Although I’m personally someone who doesn’t wear much makeup at all (mascara and lipstick are pretty much my thing), I will be the first to say that there is an art in being able to create the perfect “makeup face” — especially when it comes to blending eyeshadows. Yeah, whether you opt to use cosmetics to subtly enhance some of your natural features or you enjoy seeing just how creative you can get with all of your makeup products when you get it right…it’s so…RIGHT.
Since it’s the fall season and there are sure to be some family get-togethers, office parties, and holiday-themed events with your bae that are coming up, if you are someone who enjoys all things makeup, I want to share with you some of the colors that will be big trends for autumn, as well as winter, along with some color psychology behind each and every one.
That way, you can choose hues that not only are currently in style but will reflect how you want to feel from the inside out whenever you have them on too.
1. Smoky Gray Eyes
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For the longest time, I wasn’t exactly sure what my favorite color was. Although I do tend to lean into neutrals, now more than ever, as I was looking at my closet a few months ago, I realized that, hands down, from head to toe, it’s gray. From a color psychology standpoint, gray represents things like wisdom, knowledge, being calm, and remaining composed. Although it also symbolizes things like neutrality and not being stimulated (which definitely isn’t me — LOL), I just feel — feminine and cozy in gray, especially during this time of the year.
Anyway, if you’re someone who has an upcoming date that requires dressing up, try the currently popular smoky gray eye. Not only does it provide a really dramatic effect, but it also brings out the best in your eyes if they are brown; plus, it’s a great complement for your gray hair stands (if you happen to have any). Yeah, nothing says “stunningly regal and sexy” like a well-done smoky gray eye does.
2. Plum Cheeks
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Pretty recently, ESSENCE ran an article entitled, “9 Times Sanaa Lathan Proved She’s The Queen Of Blush.” It wasn’t until I skimmed it that I thought about how impacting blush really can be. Although I’ve always known that it can bring out the best in cheekbones, what I really like is how it can provide a radiant glow while contouring our features. As far as which shade is gonna be big this season, it’s plum.
Since plum is in the purple family, it’s a color that symbolizes things like royalty, luxury, extravagance and ambition. Also, from what I’ve read and researched, plum, specifically, is all about spirituality and enlightenment. So, if you’re down to brush a lil’ bit of plum onto your cheeks this fall and winter, that’s the kind of energy that you will be bringing into your personal space. Beautiful.
3. Cranberry Lips
Next to pumpkins, cranberries would definitely have to be the signature fruit for fall and wintertime. That’s why it makes all of the sense in the world that it would be a trending color for the latter part of this year. Since it’s a shade of red, cranberry represents things like love, passion, power, and dominance. Hmph. The main thing that I think of when I think of the color red is the need for balance because, when it’s not controlled, it can lead to aggression and anger, too.
Anyway, as far as makeup application goes, cranberry is pretty bomb because it complements pretty much every skin tone, and from a lipstick standpoint, it’s a great (cosmetic) way to brighten your smile. Honestly, probably every woman should have a cranberry tube of lipstick (or at least lip gloss) in her possession. Do you?
4. Metallic Eyeshadow
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If you do some Googling on fall and winter makeup trends, you’re probably going to see a lot about eyes that look “iced out” or futuristic — and the way to achieve this look is to go with a metallic color of eyeshadow like gold, silver or bronze. That’s cool because metallic hues evoke things like creativity and excitement. Something that gold can do, specifically, is cause you to feel wealthy, while silver encourages you to tap into your intuition, and bronze reminds you to embrace strength and stability.
That said, if a metallic eye is something that you would like to try but have absolutely no idea of how to make it happen on the DIY tip, YouTuber Ale Jay has a video tutorial that combines a smoky and metallic eye in a very eye-catching way. You can check it out here.
5. Shades of Pink
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Pink is romantic. Pink is feminine. Pink is nurturing, sweet, kind, and soft — so, I’m all about it. Interestingly enough, although I tend to associate this color with spring and summer more, this year, you’ll be seeing all shades of pink in makeup during the colder seasons.
Actually, now that I come to think of it, an icy almost-white, pink sweater or a monochromatic blush outfit would probably be perfect for the cold. So, if you’re a fan of pink, this is your time to shine from eyeshadow to blush to lipstick. Have at it, sis.
6. Black Makeup
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So, what’s up with all of the black this year? As King Solomon once said, there is truly nothing new that is under the sun, and it appears that '90s grunge is back — only with a bit of an ungraded twist. Before I tackle that, let’s first talk about what black symbolizes: sophistication, seduction, strength, mystery, and being dignified. So, if anyone has ever tried to convince you that you are “hiding yourself” in black (black makeup, black clothing, whatever), school them on what black is all about.
Also, if you decide to wear black makeup this year, spice it up a bit by going with a black eyeshadow that has some sparkle in it or, if you’re going to wear black lipstick, apply a lip gloss that has a bit of glitter in it. Also, keep in mind that grunge comes in hues like burgundy or a smoky eye with a nude lip. You can check out different variations of the look (if black isn’t your thing but you’d like to experiment with the grunge look anyway) here.
7. Classic Red Lipstick
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This one, we’ve already touched on as far as what red represents, so let’s just hop into why you should definitely have a classic red lipstick in your possession. I mean, have you seen yourself in red before? LAWD. If you’re shy about it, look at YouTuber Okemute Ugwuamaka in a red lip here, RaggedyRoyal in an ombré red lip here, Karen Michelle’s matte red lip here, Nyla Akua in a red lip (short) here and ND MAKE-UP’s perfect red lip tutorial here.
Chile, if after viewing those, you don’t see how fabulous a classic red lip can be in and for your life…you simply don’t want to. SMDH.
8. Your Own Skin
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And what if you want to just — pardon the pun — chill and take the less is more approach this fall and winter? Believe it or not, you’ll actually be on-trend if you do; that’s because another big cosmetic look for this season and the next is not wearing much of anything at all.
As someone who pretty much lives this way, trend or not, what I really like about it is it reminds you to prioritize skincare so that you don’t have to worry (at least as much) about trying to cover up blemishes and discoloration (check out “Why Your Skin, Hair, And Nails Need Hyaluronic Acid Like...Yesterday,” “I've Been Doing At-Home Chemical Peels. Here Are The Pros And Cons.” and “Resolving To Kick Your Product Junkie Habit? Here's Your Game Plan For 2024.”).
Just apply a bit of bronzer and your favorite lip gloss (again, along with some mascara, of course), and you’ll look gorgeous in whatever you choose to wear. Plus, brown symbolizes things like health, nurturing, dependability, reliability, comfort, and honesty — so why not let your skin shine through?
Welcome to fall, y’all.
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Anyway, I personally think that the less shallow folks out here may contemplate calling things “quits” or they at least distance themselves a bit from their partner (and what I’m referring to is serious relationships) due to all of the stress and strain that oftentimes comes with the holidays whether it be financial, familial, due to their tight schedules or something else.
Listen, I would hate for you and your man to miss the fun and happiness of experiencing this time of year, all because you are so overwhelmed or irritated that you can’t really enjoy it. That’s why I have a few practical tips for how to avoid allowing the typical holiday season stress from INFECTING your relationship.
Manage Your Expectations
GiphyUnmanaged expectations. If there is a main reason why the holiday season tends to be so stress-filled for so many people, I’d bet good money that this is the cause. And when you’re in a long-term relationship, expectations can manifest themselves in all sorts of cryptic and/or unexpected ways. You might have relatives who assume that you are going to be with them for Thanksgiving or Christmas when you have other plans in mind. You might be thinking that you are going to spend one amount for presents while your man is thinking something totally different. When it comes to scheduling, your signals may be crossed.
And you know what? To all of these scenarios, this is where clear and consistent communication come in. Don’t assume anything. Don’t dictate anything either. From now until New Year’s, mutually decide to check in once a week, just to make sure that you are both on the same page as it relates to the holidays and what you both are thinking will come along with it. The less blindsided you both feel, the less stressed out you will be. Trust me on this.
Set (and Keep) a Budget
GiphyOkay, so I read that last year, 36 percent of Americans incurred some type of holiday-related debt. Hmph. Last year, there was still some sense of normalcy in this country, chile, so I can only imagine what finances are gonna look like over the next several weeks. That said, since I don’t know a lot of people who don’t find being broke stressful, make sure that you and your bae set a budget and then stick to it this year — no ifs, ands or buts.
Because really, y’all — it doesn’t make sense to deplete savings and/or max out credit cards for a few days of giggles only to be damn near losing your mind because you don’t know how to make ends meet come Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
And by the way, this tip doesn’t just speak to things like food and gifts; I also mean travel. If it doesn’t make a ton of sense (or cents) to be all over the place this year — DON’T BE.
Keep Matthew 5:37 at the Forefront
GiphyIf off the top of your head, you don’t know what Matthew 5:37 says, no worries, here ya go: “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” That verse right there? Oh, it’s a boundaries lifesaver! I say that because do you see “maybe” or “I’ll think about it” in there? Nope. LOL. It says that you should tell people “yes” or “no” and leave it at that — and that complements Anne Lamott’s quote, “’No’ is a complete sentence” impeccably well. Yeah, you’ve got to remember that anything beyond a yes or no to a request is privileged information; you don’t owe anyone details or an explanation.
Besides, if you are really honest with yourself, when someone asks you something and you give a “Umm, let me think about it” kind of reply, more times than not, you already know what your answer is going to be — so why not let you both off of the hook? Give your response. Commit to that. And let everyone (including yourself) get on with their lives and schedules.
I promise you that when it comes to those holiday parties, you are pissing more folks off by not RSVP’ing or doing so and not showing up than just saying, “Thank you but not this year” off the rip.
Remember That Your Personal Space Is Privilege Not a Right
GiphyA friend of mine recently bought a new house and invited me over to come see it. He’s a single man with no children, so as I was taking in all of the space that he had, especially as I walked through his finished basement, I joked about relatives coming to live with him. “Hell no” and “absolutely not” were pretty much his immediate responses as he went on to say that some folks even had the nerve to be offended when he told them that he had no intentions on taking DNA in.
Ain’t it wild how people think that your stuff is their right? And yes, that brings me to my next point. Your home is your sanctuary space. If you want to host folks this year — cool. If not, ALSO COOL. Please don’t let folks (family included) guilt you into how they want you to act or even into what they would do if the shoe was on the other foot. You are not them — and as one of my favorite quotes states, “If two people were exactly alike, one of them would be unnecessary.” (A man by the name Larry Dixon said that.)
Hell, my friends? They know that I am good for sending them random things that they need or even want all throughout the year. Coming over to hang out at my pace, though. Uh-uh. Chalk it up to being a card-carrying member of the ambivert club yet I like keeping my living space personal — and I sleep like a baby, each and every night, for feeling that way.
Always remember that your space, your time, your resources, your energy and shoot, yourself period (including your relationship), are all things that are your own. You get to choose how, when and why you want to share them. The holiday season is certainly no exception.
Cultivate Some “You Two Only” Traditions
GiphyIt’s not uncommon for some couples to hit me up after the holiday season to “detox.” Sometimes it’s due to the financial drama (and sometimes trauma) that they experienced. Sometimes it’s because they allowed their relatives (especially in-laws) to get more into their personal business than they should’ve. More than anything, though, it tends to be because they didn’t get enough quality time together and so ended up feeling “disconnected.”
Please don’t let that happen. Listen, I’m not even a holidays kind of woman and yet, I will absolutely sit myself down with some hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies to enjoy a Hallmark holiday film or two. Aside from the fact that most of them are lighthearted and sweet, I also like that they usually focus on couples loving on each other amidst all of the holiday beauty and ambiance — which is something that all couples should set aside some time to do.
Maybe it’s a vacation. Maybe it’s a staycation. Or maybe it’s my personal favorite, A SEXCATION. Whether it’s for a few days, the weekend or even overnight — don’t you let the holidays go by without setting aside time for you and your man to celebrate one another. Don’t you dare (check out “Are You Ready To Have Some Very Merry 'Christmas Sex'?”).
GET. SOME. REST.
GiphyI once read that 8 out of 10 people get stressed out over the holidays and 3 out of 10 lose sleep during to it — and when you’re stress-filled and sleep-deprived, that can absolutely lead to hypersensitivity, making mountains out of molehills and even not being in the mood for sex.
Your relationship can’t afford to go through any of this, so definitely make sure to prioritize rest. I don’t care how unrealistic it might seem during this time, sleep should never be seen as a luxury; it will always and forever be a great necessity.
That said, try to get no less than six hours of shut-eye in (check out “6 Fascinating Ways Sex And Sleep Definitely Go Hand In Hand”) and even ask your bae to take a nap with you sometimes (check out “Wanna Have Some Next-Level Sex? Take A Nap, Sis.”). Not only will sleep help to restore your mind, body and spirit but, when it’s with your partner, it’s an act of intimacy that can make you both feel super connected, even in the midst of what might feel like chaos.
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Holiday season stress is real. Still, never give it the permission or power to throw your relationship off. Put you and your man first and let the holidays be what they are gonna be, chile.
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Some other beautiful things that can come from staying in the present?
1. You Can Take the Pressure Off
GiphyThere is a Scripture in the Bible that is a great way to open up the points of today’s article: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:34 — NKJV)
Y’all, after the summer that I’ve had this year (check out “I've Been Estranged From My Mom For Years. She Died Last Week.” and “I Was Hired To Be An Online Life Coach. Then Got Scammed For $4K. Here's How To Avoid This.”), verses like this one have been a breath of fresh air because, although it is wise to plan for the future (of course, it is), it’s also great wisdom to choose to rest in the fact that, no matter what may be going on, all that you can do is your best from day to day.
When you really learn to embrace that reality, it really does make life far less stressful.
Which brings me to my next point.
2. You Stop Trying to Control…What Is Out of Your Control
GiphyI believe I’ve shared before that back when my house burned down, three days before Christmas, back in 2021, that was a life-changing moment for me. As I watched all of the firefighters cutting into the roof, after asking the fire marshal what the cause was, I told everyone that I had a pedicure appointment and I would be back. The fire wasn’t my fault. What wasn’t destroyed by flames was jacked up by the foam and water that was used to put the fire out. And hell, I couldn’t control any of that. What I could control, though, was doing some self-care, so that I could remain as calm and focused as possible.
Y’all, obesity, heart disease, headaches, depression, anxiety, accelerated aging, premature death — all of these health-related issues are linked to stress and one of the things that stresses people out is trying to control what is literally out of their control. And honestly, that’s what makes the Serenity Prayer so impactful: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.”
Wanna know if you’re walking in true discernment and emotional maturity? You are out here only controlling what is in your power. Straight up.
3. You Are Able to Be More Peaceful and Less Frazzled
GiphyTo be frazzled is to be worn out — and something that can absolutely wear you out is thinking about too many things at once or trying to do too many things at one time (more on the latter in a second). However, the beauty that comes with both of these things is knowing that you absolutely have the power to avoid both pitfalls by choosing to remain in the moment.
If you are having lunch with a friend, don’t worry about the conversation that you need to have with your boss tomorrow; you aren’t there yet. If you are in the process of paying your tax bill, don’t stress about rent (yet); be glad about the provision that you have to take care of the matter at hand. Why be worried about how Christmas or New Year’s at your in-laws is going to go if you’re days or weeks out from it? Focus on what you’ve got going on and how to make it pleasurable.
I’m telling you, one of the best things about living in the moment is it reminds you that if you keep your mind, body, and spirit in the present, you are able to remain so much more at peace. Where peace is, calm is. Where calm is, tranquility is. And that is an absolutely wonderful space to be (and remain) in.
4. You Can Concentrate on One Thing at a Time
GiphySomething that I know that people (especially women) like to brag about is the ability to multitask. If you’re one of those individuals, it’s time to do a bit of myth debunking. Although some studies say that people can accomplish doing a couple of things at a time fairly well, semi-recent intel is revealing that trying to accomplish more than three things at a time will typically cause you to not be as efficient or excellent at your tasks as you might think.
In fact, I recently read an article on the topic which said that when office workers are interrupted, it can take them almost 30 minutes to actually get back on track. That’s because the brain is not designed to complete more than one comprehensive task at a time.
So, you know what that means, right? By attempting to do more than one thing at a time, you’re probably not going to be as thorough, and that could result in you actually wasting time because you’ll have to go back over “it.” Yeah, I’d rather just stay in the moment and concentrate on the one thing that is before me. That way, it can be done well, and when I move on from “it,” I can move on…fully.
5. You Become More Appreciative
GiphyWhen you get a chance, check out the article, “Screen time and emotional problems in kids: A vicious circle?” from the American Psychological Association. One of the things the article said is “The study revealed that the more children engaged with electronic screens, the more likely they were to develop socioemotional problems… Conversely, children experiencing socioemotional problems were found to be more likely to turn to screens as a coping mechanism.”
Know what else is unfortunate about being too attached to technology? It can train your mind to seek out instant gratification from things (since you are able to gain instant access to so much information and entertainment) — and that can teach you to be supremely entitled and very ungrateful.
This is why I will forever-and-a-day side with interior designers who say that bedrooms are for sex and sleep ONLY. What is the tie-in? Well, if you use that room in your house for two things only, that teaches you to honor and respect those two things more. You know that when you are walking into your bedroom, there is copulation, rest, or both that is going to happen — no more, no less. And that can make you want to decorate the room with this in mind, be intentional about the kind of attitude and energy that you bring into that space — and cause you to treat your partner in a way that welcomes real and lasting intimacy for you both.
Yeah, if all that is on your mind is sex and sleep, you will choose to cultivate those moments only in there…and that can make you even more grateful, not just to the sleep and sex…but your bedroom overall, since you haven’t also turned it into an office, fun room and second sleep room for your kids and pets and another spot to be surfing the web all night long. Just sayin’.
Nothing about social media or the internet as a whole encourages you to “stay in the moment,” it beckons you to absorb as much as you possibly can in record time. And that is just one more way to drain yourself instead of relaxing and taking each moment as it comes. Prove me wrong.
6. You Can Keep Things in (Better) Perspective
GiphyThe late comedian George Carlin once said, “Some people see the glass half full. Others see it half empty. I see a glass that's twice as big as it needs to be.” I really like that quote because it’s a reminder that, at the end of the day, some things aren’t right or wrong; they are simply your perspective. And that’s why I encourage a lot of my clients, whenever they are discussing, debating or disagreeing with their spouse to not say, “That’s not true” but to instead reply with, “I see it differently.” It takes the ego out, and people can always hear and receive differently when humility walks into the room.
And yes, when you are determined to remain in the moment, it can help you to fine-tune your perspective. For instance, say that you are having a conversation with someone who hurt your feelings, and they are apologizing. If you stay in the past (which isn’t in the moment), you will trigger those same emotions that may make it difficult to forgive them. If you jump too far into the future, you might create problems (via hypothetical scenarios) that don’t exist by worrying about what could happen if the same thing happens again. If you remain in the present, though, you can honor how you feel in the here and now of it all and move based on that energy alone.
You’d be amazed at how much your perspective shifts based on whether or not you remain in the moment. If you don’t believe me, try it out. Hop in the comments and let me know how it played out.
7. Life Becomes More Complete
GiphyHmph. It’s kind of wild how my first comment included a Scripture, and this last one is about to as well. Hebrews 13:5(NKJV) says, “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have.” Being content means being “satisfied with what one is or has; not wanting more or anything else.”
Now, does this mean that it’s wrong to want a new car, or a different job, or a spouse and kids someday? Of course, not. Yet as we wrap this up, it is a verse that speaks to — yep, you guessed it — staying in the moment because if you’re so caught up in “the next thing,” it can cause you to miss out on what you already have going on right now.
I promise you that if you really concentrate on being satisfied with what you already have, that can make you see all that you’ve got — and it’s probably a lot more than you realize. And when you’re in that mindset, it tends to make life feel more complete. You’ve got provision. You’ve got some good friends. You’re in your right mind. There are areas of your life that are “lacking nothing,” which is what complete means. You can also be at peace — and guess what one definition of the Hebrew word for peace (which is shalom) is? COMPLETE. Full circle.
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Psychologist Abraham Maslow once said, “The ability to be in the present moment is a major component of mental wellness.” Author Marianne Williamson once said, “The present moment, if you think about it, is the only time there is. No matter what time it is, it is always now.” Author Eckhart Tolle once said, “Always say 'yes' to the present moment... Surrender to what is. Say 'yes' to life — and see how life starts suddenly to start working for you rather than against you.”
All of these are spot-on because, at the end of the day, the gift of the present is all that you have.
By remaining in the moment, that is how to make the absolute most of it.
Please make sure that you do.
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