Calvin Klein cosmetics: Blushingly simple

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April 14, 2000
Web posted at: 1:36 p.m. EDT (1736 GMT)

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Calvin Klein has created a line of soft, luminous ready-to-wear makeup for the modern woman. He says he offers a fresh, easy-to-use approach, with glosses and washes that have sheer textures and natural tones.

"What we're talking about is being modern and making things easier for people," Klein says. "That's the philosophy with our clothes, with our accessories, with our home furnishings.

"It should really be contemporary, and we should be answering people's needs -- how to make it simpler and better."

The products may seem simple, but they actually perform multiple functions, says New York dermatologist Patricia Wexler, who helped Klein develop the line."

The milky cleanser is one example, she says. "(It) will take off makeup -- eye area included -- so it's a makeup remover," Wexler says. "It's a cleanser, it's a moisturizer, so it has multiple functions."

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CNN's Elsa Klensch looks at Calvin Klein's new line of cosmetics. Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K

"Women want something they can carry from day to night. They want something that they are going to put on their skin, and not only will it enhance what they have, but it will prevent them from environmental damage. It will moisturize, it'll erase or camouflage irregularities. They want a simple product that's going to do a lot of things."

Color me Klein

The makeup palette reflects the color statements Klein makes with his spring/summer collection. Shades range from nearly nude to luxurious red; the tones are versatile for all skin types.

"Color is what we do," he says. "We do it for knitwear, for fabrics, ... for the home. So it's a natural extension for us to be working with a color palette and take it to the skin."

The makeup, says Klein, lets every woman create a personal look -- regardless of her age.

"As a person gets older, they look better with less," he says. "And I think modern women realize that: that the more makeup, the more aging it becomes. Less enhances the skin and enhances the overall effect."

You can go from very sheer to very sophisticated without changing lines, Wexler adds.

"A 20-year-old may want to wear the lip gloss, the cheek wash, the eye gloss and have a very neutral, natural palette," she says. "But the 50-year-old may want (only) the eye wash and ... the creamer."

How many products does a woman really need?

"These products you can use for different purposes, so you can need fewer products," Klein says. "But once you get to color, it's what you love, it's what feels right, and what you want to experiment with. And that should be fun too."

CNN Style Correspondent Elsa Klensch contributed to this report.

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