Although New York Fashion Week for Fall 2011 has come and gone there are plenty of fantastic beauty trends to get excited about and start replicating. Check out the backstage beauty trends that dominated the catwalk:
At RebeccaMinkoff a strong eye with an apricot lip was shown.
Makeup: Sarah Lucero for Stila Cosmetics
Inspiration: Urban Gypsy with a twist of edgy bohemian was seen all over the runway at RebeccaMinkoff. Stila created a strong eye and soft lip look to compliment the collection. The look is a fun mix on textures – just like the clothes on the runway.
Get the Look:
Stila Sheer Color Tinted Moisturizer
Stila Eye Shadow in Chinois
Stila Eye Shadow in Espresso
Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner in Stingray
Check out my favorite drugstore beauty picks. I am loving Maybelline, L'Oreal, and COVERGIRL's latest treats.
Mentioned: L'OREAL Visible Lift Serum Absolute in Sun Beige, L'OREAL Magic Smooth Souffle in Sun Beige, Maybelline Fit Me Pressed Powder in Cream Beige, Maybelline Concealer in 35 Deep Fonce, COVERGIRL & OLAY Simply Ageless Primer, COVERGIRL Lip Perfection Lipstick in Kiss, COVERGRIL Liquiline Blast Eyeliner in Blue Boom, Maybelline ExpertWear Eyeshadows in Mocha Motion, Golden Halo, and Tastefully Taupe
Hip, colorful and fun are adjectives that could be used to describe hot designer brand, Alice + Olivia's Fall 2010 collection. Instead, I'm referring to the label's even hotter collaboration with MAC. The collection, which launched July 8th, features limited edition pigment, nail lacquers and lip glosses. Founder Stacey Bendet created a collection (inspired by the label's bright fall 2010 mood board) even trendier and whimsical than her own colorful frothy confections. Plus the packing of the products (also a reflection of the brand's mood boards) is edgy and totally fabulous. You literally want to keep each pigment package out on display for everyone to see. Paints and pigments in jewel-tones hues add the perfect zest to your summer to fall wardrobe transition. I've been dying to experiment with MAC's pigments (makeup guru's constantly rave about their deep, smokey-eye effects) and this collection is inspiring enough to test the drama-educing waters. I can easily see myself wearing sparkly fun makeup for a night out using their Pigment in Later (a deep black with purple undertone), Dazzleglass Creme in If It Sparkles (a shimmery pink gloss) and Nail Lacquer in Morning.After (a creamy turquoise). I'm not sure how much the neon yellow shade, I.Want.Candy will compliment my lips and skin tone so I'll leave that to the more adventurous types. What do you think of Alice + Olivia's fab collaboration with M.A.C.!?
Check out the shades available:
Pigment ($19.50) Later – Black with a transforming purple pearl If It Sparkles – White with transforming pearl Partylicious - Turquoise mixed with silver pearl accents
Dazzleglass Creme ($18) Sparklicious – Creamy, pale pink-white If It's Pink – A hot, almost 80' pink I.Want.Candy – a shocking yellow with glints and glimmering sparkles
Nail Lacquer ($12) Morning.After – A creamy, rich turquoise So Rich So Pretty – A frosty purple with hints of pearl Military – Black matte with silver suede pearl
The nail lacquers are pretty gorgeous. The shades are edgy, wearable, and absolutely perf. for summer. I imagine die-hard polish princesses like Ms. Katy Perry will want to indulge in these pop-art hues. The hip colors scream celebrity nails and I have no doubt in my mind, our favorite artfully-decorated pop stars will be rocking at least one of these glamorous bottles on her hand.
Maybelline is one of the most accessible and affordable brands around and their latest collections are sooo fantastically fabulous and have the look and quality of many high end cosmetic lines. Their gel eye liners rival Bobbi Brown and Stila's smudge pots, their high shine glosses remind me of a less sticky version of Lancome's Juicy Tubes and their mascaras of course speak for themselves. I caught up with Maybelline New York Makeup Artist, Gabriel Almodovar, who shared how to translate the line into wearable glam-worthy looks for multiple occasions.
Q: How do you create an easy evening out look?
A: You can create a beautiful evening look by using Eye Studio Color Plush Silk Eyeshadow in Green with Envy. Use the darkest color from this palette on the lid as the base for the smokey eye. The eye is then paired with Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Linerin Blackest Black to darken the lashline even more. As a finishing touch, XXL Pro 24 HR Bold Mascara is perfect as it gives good depth to the lashes and longwear color. To complete the look you can use a bit of Shine Sensational Lip Gloss with a high shine that compliments the smokey eye beautifully.
Q: How do you convert a day time look into an evening out look?
A:
EYES: Using Maybelline New York's newest products you can add a deeper shade of the Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eye Liner thickly along the lashline and pull it out slightly to create a winged effect, which looks great for evening.
On top of your existing mascara you can add the primer layer and the lengthening layer of the XXL Pro Extensions Mascara to get more length out of your lashes.
LIPS: Depending on what you applied to your lips for the day you can pair a lip pencil (Color Sensational Lip Liner) with Shine Sensational Lip Gloss.
Q: How do the latest products reflect current beauty trends?
A: I feel the best way to talk about how the latest products reflect current beauty trends is by referring to specific shows we did during this past season of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week New York City.
Mineral Powders are a huge trend because the average consumer is quite savvy these days and they want product that is good for their skin and can potentially repair their skin, hence our entire Mineral Power collection. The Michael Angel show had two mineral powders used- one as the face powder and the other as an illuminator on the apples of the cheeks.
Gel liners are a big trend now because they play nicely with the red (bold/bright) lip trend. It balances the look out by keeping the eye makeup subtle and nicely lined.
The trends with Mascara vary greatly and this season there is such an emphasis on lashes. The trends are lusciously long or pleasantly pump lashes. We have two new mascaras (one brand new the other not so new) that give you those exact results. Lash Stiletto Voluptuous Mascarawith it's Grip and Extend Brush was used at the Tracy Reese show to give maximum length and volume andColossal Volum' Express was used at the William Rast show to give a chunky look to the lashes.
Q: What are the must have products to add to a girl's beauty wardrobe?
(4.) Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eye Liners are great since they are waterproof and won't smudge. To complete your eyes using (5.)Colossal Volum' Express Waterproof Mascara or Lash Stiletto Voluptuous Waterproof Mascara will give you the volume and/or length you want without running all day long.
And for your lips a great sheer lip gloss like (6.) Shine Sensational Lip Gloss with its fruity flavor is a great summertime touch.
Q: If you could pick one product from the line that we all need to run out and get, what would it be?"
Color trends come and go but certain products are around forever... The one product to get from the latest releases in my opinion is the one and only Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Liner! It gives you intense color, it lasts all day, it's waterproof. It also comes with it's own brush so there's an added bonus.
My good friend recently introduced me to the world of organic beauty products and I've been hooked ever since. She's a connoisseur of all things eco and whether its recyclable packaging, synthetic free dyes or paraben-free ingredients she knows what's natural and fabulous. She herself is hooked and got me totally obsessed with Korres. The Greek all-natural brand is based out of the country's oldest homeopathic pharmacy and uses environmentally friendly and skin suitable formulations. What I really love is how yummy and fragrant the main ingredients in many of the products are: guava, sugar, cinnamon and yogurt.
I can't wait to test out the whole line but in the meantime here are a few new favorite finds:
Wild Rose 24-Hour Moisturizer SPF 6-This thick and creamy moisturizer feels like a slathering of cooling refreshment on the skin. I literally want to sigh in relief when the cream touches my face. It doesn't hurt that the unique blossom smell is equally soothing on my nostrils. This moisturizer feels cool and calming-great during the humid summer months.
Quercetin & Oak Age-reversing Primer-I'm always looking for a great primer that will make my makeup last all night but still feel lightweight and airy on the skin. I think I may have found that with this amazing concoction. The primer settles into your pores-filling them so they're invisible to the naked eye and doesn't feel cakey or goopy on. The anti-aging solution which uses Quercetin and Oak Age also keeps your makeup put and adds a luster to your skin.
I'm a huge fan of airbrush makeup and was thrilled when I found out I'd be able to try out a Luminess Air system for myself. I was amazed at how compact the entire kit was and how quick it took to actually use the system and for that Luminess Air gets my Beauty on the Run With The Beauty Buff seal of approval! The entire kits fits into an adorable metallic carrying case and comes with a wide range of foundation colors to suit every skin tone. There's an instructional DVD (very needed) included and online video tutorials to help you get started and once you become familiar with how to use the tools-namely the actual airbrush pen, the set up and execution takes about five minutes. That's how long it takes for me to find my foundation in my makeup bag half the time! Once you get comfortable, the entire process (set up, use and cleaning it) takes 7-10 minutes total! Seriously this is a no brainer!
Are you a Nars fanatic like I am? Check out their new Spring 2010 collection and ad starring Amber Valetta. Inspired by Catherine Deneuve's role as Lucille in La Chamade (hmm must have missed that one), this versatile, sexy and retro look is perfect for warmer weather. Fransico Nars says, "Spring is the time to embrace color and get noticed" and trust, you'll have no problems doing that with these hues. I myself love the fuschia (Easy Lover) and pearly pink (Ophelia) glosses and jewel toned aubergine polish (Purple Rain). Tell me which product you're looking forward to testing out!
I recently uncovered two or three eye shadows from my beauty arsenal that I hadn't seen in a while. The shadows ranged from a black matte Vincent Longo shade to a cerulean blue tint by Chantecaille and another shimmery navy by Trish McEvoy. They were each smashed into a million pieces, ready to explode out of their containers. As much as I tried to continue using them, the harder it became. They invariably splattered all over the place and usually ended up smearing all over my face.
I couldn't bring myself to throw them out because they truly are some of the most flattering hues against my skin and after some arduous effort, did end up looking fabulous on. They are, however, impractical and kinda impossible to use in the state they're in. It was a lost cause till now.
What was always a wasteful shame (throwing out or never using the handicapped shades) is now solved by mixing the broken shadows with a dab of Vaseline. You get a rich cream/gel liner that goes on smooth and velvety. My beloved shades are back in action! Take the powder and swirl it around with the Vaseline on the back of your hand or inside the shadow container. Then apply the revamped product as you would a cream shadow or liner. Smokey eyes are instantly created and the newly mixed concoction will look dewy and fresh on the eyes and against your skin.
As I've mentioned in the past, Vaseline will always be handy for numerous beauty fixes. It's a does-it-all tub. Grab a few and throw them in various places (the office, your bathroom, First-Aid kit, travel bags, makeup bags, etc). I guarantee you this old-school product will save the day no matter where you are.
Another solution to Zombie-Bride (bring back to life) your shadow is to gather a few tools and re-solidify the broken eye-poppers. Here's how: Take a tissue or piece of an old t-shirt, a ziplock bag, a bottom of a utensil like a knife, some rubbing alcohol (since we clearly all have that lying around) and nickel or quarter. Slide the damaged pigment into the ziplock bag, seal it tight and smash the contents so the solid pieces are now grinded into a powdery mixture. Take the pan or container out of the bag and add a few drops of the alcohol. The higher the concentration, the quicker it dries. Make sure the shadow has enough drops to create a thick smooth paste. Let the alcohol dissolve and the consistency harden. Then take the coin and wrap it around the tissue or cloth and press the shadow container firmly for 30-45 seconds. The shadow will flatten and solidify . Voila! Good as new!
Tip: Add a tiny dot under the eyes to help moisturize the delicate area and make your under eye concealer stay on without looking cakey.
On a separate side note, if your shadow constantly falls while trying to apply it (especially when using eyeshadow applicators to add it on), brush some translucent powder on where it typically falls (underneath the eyes or on the cheeks). You can easily wipe the shadow and excess translucent powder away with a brush or baby wipe. Then add concealer under the eye and set it with powder to make your eyes look alert and help your makeup stay put all day.
I know it seems like I'm on a Sephora binge with all the accolades they've received from me lately but I feel like it's my civic duty to a) vote and b) tell you when I find something deliciously fabulous that gets me kid in a candy store excited.
So here's another way they're making our lives easier and more fun: Boxed Kits of customer favorite products. Each kit has travel size versions of different skin and beauty products for your lips, eyes, skin and face. Some of my favorite products are featured in each set such as Duwop Private Red (in the Lip Service Kit), Guerlain Powder Pearls for the Face bronzer (in the Glitz & Glam Shimmer and Shine Kit) and Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion (in the Radiant Skin Regimen Kit).
This sounds like the perfect little holiday stocking stuffer (hint, hint). Since I'm such a beauty junkie, the brand variety is enticing and lets be honest I'm not sure I'd be able to afford the regular size version of some of these fine products! Take a look at all the miniature sets here: Sephora Favorites
Picasso would be proud! Blue makeup is this summer's hottest painted shade.
Summer is finally here and there's no better way to emphasize a newly acquired glow than with this season's hottest color, blue. Find that shade that’s best for you and you'll see how fabulous and wearable it really is. Blues intensify and brighten your eyes by bringing out the warm toned contrasts and specks within your iris, while cerulean, azure, and cobalt polish shades draw attention to radiant skin. No costume parties are needed to relish in a look that might have conjured up images of Smurfette in the past but is nothing short of fashion forward and fabulous, today.
Create a sultry smoky eye using products that look dramatic when mixed together but when worn individually also look gorgeous for a day time look. Try Duwop's Blue Eyes Palette ($32, beauty.com) and Bobbi Brown's Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner ($21, bobbibrown.com) in Cobalt or Indigo Ink.
Before slipping on your wedges, paint your toes with a vibrant blue like OPI Nail Polish in No Room for the Blues ($8.50, amazon.com).
Tip: Keep your shadows from clumping, especially in the heat, with Urban Decay's Eyeshadow Primer Potion ($17, Sephora.com) and turn them into long lasting richly-hued liners with Paula Dorf's Transformer ($19, drugstore.com). If you're feeling extra pale, lather on some self-tanner like Clarin's Self Tanning Instant Gel ($32, sephora.com) to make the color pop.
Side note: Brides: Don't be afraid to let your makeup be your "something blue"! This fabulous color palette suits most skin types and is the perfect modern chic update to fresh wedding makeup.
Here are some of our favorite Hollywood starlets sporting their color of choice:
Here's how to NOT wear this fabulous shade: Sorry Estelle!
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