If there is one announcement I get excited over each year, it’s when Pantone announces the Color of the Year. Pantone is the global colour authority and provider of professional colour standards for the design industries. Each year, they comb the world looking for colour influences. Influences stem from technology, fashion, home, entertainment, you name it.

Last year’s choice was Radiant Orchid, which was a beautiful fuchsia colour, with pink and purple undertones. The year before that it was Emerald, and the year before that was Tangerine Tango. For this year, they chose something with less pop, Marsala.

Marsala is a naturally robust and earthy wine red, definitely more of a bland colour compared to their past choices.  In fact, when I saw they announced it, I was a bit disappointed.  To go from a beautiful fuchsia to a neutral? It wasn’t that exciting.  But then it grew on me. Okay, Marsala isn’t as exciting as tangerine or emerald, but let’s be real here, those two colours aren’t that easy to wear. Marsala, on the other hand, is.

Since the Color of the Year inspires many industries for the year to come, including the beauty industry, I was so excited to see what the brands had in store, especially Sephora. Each year, Sephora teams up with Pantone and releases a capsule collection of products that  embody each year’s shade.  The colours chosen include the Color of the Year, as well as complementary shades that you can wear with it.

If I wasn’t excited about Marsala before, I definitely am now that I’ve seen the products.  The collection includes eight items, everything ranging from an eyeshadow palette to a cheek palette, a liquid eyeliner, a mascara, a blush brush, a lip set and more. Some of the items have been seen in past Color of the Year collections (like the cheek palette, where they just swapped out the colours), but others are new, like the lip crayons.  The best part? Everything is housed in rose gold packaging.

I do plan on doing reviews on some of these items, but for now I want to show you how wearable Marsala is.

1. Starting with the eyes, I laid down the Cooling Marsala Multi Stick as an eyeshadow base. This product can be used for cheeks, eyes, lips, you name it, and provides immediate skin relief and a cooling effect.

2. For eyeshadow, I used the Smashbox Full Exposure palette because I wanted to keep this look neutral. Using a fluffy crease brush, first apply the matte tan colour in the crease, then go over that with an orange.  I used Make Up For Ever Artist Shadow in S-74.

3. Spray a flat shader brush with a setting spray, then using the tan shimmer colour, apply this on your lids.

4. With a pencil brush and the matte brown, first work this into the crease, then bring it down to the outer V. Blend it all out. Using that same matte brown, apply this to your lower lash line as well.

5. With the matte black and a fluffy crease brush, work this into your crease lightly. We just want to darken up the crease area, not make it black.

6. Using the shimmery white, apply this along your brow bone and in the inner corner of the eye.

7. Line your upper lash line with a liquid liner and then wing it out.  After, apply a couple coats of mascara, and if you wish, falsies.

8. To add a pop of Marsala to the eyes, I used the Marsala Metalshine Liquid Liner, applying it on the winged part of the black liner.

9. Apply your foundation, concealer, and contour.  Then for the cheeks, I used the Marsala shade from the Shimmering Marsala Cheek Trio and applied it with the Marsala Pro Angled Blush Brush #49. I have this palette from last year as well, from the Radiant Orchid collection, and found the blushes to be a bit chalky. You might have to blend the colour out with a foundation brush to make it even.

10. To finish up, I used the highlight from the same cheek palette, and Rose Dawn from the Marsala Layering Lip Collection on the lips.  I’m not usually that impressed with the products Sephora puts out, but this collection is a must.  Everything in it is extremely wearable and the quality is amazing in everything I tried.  I’ll be doing separate reviews on some of the products, as well as other Marsala posts, so keep an eye out.

What are some items you’re eyeing from the Sephora Marsala collection?

Please note, products sent by PR for consideration. All opinions are my own.

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