Demystifying America the Beautiful

Did you know that Hawaii is the only state to prefer red lipstick above all other shades? Or how about California – could their blonde surfer girl image be a myth?

According to data collected from more than 700,000 Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultants throughout the Unites States, each region of the nation has a distinct beauty personality reflected in the choices of cosmetic shades and delivery methods preferred.

Neutral New England

From enjoying clam chowder to sailing around the Cape, New Englanders have a unique style. When it comes to beauty, individuals from this colonial region like to keep it neutral. Laidback, “didn’t-try-too-hard” looks are preferred with pinks and beiges that blend with the wearer’s complexion and natural coloring are the norm.

Northeast Changing of the Shades

A model that characterizes the United States as a diverse land of opportunity, the Northeast’s beauty styles are as assorted as the types of people who reside there. Northeasterners celebrate their diversity by choosing looks and shades that highlight their individuality and personal beauty, opting for a different color on any given day, from jeweled tones and shimmering hues, to smoky shades and muted tints.

Sophisticated Shades in the South

With its gentleman and its belles, the sweetness of the South extends far beyond the personality of its inhabitants. However, the South also has a hint of attitude and spunkiness, especially with its contemporary looks and new sounds in country music. Southerners appear to gravitate toward rich chocolate shades and subtler coffees, indicating that these ladies take their beauty seriously but have a maturity and sophistication that has been ingested much deeper than the eye can see.

Metallic Midwest

Though one might expect Midwesterners to wear little makeup, they actually shine with rich hues and a distinct style. An area filled with natural wonders like mountains and fields, the Midwest bases its beauty on the manmade materials that are the building blocks of the region’s major cities rather than natural wonders. The face of the Midwest shimmers with sparkling metallics and dazzling frosted shades. Dustings of gold and silver reflect the fun yet serious nature of the Midwest.

Weightless West Coast

Westerners don’t let too much ruffle their feathers beyond a gentle Pacific breeze. The same is true for what Mary Kay’s data reveals about their beauty regimens – they like to keep it simple, while creating stunning, natural looks. Favorites in the West include sheer glosses, neutral pinks and highlighting whites and beiges.

Apart from the regional differences displayed throughout the nation and in the cities, several states’ preferences painted a unique cosmetic picture which set them apart from their surrounding neighbors:

• Camouflage Californians generally expected to flaunt an all-natural, subtle surfer girl palette of pinks, beiges and light browns, actually appear to display beauty practices that are quite the opposite. Opting for darker shades, Californians choose green eye shadows and black liquid eyeliner.
• Adorable Alaskans melt the ice with heartwarming hues of pinks and purples. These fun and flirty shades for eyes, lips and cheeks are preferred over other hues in Alaska.
• The Texas Royal Treatment proves that purple shades are not just the color of kings and queens.
• New Jerseyans choose black pencil eye liner two-to-one over black liquid eyeliner. The respectively brown and beige colors, “Hazelnut” and “Moonstone” are the top eye shadow picks, dispelling myths of overdone makeup.
• Trailblazing Tennesseeans prefer eyes with a twist! Retractable twist eyeliner appears to be the choice over liquid eyeliner by four-to-one in the home of country music.
• Not So Plain Nebraskans prefer to accent eyes with brighter pink shades. Bringing color to the cornfields, Nebraska ladies love to see pink.
• Red Hot Hawaiians pick bold reds and bright colors showing they are not afraid to be different and make a statement.