Bare Assertions

 

George Prentice summed up nude makeup more concisely than any famous makeup artist by stating "A bare assertion is not necessarily the naked truth."  Nude makeup is an illusion comprised of the same makeup components to the most colourful or dramatic makeup imaginable.  Its techniques and placement are the same, all that changes are the shades and tones of the colour scheme.

Naked makeup has been a fashion staple for the last fifteen years, it was first launched in the grunge and minimalism fashion of the mid 90s to mid naughties, with Kate Moss being the forerunner. Freckles shone through and makeup was about enhancing features, not bringing attention to itself.  Pinky-brown lipsticks, fawn eyeliners and auburn mascaras were marketed in the quest of making women look like the best version of themselves. Makeup accents  within or layered on the nude look have come and gone as fashion has moved, but the nude base has become a classic go-to staple (or perhaps a lazy alternative) that runways keep revisiting. It's being continually recycled because it is the an easy backdrop in allowing one single exaggerated makeup fashion statement to stand out.

Since the 90s, for the past fifteen years, the naked face has been used to showcase the winged eyeliner (2007 to present); thick brows (2003 to present); dolly blush application (2002 to 2007); super thin stylised defined brows (1999 to 2003); and deep matte lipstick (1990 to 1998, more recently 2009 to present) just to name some of the past and recent trends that utilise the naked face as its base.  By contrasting a single makeup exaggeration on to a blank, or nude face, will amplify the exaggerated item further as there is no other feature or makeup competing against it.  In eliminating all distractions that would attract the viewer's gaze away from the overstated makeup item, any chance of facial balance to soften the look is also eliminated.  Yet, despite the severity created to the face with a singular exaggeration, as a fashion statement (only) these amplifications are pushed by runways and glossy magazines as being fashion friendly and wearable; after all, they argue, one would be wearing and accentuating only one feature. Choosing fashionable over flattering is the wearer's choice, and I for one often choose trendy over pretty. However, what does raise a question is whether any technique used to such an extent and for such a long period of time is justifiable in artistic and fashionable terms.  To be creative and innovative takes more effort (and perhaps more talent).

The Prada model to the left (autumn/winter 2011) nude makeup is chosen to act as a vehicle to exaggerate the colour that has been in fashion spring/summer 2010, that is, peach/apricot. The colour of the lips and cheeks has been showcased by naked makeup illusion, where no eye shading is used and highlighting is used to eliminate all crevices and depressions so to make the eyes seem as flat as possible. Also,  no facial contouring is utilised, and a stereotypical "spring" complexion model (little contrast between hair and skin tones and clear, warm, golden undertones) is chosen. Although the blush and lip tint are quite sheer and have a natural semi-matte finish to them, the apricot colour within these two washes literally pop out of the photo as there is no other features, colours or shadows to counteract its effect. Added to which, the natural warm tones within the model's skin and hair further accentuate the peach colour.

Turning back the clock, Shu Eumura cosmetic brand launched the photo to the right to advertise false eyelashes in 2007. Here, nude makeup is taken one step further by camouflaging all features into one blank base. Natural eyelashes, cheek bones and cheeks, lips, brows and hair are monotoned and downplayed. The only other feature (other than the false eyelashes) shaded with a soft wash colour are eyelids.  However, this wash of eyeshadow does not serve to flatter the model, or create balance to the face, it exists purely to create a background and frame to  the false eyelashes resulting in further exaggeration.

Technology is also responsible for the naked makeup trend being continually recycled and relaunched.   Since the advent of synthetic oils in foundation in the early 90s, and and more recently in powders and eyeshadows, makeup up is no longer a substances which sits on top of the skin in an obvious manner, nor does it completely camouflage the skin anymore.  Synthetic oils in makeup means that makeup adheres to the skin more securely and has given chemists the power to further dilute pigments for sheerer finishes, allowing skin to be seen through the makeup.  Also, its tenacious adherence means that it is able to flexibly move with the skin without budging or sinking into pores, furrows and wrinkles. Gone are the days of a chalky powdery layers of eyeshadow that prevailed  just five years, eyeshadow really does look like eye shadows. The Stella McCartney  model on the left has a nude makeup using the latest makeup technology other than the lipstick barely showing through, base, blush, eye makeup cannot be detected.

Added to which, makeup brushes have readily available to all are now marketed in every conceivable size, texture and cut. Makeup application has become faster, more accurate, and more controlled and if the applier desires, sheerer. It is easy to forget that as recent as the the early 90s makeup brushes were very hard to come by and often makeup artists were forced to cut out their own brushes and scour art supply stores to find brushes. Mass produced brushes with decent tapering and fibres are now available to all so the fashion can now comfortably launch any type of makeup technique, as the tools to back their trend is already in place.

The last influence and the reason as to why nude makeup trend has had such a long fashion span is due to the film industry.   Films, since the 90s have not only opted for their typical neutral and matte makeup policy on all characters (except where characterisations dictate) have opted from the mid 90s to make makeup as natural as possible.  A friend of mine who is renowned film makeup artist confessed to me that she pretty much works with a handful a soft neutral mid toned to light tones matte shades and darker shades are primarily used to enhances the lash line only.

To be truthful, I'm not all that certain that the nude makeup look is particularly trendy on its own at this time. It was a common fad a couple of years ago, I grant you that. The makeup market has also helped propagate it of recent by marketing a variety of "nude" eyeshadow selection ( such as Urban Decay's The Nakeds and Nyx's). However, if you are hoping to make an avaunt gard statement, streetwear wise it probably misses the mark.  Despite the fashion circuit pushing this trend on to us, we are not  living a minimalist fashion phase. Perhaps makeup has become too natural like for a naked makeup look, such naturalness can defeat the purpose of makeup all together. Fashion, has a tendency to bring attention on to itself, in real-life a truly naked face when done expertly using latest state of the art makeup it would be assumed not have any makeup on.  The nude makeup 2010/211 "trend" has, however, served a very important function: it has rendered top heavy makeup, dark eye makeup, big lashes and shiny eye makeup dated.  It is more accurate to describe it as a transitional recycled trend whose purpose is to age naughties makeup trends and take us into a new makeup fashion age.

Sharp Looks

In contrast to the soft, natural, sporty, Ralph Lauren country style inspired makeup and fashion trends that are now in vogue, there exists another opposing trend which is currently thriving and evolving. This trend is a sharp look that is enhanced through strong, bold, often dark, and always defined, streamlines reminiscent of  the 40s and 50s. In clothing this fashion includes elongated or turned up shoulder silhouettes (albeit, the turned up shoulders are a short lived fad while the structured shoulders are here to stay for some time); cinched in high waists; fitted hips, girth and upper buttock area; weighty, skyscraper heels or wedged platforms (yet in-set); pointy toes; and stovepipes and pegged in slacks, skirts and jeans. It's a fashion that accentuates curves, and then contrasts them against acute angles and defined lines.  The end result is a matronly, stylised, adult like, dressy, power hungry look. A highly disciplined femininity with a slight domineering twist.

The contrast and cohesion of this power-play vs femininity 50s inspired fashion has also spilled over into the world of makeup. Within these peripherals, the makeup style is strong and defined and also includes strong streamlines.  One of these fashions includes the change that has occurred to nails - round or oval nails, and more recently, to pointy shapes.  The dark, long, lean elegance of the  Betty Davis styled nails have replaced the square and squaval tacky white french manicured sporty length talons alla 00s porn star. Again, it's a more feminine style, yet edgier and with slight masochistic, darker tone.

When dealing with eye makeup, this fashion has abandoned the panda/smoky eye makeup and primarily adopted in its place stylised liquid liner applied with a heavy hand répertoire  shaped into wings (think Amy Winehouse) or tail tips (think a stereotypical 50s star eyeline job).  At the moment there is a tendency of leaning towards wings over tails, albeit the runways have been oscillating  between the two styles for the past five years without  making any clear cut statement.

However, one makeup trend often present with highly stylised liner is a nude, clean face, where the only exaggeration to exist is the eyeliner itself.  This is sharp, bold, and dare I say, harsh look.  The skin is kept flawless, the lips and brows subtly camouflaged and any eye makeup  is kept nude and mostly matte. From such a base the eyeliner can be of any colour, intensity, shape, angle and length. As lovely as the catwalk Armani model on the left may look, this is not a look that adapts well to reality.  The stark contrast between the illusion of no makeup and a single exaggerated stylised feature can be aging and grim causing feature imbalance, rendering the look only suitable as a fashion statement.

Another alternative is to blend the liner by using shadow  applied in an elongated winged style, connecting to the lower  eyelid liner. A good example of this type of technique can be seen on the left on Angelina Jolie. The liner may be applied with a liquid or cream/gel eyeliner  and is then blended with a matching shadow to soften its effect with finely controlled blending.Having a liner on the bottom eyeline also helps soften the effect of the liner.

For those seeking such a trend but in a  slightly  more flattering  context, another alternative is also a  50s inspired stylised eyelid shadow adaptation which is just starting to make a splash on the fashion scene. With this style makeup there a few manners in which the eyeshadow is applied, but  the common denominator is always the eyeshadow applied in a manner that emulates eyeliner. In the picture to the right, the stylisation has occur on a classic V shadow back corner application, where the shadow applied is the same colour to the eyeliner which enhances the ambiguity of  the corner crease, the  outer corners and the eyeliner melding into each other into a sharp corner.  By not defining  areas of the eye with different shades and tones, and by  choosing not to blend the shadow, electing to concentrate on lines instead renders the the eye makeup easier in creating two dimensional manipulations, especially of the stylised manner. 

Westwood's autumn/winter 2011 runway also opted for a quasi-cat eye style of make up by combining a lower eyelid smoke effect with matching burgandy winged liner.  A truly sexy bedroom eye combination. The makeup artist also balanced off the strong eye amkeup to matching matte lipstick, thus a lot of the harshness of eye only makeup is eliminated.

With exaggerated liner trend growing in strength it is inevitable that the next logical fashion step would be cat eye eyeshadow application makeup. In this typeof makeup, the eyeliner gives way to the lower eyelid eyeshadow applied in a stylised and streamlined manner. The model to the left is wearing a soft variation of the 80s cat eye makeup.  In the 80s this was a very popular makeup option. The cat eye makeup was influenced by the 50s, gothics and punk fashion.  At the timeit was also referred to as "vampire makeup, which now is referred to as vamp.

The cat eye 50s and 80s makeup has also influenced  glasses fashion. The photo below is from the Prada runway autumn winter 2011 collection, where similar cuts were also shown on Dolce e Gabbana, Chanel and various other runways.  This is one of the few trends where fashion follows makeup, rather than the other way round. Here Prada has further emphasised the makeup influence by accentuating the cat eye shape with a black line on the upper frame emulating a winged liner and a soft neutral beige colour on the rest of the frame emulating that nude eye makeup look that is often coupled with stylised liner. Love it!  Wonderful  to see that even Prada  is capable of a little little tongue in cheek fashion humour.

Do my cheeks look big?

Flushed pinkish fuchsia blush applied in a circular manner over the cheeks; thin, defined brows; pinkie-brown lips -- a remnant of the 90s makeup fashion that remained with us through to the mid naughties, and  the style of makeup that still persists within the 35-45 age bracket today. The blush  is placed over the entire "apple of the cheeks" (that's the front and circular protruding section of the cheeks) to give a flushed look of exertion.  While the bone depressions and the cheek muscles that lead into the temples are completely ignored. This look became so mainstream that makeup companies  released blunt cut circular ferrule blush brushes instructing customers to apply their  blush in a circular, flat motion.  Cheeks were not encouraged to be sculptured. The blush hues pushed towards the cool side of the colour spectrum which helped counteract some of the synthetic exaggeration for most caucasian women). Regardless, this makeup trend rounds up the face and sets eyes closer together.  The excessive center facial focus it creates translates to loss of definition and dimension, imparting a sfake, doll like look.  The immaturity it created did, however, fit extremely well with the accompanying clothing and accessories fashions of  the times.

However, by the mid naughties this blush application was not melding well into incoming and  opposing fashion trends.  The 90s  "little girl",  pre-pubescent inspired fashion started to wane by the early naughties. Small, center parted hair; drop waist cothing; kitten heeled mary-janes evolved into "I am a Woman and I Ovulate" so I can wear my hair big; with low cut cleavage shoes and uber heels; and cinched in  high waisted silhouettes.

Similarly, big, pink, cooled toned cheeks, thick brows, bronzer and oily lips clashed with each other,  rendering the wearer cheesy to garish. Extremly noticeable in high fashion hubs such as southern Europe cities where trends are layered on top of one another with no fear over kill, as there are no self imposed outdated  and misapplied Chanel restrains that seemingly rule the American style culture.  The thick brow trend meant the viewer's eye was already being pushed upward and centered to the middle upper face region and eyes, the addition of  Chitty Chitty Bang Bang wind-up doll cheeks was causing major imbalance and overload to the face.

The solution came  in various stages and has completely reshaped blush application. The first change the fashion world saw was the position in which blush was applied.  As can be seen on the model to the left, the blush continues towards the ears, softening the face with a hint of  continuity, and  creating a subtle sculptured feel that looks less harsh and more natural. The end result is sleeker, elongated cheeks, with the illusion of the apples of the cheeks being placed lower and further apart on the face, connecting out and up to the cheek bones, dragging the cheeks upward and out. For reasons of geometry the viewers gaze feels more at ease with this type of blush application.

This second change came by way of default through  the bronzer come-back. This time round, though, cosmetic companies are now saturated with makeup artists who over the past ten years have altered makeup counters to include professional makeup, tools and/or techniques. In using artists to push bronzer has meant that it's peddled as a low-lighter, thus educating customers to utilise it  as a pseudo facial cheek contour.  Bronzer application has evolved so much that it is becoming rarer to see it merchandised with foundations and pressed powders.  More likely to find it categorised with blushers, and marketed as a cheek contour or for adding warmth and depth to the face.

The third change came through the addition of cheek high-lighting using a shimmery or pearlescent highlighter, so to enhance  the contouring  creatd by a deep blush shade or a realistic contour shade.  The combination of the shades together creates the maximum three dimensional cheek effect . Contouring is the new facial accessory and it's very likely here to stay with us for most of this decade.

The three dimensional cheek trend of the 10s  has been such a  marketable success that many cosmetic companies often package  blushes with a contour and/or a highlighter. Two examples can be seen below: Nars Blush Highlighting/Bronzer Duo (left) a high-end option and Milani Sunset Duos Blush and Bronzer (right) a low-end option.

The last fashion change in blush has been the colour changes.  Gone are the  olive skinned inspired  cool  toned colours. The blush colours are now softer and warmer  including hues such as apricot, tan, tawny, peach, mandarin, beige, and soft coral.  All colours are either neutral or lean towards the neutrals colour family due to their high yellow content.

The combination of all these changes has seen cheek accentuation become one of the primary fashion focuses. A little blush, when pressed for time, like mascara, is the only other makeup accessory that can be worn alone. Complex, three dimensional cheeks with enhanced zygomatic bones may be considered high-fashion,  but  sweeping, on toned blush is still  beautiful, and very much an on trend alterantive (as can be seen worn by the model above).  There is no need to feel overwhelmed by techique and choice, tailor the choices to your preferences and enjoy the warmth and youth that is exuded by blush.

Safari Sophistication

In the 2009 spring/summer we saw subtle hints of the 80s English country and safari fashions sprinkled into various runway collections.  This style of sportswear has reoccurred in all seasonal collections since then, its echos rippling across  with the "country" fashion trend popularised by Ralph Lauren in the 80s. Country and safari are the grandparents of the American prep style, so it is a natural progression that the more current runways have also served us with a generous serve of American prep, as this was the next  logical step. Another relative belonging to this style of fashion is the military/utilitarian style, which is  also thriving in current street-wear. The combination of all these styles has resulted in an abundance of  linen, seersucker, gigham, canvas, tweeds, bouclé, gabardine, corduroy, suede, knee and thigh high boots,  pockets upon pockets, messenger bags and other across the shoulder bags,  more neutral shades than the Sahara desert, wavy or frizzy tied-back hair with bushy brows and the mono/duo-lid shaded eyes. Casual, presentable elegance with traditional and conservative  fundamentals.  It's a youthful style that demands a clean, tidy face, disciplined embellishments, no excessive shine, and  plenty of neutrals.  It's all about comfort and utility while still remaining presentable in non-formal social setting. 

These fashion trends have forced a drastic restyling of the 90s  and 00s makeup fashions.  Namely, lots of natural and naked eyelid, dark, unkempt brows, velvety skins, matte and deep lips, lack of brow bone highlighting,  broad and dark upper eyelid shading which has increased spatially to hit just under, or colliding directly into the brows, and natural matte wahes of eyeshadow. A number of these very trends are being worn by the model on the left where one would be forgiven in thinking that this is shot taken back in the mid 80s.

The signature marks that distinguishes this style of eye makeup are the lack of brow bone highlighting, and the use of one or two shadows only. The shadows tend to belong to the neutral colour family, of a matte texture, and applied softly.  Eyeshadow colours  utilised are khaki, peach, taupe, tawny, camel, amber and tan. A wash of colour is applied to the entire eyelid melding into, and framed by barely groomed, thick  brows, and natural looking eyelashes lined softly mostly to enhance the lashes rather than to restyle or enhance the eye shape. A look which sultry-fies the eyes with a subtle hint of depth, while retaining an essence of purity due to its uncomplicated application and appearance. Youthful, elegant and clean.

This eye makeup direction has steadily appeared in fashion magazines, mostly showcased on thick brow models. The 2009  summer/spring runways steered towards a mono-eyeshadow of camels and sands, but the avant-guarde spin on this style was marked by a bright yellow shadow using a vibrant matte lipstick to counteract its unnatural brilliance,  but also to add more facial balance. Although I often shy away from  brightly coloured eyeshadow, I have to admit that the yellow and red combination made me melt at my knees - it's not easy to achieve an overly trendy look that manages to retain a chic integrity. Currently, the yellow is being  used even  now after  its overuse  during spring and summer  2009  by catwalks, glossies and even ads (French  Connection, Guess, Bebe, Marc Jacob, etc).  To freshen this overexposed look,  makeup artists have started to substitute the yellow eyeshadow with corals, roses and peaches.

In the autumn/winter 2009 runways makeup artists became  so accustomed to the mono-lid trend  they took it a step further  by utilising richer and deeper colours such as copper, bronze and moth brown. Any possibility of a vamp look, which this style of makeup is predisposed to as soon as the colour is deepened,  is eliminated by selecting shimmery textures and avoiding shades beyond a medium intensity.  Eyebrows tended to be darkened a maximum of one shade darker than the hair colour, and eye lining  was kept to a minimum, using richly pigmented shadows (over liquids) for  a softer finish due  its blending ability so to enhance the depth of the eyelashes only.

At present the nude eye shadow in neutral shades is considered one of the major trends for spring/summer 2010. The models for Chanel's last spring/summer 2010 collection sported just such a look as seen on the right. The models' eyes were made up with just two matte colours with no brow bone highlighting and a light wash of  mascara and soft, well blended lining.  The light mascara and natural eye definition is a foreseeable future trend for 2011.

D Brow Cut

Fash and mags have been pushing the thick brow for years. I remember seeing the first thick brow on a makeup poster in a chichi department store way back in 2003. The consumer rejected and ignored it, and the cosmetic companies not wanting to upset the frail wallets of their customer base, coyly played the "you put your left foot in" game for years to come.

Although the subtle thick brow campaign failed to convert us, it was successful in making us reassess the 70s inspired thin brow fashion of the late 90s and early 00s. Their ghost crept up on us ever so slowly retraining our eye to a new and bolder fashion. It enticed us to re-fashion the waif brow first into a slightly thicker shape, then into a more natural finish, whereby stylisation of brows slowly died out. 

Let us fast forward to 2006. Runways, mags and cosmetic brand campaign put their proverbial left foot down and forcefully pushed for a defined, thick brow. Within one year this new brow became so well established by the fashion world that model agencies told their models to grow out their brows or risk losing work. Currently, the bushy, unkempt Brooke Shields brow, with wild inner tufts and large, flat base and tail with minimal inner arch lift is considered the it brow.

If you've been blessed with thick brows, grow them out and flaunt them, as I predict this not to be a short lived fad, but a serious fashion trend that will become increasingly popular remaining with us for the next five to ten years. If you fear the change, then take a careful look at the above picture. Smoky eye makeup is rendered less harsh by rich brows, as it softens its severity by adding  spacial, textural  and colour competition, creating stronger plane to counteract the darkness of the eyeshadow.

The it brow - unkempt, unruly, untamed, unlit and sultry. Grow some bush today.

Most top makeup artists have now embraced the new brow. Bobbi Brown, the original  Brook Shield brow forerunner of the 80s, is taking thick brows very seriously this time round, as well. Brown, has even gone to the extent of trimming the shot on the left in such a way as to frame whole photo, not just the model's face,  making the brows the understated center piece. Bobbi  adds  weight  to these brows by meticulously shading them in all the way to the very outer peripherals of the entire brow length (the model's natural brows are not this thick) with a shadow slightly lighter than the model's hair, and then using one shade slightly darker for the brow tails.  The light to dark technique gives the illusion of length and volume by adding depth.

The hardcore fashionista may want to take it one avant-guard step up and make all of their brows at least a full shade darker than their hair by using a single, flat colour.  This "power brow" is strong, bold, carnal and voluptuous. It empowers the  face and the over-all image, while emitting a raw fridaesque sensuality. If you think your face cannot handle its severity, then couple it with a powerful lipstick to create balance. In the picture to the right, a matte red lipstick, and matching dress, are balanced off  with  a set of overstated black-brown eyebrows.  The result is stunningly potent.

If you're not brave enough for such a bold brow,  there is another technique which is currently being utilised by many makeup artists so not to frighten the timid, and  to keep the look more natural.  Laura Mercier has used this technique in her Polished Colour Collection, as seen on the left. A richly pigment shadow of the same colour and tone to the hair (or a shade lighter),  is applied purposefully on only certain sections of the brows.  To counteract the over groomed brow of the naughties, brow colour is not applied to the inner corners of the brows so to give the  illusion of  existing tufts, resulting  in a look that seems to be less maintained, more natural and certainly less severe. 

To help you achieve these looks I have set out a variety of products in varying textures, options which I use regularly .

For the days when I'm in hurry to get my makeup on, but I need to make an empowered and professional impression, I will not go past Paula's Choice Browlist.  Her colour choice is in desperate need of expansion, but the two available colours are first class  It's softly pigmented, which renders it foolproof for makeup noobs and klutz alike, its longevity is excellent as it doesn't smudge of fade, and its felt tip style translates to precise application.  Browlist can be purchased at  Paula's Choice for $9.95 US.

When I want to look like I'm not trying hard, and I'm limited time wise,  I opt for  the MAC's doppelganger Maybelline Define-A-Brow in a shade lighter than my brows.  It's a super thin twist-up pencil that does not require sharpening,  constantly maintaining a suitably precise application. This pencil comes in one of the largest colours selections I have ever seen, and is retailed at a competitive drugstore price.

Bobbi Brown Natural Brow Shaper retails at $19.00 US.  It's a wonderful brow mascara with a sticky texture rich in hairspray like ingredients, giving brows one of the firmest holds around. The colour selection is excellent, and its triangular like shaped brush works amazingly well at controlling the application of the product.

For the ultimate "bitch brows" I recommend Make Up For Ever Waterproof Eyebrow Corrector retailing at $18.90 EU. This product is not  recommended to nubcakes. The finished look is solid and stylised due to its concentrated pigmentation, and the fact that once dried it's extremely difficult to correct. It's smudge and waterproof, and the colour stays fresh throughout the day  The colour range although, on the side of humble considering the pigmentation of this product, is stellar due the naturalistic tones.

A classic alternative that everyone should have in their makeup kit is Nyx Eyebrow Cake Powder retailing at $3.00US. The colour range is excellent, and the duo arrangement makes the product versatile. The pigmentation concentration also allows this product to double up as liner (wet or dry) . A good and cheap alternative for those new to makeup or the budget conscious.  With an expert hand when this product is finished off with  some good old fashioned hairspray on a brow/tooth brush, the brows would be comparable to models in glossy mags.

The new kid on the block is an interesting product marketed by Laura Mercier called Brow Definer retailing at $20.00US . It's an innovative product  that combines brow wax and gel liner ingredients.  The result is a  medium pigmentation concentration product which imparts a lovely natural finish.  It  applies easily and smoothly, and  because of the wax ingredients , the product also adheres to the hairs of your brows making them look thicker. The high wax  content does render this product unsuitable for eye lining.

If you're a fan of sharpeners then one of the best old fashioned colour-in pencils on the market is the Chanel Precision Brow Definer.  A medium pigmented, powdery pencil with an excellent colour selection marketed at $28.00US.

MAC Brow Finisher is my product of choice for a naked look. Fast, non complicated, completely foolproof due to very low pigment concentration, minimalist approach to brows. Gloss your brows and off you go.