It’s time to go ‘Marsala’!

The jewel hue Marsala is all the rage this year. Here’s how to incorporate it in your everyday beauty regimen
Oxblood red or marsala — call it by whatever name you like, this subtle and sultry hue is a great go-to colour for beauty. You may have seen Bollywood divas like Deepika Padukone and Sonam kapoor sporting the colour on the red carpet pretty often. So if you wish to wear it, but don’t know how to do it the right way without your make-up looking OTT, here are a few easy tricks.
GO MAD ABOUT MARSALA
Marsala is a colour that suits almost all skin complexions.“It goes best with a warm skin tone and at the same time provides the right pop of colour to fair-complexioned women. The best part about this colour is that despite being an earthy shade, it adds just the right amount of glamour required for both a day or night look. It has the ability to impart oomph without taking away the naturalness,” says beauty expert Divya Thukral.
FOR YOUR HAIR
If you’re in for hair makeover, take some inspiration from Katy Perry whose latest dye job is a must-try. “To get Marsala as a hair color, you need to go for a red-brown with a cool blue undertone. It’s a great colour for brunettes with fair and olive skin tones, as it's a great complement to their complexion. If you want to change your full head of hair, you can go for an all-over Marsala hue, while others can try subtle Marsala high or lowlights if a high-impact red isn’t your thing. To satisfy your quirky soul, complement it with similar hued lashes,” says Shailesh Moolya, national creative director – hair of a leading national salon.
Since auburn tones are more prone to fading, use shade-saving products for your routine and choose a hue close to your own natural hair color, so that when it does fade, the shift isn’t as obvious. “Keeping the color rich and vibrant requires a color-safe shampoo that has a low PH. Good quality shampoos can keep the color vibrant and glossy for nine weeks. Make sure you condition your hair everytime you wash them. And before heat styling, always work a protective oil onto your mid-lengths and ends,” adds Moolya.
FOR YOUR NAILS
By far the simplest way to get in on any colour trend is to paint your nails. The colour marsala oozes a lot of confidence and sex appeal. Start by sporting the colour on your nails. Stand out in the crowd by wearing marsala nails with any evening outfit. There are several ways you can get creative with the colour. Shape and file your nails well and go for marsala French manicure. Your nails will look stunning. Marsala nail polishes are available in different shades; cream and metallic finishes. So pick the one you love the most.
FOR YOUR POUT
Lipsticks in the ‘marsala’ range provide both intensity and a pop of color, but they lean a bit more toward neutral, due to marsala’s earthy brown characteristic. Remember those popular 1990s, dark-neutral lips? “A beautiful way to update this look is with a more pigmented matte finish. Use a lip liner for a clean, stark outline. For a less bold look, wear this color in a sheer gloss, and keep the rest of the look plain. Skip the eyeliner and the eyeshadow and let your lips be the centre of attraction,” says make-up and beauty expert Aakriti Kochchar. A huge plus point of marsala colour is that it pairs well with a range of cheek and eye colors. Try a pink pop of color on cheeks, gray tones on eyes, or olive and khaki eye shadows.
WHY MARSALA?
Surat-based make-up artist and Femina Miss Style Diva 2012, Malvika Mehta says, “I love experimenting with colours and make-up, but since its monsoons I am always worried about my mascara and eyeliner running down. Eye shadows are also likely to smudge during rainy season. Marsala works best for rains. Apply this colour on your lips and you're ready to go. You don’t really need anything else on the face to enhance the look.”