Color Inspiration: Purple

The Many Shades of Purple in Beauty

Lilac, lavender, mauve, violet, plum: purple is never just one colour. It moves from the softest, most delicate shades to richer, deeper tones, from powdery pastels to almost velvety depths. In beauty, it can feel fresh and unexpected, romantic or subtly dramatic.

A colour you can almost smell. Lilac belongs to spring, to the first flowers opening in the light, with a fresh, floral and softly powdery scent. Lavender tells a different story: sun-warmed fields, the South of France, long summer days. And the scent of violet brings another facet altogether — soft, powdery and almost velvety, delicate, feminine and decidedly sensual.

On the eyes, lilac and violet can bring a soft wash of colour, while plum creates more depth. On the nails, a pale lavender feels effortless and delicate; a deeper purple becomes more intense and expressive. On the lips, mauve and berry tones bring another dimension to the palette, from a sheer wash of colour to a richer, more defined look. The same shades can change completely with the texture and finish. And sometimes, colour is less about the shade itself than the object that carries it — a bottle, a soap, a cream or a small detail of packaging.

At l’Officina, Color Inspiration: Purple brings together makeup, nail polish, skincare, soaps and beauty accessories in shades that range from lilac and lavender to violet and plum. Feminine and delicate without ever feeling fragile, purple can be soft and understated, or quietly bold.