New to the beauty and makeup world? Don’t worry we understand. Our blog is all about simplifying this sometimes complicated but fascinating world of skin types, skin tones, products, ingredients and the terminologies that come with it. No question is a foolish one, so ask away on info@tingestore.com or DM us on Instagram. This brings us to a very common question for newbies. “What are swatches?”
We roll into the world of swatches – what are they, why are they needed, and how to do them, in this blog. You’ll see that this is pretty much an art form in itself.
What are swatches?
A swatch is a colour showcase on skin to give a visual sense to the viewer on actual application, instead of seeing it in isolation. Has it ever happened to you that you see a lipstick on its own and it looks fabulous, but the moment you put it on your lips, you question your taste? If tried as a swatch, we bet you would make a better decision.
Why is swatching necessary?
Seeing a colour and texture on actual skin tone and place for a makeup user is the real rite of passage for a product. Your skin tone and texture make the canvas for makeup – every colour, brand and texture might look different. The idea of swatching is to try a product on a clean part of the body that matches the tone of the real place of application to give you an authentic sense of usage. This is crucial for decision making when there are so many shades and brands and you need just the right one for your skin tone.
Best way to do swatches for lipstick?
Make sure both your skin and hands are clean and dry before applying any colour. Also let them be free of moisturizer or body oil. Use lighting that you want to see the actual colour in. It could be window light or a well-lit room. Apply confident strokes of lipstick on the inner part of your forearm to see different shades clearly. You can even build on them to see how it would look if you added the same amount on your lips. Some make up veterans also check for swatches on the pink side of the finger as lips can often be of that colour.
Swatching for foundation, eyeshadow, or even eyeliner on your skin to demonstrate its colour and finish is even more important for the Indian skin tone, as we have a wide variety of tones, and even on the body, some parts can be lighter or darker than others. The answer lies in perfecting this and choosing your make up only after swatching.
We do this for all our products very regularly on Instagram. So, keep a look out.
