Life for most of us isn’t all movie premieres and late-night fetes, thank you very much, J.Lo and Gwen Stefani. But that doesn’t mean you’re completely out of the beauty-trend game—you just need these tips to make what’s in vogue kinder to your own face. with a few minor tweaks, dramatic looks can become pretty and wearable in the five minutes you have to get ready.
Trend #1, The Power Lip
How to wear it: The key to “everyday-ing” this look is taking the line from voluptuous to skinny. “Play it down by skipping the big winged effect on the outer lid and using a liquid liner with a very fine tip, like Maybelline Ultra Liner waterproof liquid liner,” says makeup artist Victoria Stiles, who’s worked with the Bush twins and Cher, among others. To apply, gently lift the lid upward to expose the skin closest to the lashes. Then draw a fine line as tight to your natural lash line as possible, extend toward the outer corner of the eye, and sweep up ever so slightly. To diffuse the look even more, makeup artist Adrian Avila, whose clients include Nancy Pelosi, suggests using a pencil, which creates a softer line. “Pull your lid so it’s taut, and push the color into the lash line, creating a very thin stroke,” he says. “Then build on it until you reach the thickness you like, and set for the whole day by dipping a dry, angled brush into a dark shadow and going over the pencil line.” To lighten up the look even more, swap classic black for a less-intense jewel tone, such as navy or deep purple. Purr-fect.
Trend #2, The Bond Girl Cat’s Eye
How to wear it: Instead of a full mouth of cherry red—or its unapologetically sexy sister, dark burgundy—go for a look that’s more stained than painted. “Any matte color can create a beautiful, subtle stained effect if you apply it gently with your fingers,” says makeup artist Carl Ray, who is based at George at Four Seasons Salon but is often on the road with his numero uno client, First Lady Michelle Obama. “You just have to make sure lips are prepped by exfoliating first, since a stain will show every flake and crack.” Start by gently rubbing a soft washcloth or toothbrush in a small circular motion over lips, and follow with a swipe of Chapstick to create a smooth surface. Next, apply a bit of color to your ring finger and tap onto your lips, concentrating more in the middle and lightening up as you move out to the lip line; think your kids’ lips after eating a popsicle. Not mad about the matte look? Opt for a sheer gloss tinted with a bolder hue, which allows you to wear color while keeping the look fresh and pretty. Keep color where it belongs by prepping lips with a combo of concealer and powder. “Use a small brush to apply concealer around the perimeter of the lips, and set with a light dusting of powder,” says Ray. This won’t change the color of the gloss like a pencil can, and will help avoid harsh lines.
Trend #3, The Red Smoky Eye
How to wear it: As if smoky eyes weren’t smoldering enough, this season’s new take—infused with copper and metallic red—brings the naughtiness quotient up a notch. But taming it to PG levels is as simple as removing some of the smoke. “You can have that copper effect in a soft, pretty way by not smudging it out all over your lid, and instead taking it around the eye,” explains Avila. Start by applying a matte bone shadow over the entire eyelid, then choose a shade that’s more brick or maroon than all-out red—and opt for a subtle metallic sheen as opposed to shimmer or—gasp—glitter. “Avoid anything that looks like a shiny penny,” says Avila, who loves Kevyn Aucoin Liquid Metal eye shadow in Goddess. Create a sheer wash of color on the upper lid only, without extending past the crease. “Use a fluffy brush like Sigma Beauty tapered blending brush in E35 instead of one with a stiff applicator, which deposits color more heavily,” suggests Stiles. Gently sweep and blend across the lid, and finish with black mascara on the top lashes only. Skip the liner to keep the look fresh and airy.
