Winter Makeup

A dark-purple smokey eye is an awesome look for night this Winter.  A peachy blush is a great alternative to bronzer in the less sunny months, especially with fair skin, and brings warmth to the look.  The look is complete with a slightly glossy lip in a violet/nude. Oo lala!

Still Trending: Bright Matte Lip

Jenni Kayne Fall 2011 image via zimbio.com

I just spent a few impromptu days in New York City and Brooklyn, and what I can tell you is that the bright matte lip is where its at; New York told me so.  Dressed up or down, it is a beautiful colorful statement that corresponds with all of the bold colorful pieces trending in wardrobe for fall and winter this year.  In saying this, I wouldn't wear a bright lip with a ton of color in the wardrobe for everyday, but with subdued fall colors like wine, dark sienna, and grey, or even with a neutral wardrobe palette; it can be beautiful.  A coral or red lip would be rad with these fall colors, but pink (in varying shades) is where it's at and looks awesome with fall's must-have wardrobe color: Red. 
  

2011 Emmy's Makeup

My picks for best makeup are:

Every one of these ladies have such beautiful makeup in combination with their hair and ensemble.  Perfection!!!

What Tom Ford and I Have to say About Makeup:

image via Vogue, Sept 2011 pg 715

Tom Ford is unveiling a cosmetic line after the success of his lipstick line revealed last summer, and in September 2011's issue of Vogue he expresses his thoughts on makeup (which I've learned he wears a lot of)...I will summarize Vogue's interpretation of his words in black (to fit him and vogue) and I will add my two scents in pink (to fit me):

1.  Set concealer or foundation under the eye with a translucent powder to create the illusion of no shadows.  Yes, agreed.  I LOVE Laura Mercier's Secret Brightening Powder:  It is so fine it doesn't get cakey under the eye and has light-reflecting particles.

2.  Use a fancy vanity/dressing table to put on your makeup to be elegant.  This sounds adorable.  And it makes me laugh.

3.  Go to the restroom to apply makeup or use beautiful products/mirrors in an elegant way when applying them in front of others.  This also makes me smile, but do be discreet.  And don't think about your makeup too much, or you wont be having a good time and your scary energy will shine through and look bad.

4.  Playing with different makeup looks can change any LBD into a completely different look.  Totally.

5.  Use lots of color and drama for evening (he loves a glamorous lacquered look).  Yes, play with your artistic expression.

6.  Use highlighting on the neck or uneven cheekbones to create the illusion of perfection.  No one is perfect, but highlighting and shading can make you look like your most perfect you, who's imperfections make you beautiful.  cheesy, but so true. Also, playing with shading and light is fun because it feels scientific and artistic.

7.  Eyebrows are very important and he has a product the he'd like you to buy.  Agreed on the importance of eyebrows, and I have not tried his eyebrow product.  My main rule is don't over-pluck, and don't be afraid to fill them in.

8.  "Old-Hollywood's Glamour is the best Hollywood Glamour."  Agreed...I will quote more from what he said about questions to ask yourself which I again agree with:  "What colors do I always like?  What was may favorite period of makeup?   What am I comfortable in?  What time in my life did I think I looked my most amazing?  What was I wearing?  And from just thinking about those things, you can start to put together who you are.  Then stick with it."

9.  Brown nail polish is sexy.  Yes, yes it is.

10.  If you are casually dressed and have immaculate makeup you will look awesome.  You will look awesome if you feel awesome.

fake nails: go big or go home!

photo via Getty Image

Adele's nails at the 2011 VMA's were perfection!!!  I once had some amazing all-sparkles acrylics that were named "sparklenail" but they were nothing compared to these beauties.  Long, round-to-pointed nails?!  Sooo beautiful! Especially in this warm nude going into fall.  I am in love.  
Katy Perry made an attempt and comes in second place, but does not give the class and elegance deserving of top-of-the-blog:

image via MTV Style

End of Summer Makeup

image by Vincent Lappartient for Chanel 2011/2012

I can feel the transition beginning for fall, and I feel this look emodies what I see to be trending.  I like a pale violet lip with a nude to pale violet eye...no heavy liner, and moving away from bronzy cheeks to more of a flush.  I like the matching feel that is trending, especially with the nude/pink/violet scheme, that gives a cooler feel as we transition away from bronzed, dewy, and glow, to a cooler matte palette..aside from a slightly glossy lip.  Mascara must coat bottom lashes for this look. I hope this shows my vision.  Fall is my favorite, but summer is going away a little soon.  Where does the time go?!  (see comments for further instructions on this look)

Smokey Eye (Part Une)

image via glamour.com

Part One of the smokey eye is to put that bleeding black liner in its place:  If you are going to line your inner eye I suggest using a pencil or powder-to-liquid liner that has some staying power.  In saying this, your eye is moist and it will wear and potentially make that yucky undefined schmear under your eye.  So what you must do is use a wonderful little smudge brush and a shimmery shadow  or lighter than black color that goes with your look (the shimmer reflects light looking beautiful under the eye and blends well instead of looking stark).  Take the smudge brush and thinly line under the lash-line with shimmer or light color (pale shimmery purple, shimmery brown, shimmery taupe, or if you are good with your smudge brush; a medium to light matte color...NEVER black unless you want "severe").  This powder will set your liner that is moist on your lower inner membrane and as it bleeds it will be stopped and blend into the shadow below.  It gives a much softer and cleaner look to a lined eye.  You could even just use a highlighting powder that blends with your skin tone.  You can also take a nice highlighting powder and dab on with smudge brush in inner corners just outside the inner corner of the eye blending into the shadow below the lash line.  But leaving the skin below your lashes bare will leave the liner on your inner membrane looking unfinished and able to bleed.  
I often see teenage girls with heavy black liner and just want to run up and smudge out a soft shadow below the lower lash line to make it look more polished...If I have my kit next time I see a teen running rampant with bleeding black liner I will put her in check with the power of my smudge brush!