimidating I can assure you it's worth getting on board with.

One standout from the drugstore in this arena is actually the Rimmel Scandal Eyes Eye Paint in the shade Garnet Splash. This is a true metallic red shade that makes a great base for all your red toned options. It applies to a medium opacity but I find it wears all day long even on it's own. If you are nervous about this kind of color on your eye you could even try layering this under other shades to test it out. 

The most "Marsala" shade in this whole lineup is one of my oldest Urban Decay favorites. I've been through 3 of this shadow since high school and I can't even see being without it. Urban Decay's Roach is a mid-toned to deep brown with a red undertone and a pink/gold sheen to it. I like to wear this on it's own with a generous coat of mascara as a daytime smokey eye but it can easily be included as a liner or a blending shade with slightly more every day colors but however you choose to use it it's the one color here that I think has a place in everyone's collection. 

Finally for a more purple option I've pulled the L'Oreal HIP duo in the shade Electrified. This is a drugstore gem if I've ever found one. Both shades in the duo are gloriously buttery and pigmented and play very well together. I very often like to used the complimentary warm neutral shade on the lid with the deep grape shade winged out on the lash line. So pretty and so easy.

On the Cheeks:

Now this is where the Marsala Factor comes out to play. The Sleek Powder Blush in the shade Flushed is something I have touched on so many times on the blog it hurts. A beautiful matte brown red shade that creates a "just in from the cold" effect on the cheeks. (Not that any of us NYer's are faking it these days brrrrr!) It's works well on a variety of skin tones and wears all day long. Seven dollars well spent. 

The more expensive option is Nars Outlaw. This is easily my most worn Nars Blush because it is the slightly more red toned version of Orgasm. All of the things that I like about Orgasm are made better in Outlaw and on my warm toned skin this just sits better. The subtle golden sheen adds the hint of Summer we're all missing these days and the warm red tone looks bright and fresh on the cheeks. I find this shade pairs espeically well with Black Dahlia.

I did notice that the one thing I was missing in this kind of shade is an eye liner so that is next on my list. I think the Urban Decay 24/7 in Roach or something from the Sephora Collection lineup could be a good choice.

So what do you guys think? Is this a color you'd dabble in? Do you have any favorites I've missed. 

I always love a reason to shop :)