For summer, the news is in the hues

MANILA, Philippines - Perhaps it’s the heat, but the notion of wearing black during summer has lost its luster. Neutrals, like ivory, beige, gray and the ever-present khaki, have replaced the basic black dress — for the months of April and May, anyway — and requires a pop color to serve as a focal point. Enter the vivid hues of summer. Whether it’s a lavender lip, coral cheek or olive eyeshadow, the cool new hues are eye-poppingly fresh.

Coral line

Coral is king this month and next. Whether smoothed over cheeks, painted over nails or slicked over lips, the vivid summer hue is everywhere.

At Bobby Brown, finding a happy medium between bold and wearable was the order of the day. Making coral wearable for all skin tones involved mixing pinks and beiges, resulting in a range of lipsticks from nude to fresh pink corals.

Pair the fresh pink coral with a bare, pale face and a nude coral with a dusky tan.

At MAC, the peppy hue is also a box-office hit, highlighting cheeks and lips with a light coral glaze. Golden hints and nude tones round out the collection.

Berry well

Shiseido swerved from the regular pastels and took on luminous light lavender nudes, pale tangerines and even darker berry tones. The Japanese label is renowned for their whitening range, which explains the unusually ethereal shades they’ve chosen to highlight this season. But that doesn’t mean darker-skinned folks should feel left out. The pale tangerine shines even brighter when contrasted against a deep tan.

Peachy keen

To provide a counter narrative to the tough, minimalist trends this season, soft makeup looks have emerged. Lancome’s peachy hues, a mix of amber-flecked blush and soft salmon, provide a stark contrast to eyeshadows that pay homage to Balmain and co. with olive and silver hues perfectly in sync with the military trend.