Skin sense: Looking good whatever your skin color

By Muara Bagdja

JAKARTA (JP): Our vision of feminine beauty is usually associated with fair skin. It is what cosmetics producers, the print and electronic media and the entertainment world all communicate to us in our daily lives.

In reality, not every woman is fair-skinned, particularly those living in Indonesia, which is home to a great number of ethnic groups and, consequently, a great variety of skin colors. In general, there are four distinct skin colors: fair, yellow, dark brown and dark.

Obviously, each skin color has its own pluses. Dark brown skin, for example, is always associated with exoticism by foreigners, although many dark-skinned women try to lighten their skin.

Most important of all is you should accentuate your skin color rather than change it. By doing so, you will feel attractive and have greater self-confidence, an asset for you when interacting with others.

Fair skin

Clothing: Fair-skinned women are very lucky as they can wear clothes and cosmetics of nearly all hues depending, on the impression they wish to create, just like drawing on a plain piece of paper. The brightness of the skin can be accentuated when the dress, plain or with an intricate motif, displays bright and soft hues of peach, sky blue, light green or pale purple.

Dark-hued dresses will also accentuate the brightness of the skin as a contrast. Cream-colored gowns, though trendy today, will not do much to accentuate the beauty of fair skin as it will merge with the skin color. On the other hand, bright cobalt blue or bright red will make the skin sparkle brightly and attractively.

Makeup: Put on cosmetics in light and soft colors, like baby pink or other natural hues, to accentuate the beauty of fair skin. You will look fresher than if you put on dark-colored cosmetics. There is nothing wrong with putting a little blush on your cheeks to make them slightly more crimson as if you had just sunbathed.

Warning: Don't put on dresses and cosmetics that will make you look pale. Soft or slightly shocking colors will accentuate your fair skin.

Yellowish skin

Chinese, Manadonese, Sundanese and indigenous Palembang people often have this kind of skin. In terms of its pluses, yellow skin is similar to fair skin. To accentuate this skin color, put on dresses and cosmetics of light, fresh and slightly shocking colors to ensure a lively appearance.

Dark Brown Skin

Javanese women, people from coastal areas and of Arabic origin have this kind of skin. Dark brown women should consider themselves lucky as their skin color creates an exotic impression. It is the kind of skin color that Caucasians try to obtain when they sunbathe.

Clothing: Put on bright pastel hues of pink, light blue or light green to accentuate the darkness of brown skin. Such colors absorb the skin color and make it look more attractive. The trendy color of gold will make dark brown skin bright and attractive.

Shocking colors will provide a contrast with this skin color to ensure that an exotic impression will become more distinct. On the other hand, dark brown skin will look dull when the dress has a natural color like cream, khaki, light brown or dark brown.

Makeup: Cosmetics in brownish, earthy tones and orange will accentuate skin complexion. Women in this skin category should be careful with their makeup. The lighter the makeup, the fresher the complexion. Thick makeup will give the impression of darker skin. Glossy natural-colored lipstick may be added to ensure greater charm.

Attention: Extra care is needed to ensure that dark-brown skin shines. One technique is to regularly apply body lotion to the skin to make it shine and appear healthier.

Black

Those who come from the country's eastern regions are generally dark-skinned.

Clothing: Dark-skinned women should be careful when choosing colors for their clothes and makeup as their skin hue alone draws much attention. Proper attention is needed to ensure that the skin color appears at its most attractive.

One of the ways is to provide a color that will paint a contrast with the dark hue, for example, a bright shade. Brightly colored dresses will ensure that you accentuate your attractive features.

Like dark-brown skin, the dark hue needs accentuating by means of bright pastel colors such as bright pink, neon blue or orange. These colors will create greater liveliness and charm.

Makeup: While more shocking colors are acceptable for dress, makeup should be dark. Eyeshadow, for example, should be brownish, and lipstick in the maroon range. Darker colors give a better natural impression as they will blend better with the skin complexion.

Be careful though, because dim-colored and dark-hued apparel will make the skin look duller.

Muara Bagdja is a fashion writer based in Jakarta. Questions? Contact him at sundaypost@thejakartapost.com.