Chase Aston, International Celebrity Make up Artist has worked with legendary celebs such as Naomi Campbell, Iman, Mel B and Tyra Banks shares his top tips and favourite products for darker skin tones with JEWEL TONES BEAUTY.
What’s your top 5 favourite products for deeper tones?
My top favourite Pro-Kit essentials for deeper skin tones are
1. Iman Time Control Oil Free Moisture Complex SPF15, www.imancosmetics.com, this is an amazing tone free primer / moisturiser, which ensures even the most oiliest of complexions remains matte and shine free 24/7. Once I have cleansed, toned and moisturised the face, I then smooth this on all over the face and neck and allow to fully absorb, then apply foundation and make up as usual.
2. Black Opal Total Coverage Concealing Foundation, www.pakcosmetics.com.
This amazing 2 in 1 concealer/ foundation gives the skin amazing, natural, flawless coverage in seconds, a great shade range that can be used alone or mixed together. Or for a fresh and radiant complexion, you do not need to use a powder to set. For a matte finish, lightly dust a sheer translucent powder, this amazing product does not budge, smudge, crease or separate, whenever I work with a woman of colour they are blown away by this product.
3. Sleek Make Up Contour Kit, £6.49 & Sleek Make Up Blush By 3, £10, www.boots.com.
I am literally addicted to the Sleek Make Up Contour Kits, as I find the 3 shade palettes literally suit ALL warm to Darker skin tones, they glide effortlessly onto the complexion and seamlessly blend and contour without looking dry, powdery or ashy as some contour powders can do. Also the Sleek Make Up Blush By 3 are simply, THE BEST colour palettes for the woman of colour, the tones, textures, and ease of blendability and longevity are simply amazing.
4. Black Opal True Colour Stick Foundation SPF15, www.pakcosmetics.com.
The best, long lasting, naturally flawless, yet easy to build colour from sheer to medium , to a full matte , natural yet flawless coverage , this is also one of my favourite foundations when I shaping, shading and contouring warm to darker skin tones, as with the shade range in this collection , you can instantly find the correct go to shade instantly or mix and match with alternate shades….this compliments all skin types , especially those prone to excess oiliness.
5. MAC eyeshadows, www.maccosmetics.co.uk in Satin, Shimmer, Matte and Cream formats are my go to eyeshadow range for there amazing shade, format and texture options, you will always guarantee to find a shade that will compliment even the most darkest of skin tones, that will hold there depth and hue on application, without appearing chalky or ashy on the complexion. Once applied and blended, they stay put, no budging, smudging or travelling south!
Jewel Tones Beauty recommends Twinks, Sable and Honesty for a natural look and Vex, Antiqued and Expensive Pink for an interesting pop of colour.
What are your top tips and techniques you like to use when working on deeper skin tones?
Contouring, shaping, shading, highlighting and bronzing your face using subtle varying shade options, is the ultimate way to accentuate your existing features, creating an illusion of definition and a new you, instantly!
I always use an oil free stick foundation in a darker shade first along the hairline, this helps to shorten the forehead, then using the same shade I draw along the sides of the nose, the inner corners of the eyes, onto the temples, under the hollow of the cheek ( blow a kiss and hold, the hollow will appear under cheek bones) and along the jaw line and under the chin, and using a make up sponge pat and blend this in, re- apply to sharpen and define contouring.
Then take a lighter/ highlighter shade and apply to the centre of the forehead, under the arch of the brows, down the centre of the nose (only if you want to sharpen/ thin/ define the nose shape) the highest points of the cheekbones, beginning underneath/ centre of the eyes and extending the highlight out to the hairline. You can also highlight underneath but not the tip of the nose, above the Cupid’s bow of the top lip and surrounding area and also on the front and tip of the chin.
Re-Apply the darker contouring foundation/ powder to sharpen and accentuate the planes of the face, then take a Blusher in warmer tones, rich and deep pinks, golden tones, plums, berries , cinnamon and red hues and apply onto the cheeks between the Contour and highlighting shaded areas, finally to give the complexion an inner glow, using a large face & Body Brush lightly dust a warm to dark shimmering Bronzer ( the shade of Bronzer you use will depend on your contouring shades used and your skin tone, avoid cream formats when contouring, powder ones are usually the best and do not budge or smudge, and also Bronzers with too much red, stick to ones with gold/bronze undertones . apply onto the apple of the cheeks and dust up and along cheek bones, for a subtle, shimmering golden highlight/glow.
My Essential Contouring Tools
A BeautyBlender, £16, www.cultbeauty.co.uk or Professional Make Up Sponge used to blend foundation, concealer and contouring.
A large eye shadow brush, MAC’s 224 Tapered Blending Brush, £23, ( I love MAC and Shu Uemura brushes) for precision contouring foundation/concealer/highlighter, around inner corners of eyes, along brow bone, under the arch of brow, down the centre of the nose (to define and sharpen) and on around mouth and chin area.
A large Face & Body Brush, MAC’s 134 Large Powder Brush, £40 to shape, shade and contour and highlight using powder formats and to set your make up and foundation.
It’s also a good idea to invest in a large Kabuki, MAC 182 Buffer Brush, £34.50 or Bronzing Brush to apply Blush/Bronzer/shimmer highlighters, onto cheeks, along cheekbones, the temple area and the centre of forehead 134 Large Powder Brush, £40, to highlight and soften, depending on the depth of shading and contouring.
You’ve worked with all the top A-listers like Naomi Campbell, what products did you use what did you learn from them?
I have been very fortunate in my career and in the past to work with some of the worlds leading Women Of Colour Supermodels and celebrities, Naomi Campbell, Tyra Banks, Alek Wek, Lorraine Pasquale, Cynthia Bailey ( RHOA), Foxy Brown, Karen Alexander, Iman, Naomi Lenoire, Veronica Webb, Beverly Peele, Gail O’Neil, Mel B ( spice girls ), Keishas Buchannan ( Sugababes) Kara and Kaya and through working with these amazing women of colour, I learnt how to shape, shade, contour and highlight and tp find and compliment the correct skin tones with yellow/red/blue undertones and everything in between. I learnt to avoid the dreaded Ashy effect and how to bring rich, deep and beautiful skin tones alive, whilst still looking real, fresh and natural. I also learnt how to find the correct gold, bronze, and rich/deep jewel tone shadow/cheeks and Lip tones that will compliment the many hues of the woman of colour, and to avoid Pastels at all cost on deeper skin tones, as to avoid the chalky/ashy effect! Also the one thing with working with a broad spectrum of women different skin tones in both the modelling and celebrity field, is that they all taught me that they must always learn and be spot on and perfect with, their base/ foundation. I have been very fortunate and blessed over the years to have this knowledge and wisdom passed onto me.
Also women with darker skin tones have always been expert and knowledgable with shaping, contouring, highlighting, way before the KARDASHIAN’S made it trendy!
You’ve worked in the Emirates what top tips you recommend for Middle Eastern skin tones?
Middle Eastern skin tones can vary from the very light yellow, golden olive and dark to deeper Blue/Red undertones. With Olive being the most prevalent, I would suggest that these skin tones avoid beige tones, pale pinks, light browns and pastels as these can make you appear washed out and choose from the colour palette of cinnamon, rich/ deep chocolate browns, dark/ rich reds , burnished deep coral oranges, deep intense rose pinks, plums, mauves and intense purples/fuchsia, all rich jewel toned hues. As they always compliment the Middle Eastern skin tone, also avoid wearing anything frosty in hue and texture, matte, satin and shimmer formats will always compliment this skin tone.
