Matte Matters

When we think of fall and winter, it’s usually through the lens of nostalgia and fantasy: a muted sienna-hued world seen through a Victorian London fug, short days and black nights all soft and velvety. As soon as summer ends, our makeup cravings switch from shimmer and sparkle to matte softness. And then we remember our teens: the lipsticks that emphasized every crack in our pouts, the foundations that made our skin look desiccated and the eyeshadows that looked more flat than flattering.

“We have an old perception that a matte texture means cakey, dry, made up, opaque and emphasizes imperfections like wrinkles and skin texture,” says Julie Cusson, makeup artist for Chanel. “But, with innovation … velvet is now a new modern finish that you can wear every day.” She’s referring, specifically, to Apotheosis, Le Mat de Chanel—the brand’s fall-winter colour collection for eyes, lips and cheeks. Apotheosis means the highest point, the best a thing can be, the perfect example, and this collection starts as it means to go on—matte packaging for everything: lip and eye crayons, blush and eye palettes and even frosted-glass nail-polish bottles. Inside, find colours that are richly pigmented in intense shades like navy and gunmetal for eyes, beet for lips and red for nails.

“Matte reveals your features differently; instantly, a matte texture brings something special," Cusson says. "Personally, I find a matte finish stronger and more refined than shimmered textures." In her opinion, the best way to keep things looking modern and fresh is to pair your matte lips and eyes with a luminous foundation: “If your entire face is matte you won’t look alive and the makeup will look dull. Luminosity for me doesn’t mean high shine or strong highlights. I’m talking about a natural, luminous skin look; often the secret is not to use loose powder on the face—or, if it’s needed slightly, only on the T-zone.”

The colours are intense, but Cusson doesn’t think the collection is necessarily only for those who want to make a statement: "Matte, light shades on lips with velvet beige and warm brown on the eyes can be stunning.” If you want to amp it up for an evening look, she suggests a matte-red lip, or using Les 4 Ombres Multi-Effect Quadra Eyeshadow in #312 Quiet Revolution to create a smoky eye or a cat eye, as "deep blue can be more rich and wearable than black."

That’s the look Chanel creative make-up and colour director Lucia Pica created for the brand’s Cruise 2018 presentation, but what’s Cusson’s personal favourite—her apotheosis? “I’m in love with the nail-colour shades,” she says. “They are so modern and perfectly matte. You can have a white T-shirt, a pair of jeans and wear dark matte plum or pure matte red and it will be a refined statement.” —Aileen Lalor

chanel.ca