Peaceful pastel duo

Rose Quartz and Serenity are Pantone’s colour(s) of 2016. The international body chose two shades for the first time to emphasise on compassion and calmness – essential traits in our turbulent times. Here’s how you can combine the hues and sport them...
Rose Quartz and Serenity, when paired, demonstrate an inherent balance between a warm embracing rose tone and a cool tranquil blue.Pantone’s 2016 colour combo suggests doing away with associating specific colours with gender; making these particular shades of pink and blue appeal to both male and female senses.
FASHION
Fashion designer Dimple Raghani explains how... “People are breaking the stereotypical view of colour distinction, gender-wise. Masculine men are wearing what might traditionally be thought of as feminine colours, and women are sporting baggy, homeboy fits as opposed to feminine silhouettes. Function and individuality are now more important than a uniform idea of what’s conventional,” she says. These two pastel shades are also symbolic of the zeitgeist of our times – that much-needed relaxation in times of extreme turbulence. The secret to mastering this combo is to create your own unique pairings of impactful yet eye-pleasing tones. “You don’t have to find one piece with both colours in it. Instead, mix and match items to create an impact,” says designer Jyoti Gill. The rule of thumb when sporting these colours is minimalism. “Always go for pieces with clean and sharp lines and stay away from too complicated cuts, details and draperies. This will place the emphasis on the design of the garments rather than the shades and also work well for colour blocking. Try pairing a sky blue button-down with pale pink trousers for an ultra-elegant feminine look. And, always pick rich textures,” says fashion designer Sana. To counter the sugary sweetness of the colours, and create a more modern, polished look, wear them with either black or white. Black never fails to create winter drama, and white enhances the softness of pastel hues in summer. You can also replace black and white with soft grey or beige tones.
BEAUTY
Rose Quartz and Serenity are colours that suit all skin complexions and age groups. Both these colours work in perfect harmony with each other to create an elegant and radiant look. They make for soft, beautiful eyeshadows and eyeliners. Make-up artist Elton J Fernandez says, “The salmon pink, particularly, is a muted and fresh tone for lips on pale skin, or as blush in the cool winters. A soft blue is great as nail paint. You can even use the two in conjunction with each other. Paint your nails blue with a French pink tip, or vice-versa. You could also use a soft pink eyeshadow with a soft blue eyeliner for extra definition. Another eccentric idea is to use pink shadow with a soft blue kajal liner inside the waterline for a pop of colour. Alternatively, you can also opt for a hint of soft blue smudged on the eyelid with a soft pale pink blush.” Celebrity make-up artist Rashid Sayyed points out that the latest Pantone shades also make for a great canvas for adding some silver sparkle to your make-up. “Both Rose Quartz and Serenity look great when paired with glitter.
Try an illuminating shimmer in Rose Quartz for an all-over, subtle glow, or soft highlight.”
For a fresh day look
- Keep your face clean using an illuminating BB cream as per your skin type.
- Dust your eyes lightly with a Rose Quartz eyeshadow.
- Line it tightly above the eyelash with a deep burgundy eye pencil. This can be smudged a bit with Q-tips, all the way to your lower lash line.
- Add brown mascara.
- Finish the look with a lip and cheek tint of a similar colour.
- The nails can be painted in cool baby blue to incorporate Serenity in the look.
For a stunning night look
- Apply base to your face.
- Use the Serenity shade all over the eyelid. To add a touch of sparkle, spray some glitter on the eyelids sparingly.
- Line the eyes with a black liquid liner, creating the winged effect. Groom your brows.
- Add black/grey kohl to the inner rim and add some drama with a lash-lengthening mascara in jet black.
- Apply a Rose Quartz blush on the cheekbones.
- Add a velvety matte baby pink lip colour to finish the look.
Looks by beauty and make-up experts Priya Kapur and Aakriti Kochar DÉCOR
Rose Quartz is the colour of sunset and flushed cheeks while Serenity is the colour of the expanse of the bleached blue sky. These positive colours create a beautiful sense of calm and comfort in your living space. They are meant to induce feelings of stability, constancy, comfort and relaxation. Says Kavita Chaudhary, a specialist in designing rugs, “It is important to note that Rose Quartz is not baby pink. Both Rose Quartz and Serenity are variants of primary colours. Primary colours are never out of style and to use them in a way that is both persuasive and calming is perfect for the clean-lined contemporary look that homes wear these days.” Moreover, this is a year of everything light, airy and ethereal – like metal wire furniture, ceramics, glass, and textured materials such as felt, lace and solid wool. Home decor expert Nitin Jain says, “These colours are often used in Moroccan-style interiors. Think using hues of blue on the furniture and club it with cushions in Rose Quartz to add a dash of coral to the casual living room. To infuse an element of romance in the bedroom, go for a classic European-style bed in blue with simple upholstered headboard in salmon pink.” Given the lightness of these colours, they can be used in multiple ways to create both dramatic and iconic spaces.
WALL TIPS
1. Let a wall in Serenity Blue be the focus. Add Rose Quartz on the other walls for a lovely, soft dual colour effect in your room.
2. Create a textured wall combining Rose Quartz and Serenity Blue. Use any other colour on the remaining walls for a dramatic effect.
— Shibani Jain, Founder & CEO, Baaya Design