A: Artsy
Vimi's inspiration: Monet's Water Lillies painting“This trend is about using the ‘art’ of make-up to create a mood,” says M.A.C senior make-up artist
Vimi Joshi. “Inspired by Monet’s Water Lillies painting and Andy Warhol’s pop art, the face becomes a canvas for artistic effects,” she says. Bold and artistic, this look is all about the brush strokes being used to stipple, blend, wash and dust. Try dipping your brush in to
M.A.C Paint Pots, for a colorful finish.
B: Baby-doll eyes
Alberta Ferretti, circa Fall 2008As seen at Alberta Ferretti, the swinging 60s are back with soft baby-doll eyes. This look is easy to achieve: sweep a layer of white eye-shadow from the lid, blending it in to the brow. Now add a subtle charcoal grey to the lids and use a black eye pencil (try
M.A.C Eye Kohl in Smolder) to line the bottom lids before smattering your lashes with mascara.
C: Chocolate decadence
Estée Lauder Fall Collection
We want to eat Estée Lauder’s latest fall collection, nevermind wear it! With delicious chocolate hues of truffles and pralines mixed with caramel gold and sugared berry tones, this look is perfect for winter. “Each of the warm and cool shades is very wearable and can be used alone or blended together for a softly luminous yet natural look,” says Tara Cohen, executive director for Estée Lauder.
D: De-Vined
Chloe, circa Fall 2008Chloe, Dolce & Gabbana and Marc Jacobs made sure their models were pouting the hottest lips of the season at their F/W shows. “This trend was all about the sumptuous berry-bitten lip – think berry, cherry and plum stains,” says
Vimi. To get the same look, she recommends
M.A.C Pro Longwear Lipcolor in Stuck On You.“A heavy Bordeaux-rich lip makes a decadent statement this fall – it’s luxurious without being overtly glamorous.” Opt for a matte finish lipstick for a perfectly full pout or dab with a gloss for a ‘stained’ finish.
E: Eyeliner
Vijay Arora, circa Fall 2008
Who’d have thought that Amy Winehouse’s signature look would become one of the hottest trends of the season? Everyone wanted a piece of the winged eyeliner pie, and in 2008 liquid liner got a glamorous overhaul. Eyeliner is a great way of looking polished when it actually took you all of five minutes, but you do need a steady hand to pull it off. If not, try
Bobbi Brown's Long-wear Gel Eyeliner, which is easy to apply. Using a two-dab brush technique, the gel-like liner has the same precision as a liquid liner, but is easier to use as you can slowly build up your line. The gel comes in a range of colors, so if black is too heavy for you, chose a plum, cobalt blue or graphite shimmer.
F: False Eyelashes
Riya Sen wearing false eyelashes, make-up by Cory WaliaMake-up artists and celebrities use false eyelashes far more often than the average person might suspect, and you too can become an expert at applying whole strips and individual lashes with precision and delicacy. Insider tip: Wait for glue to dry completely before applying any other makeup. Careful mascara application will blend your true eyelashes with your new false ones. To give your eyes an extra oomph, use
M.A.C 7 Lashes.
G: Gothic glam
Yves Saint Laurent, circa Fall 2008
Beauty takes on a hard edge this season with pale skin and super dark lips and eyes. The Yves Saint Laurent show was rocking gothic glam with dark pouts on show and eyes peeping through jet black bobs. However the look is far from teenage angst as flawless complexions make for a sophisticated finish. Try sweeping
Chanel Eyeliner Duo in Noir Lame, over your lids for dramatic results.
H: Honed
Shreya Saran donning the nude look, make-up by Aniruddha Chakladar“This beauty trend is all about beautifully sculpted skin,” says
Vimi. This season’s nude is not your slap-dash minimalist effort we’ve seen in recent years, achieving a ‘natural’ look this winter is going to take effort. Give your skin a refined finish with
Ingrid Millet High Definition Teint Lumiére and
Clarins Loose Powder.
I: Inspiration
M.A.C, Kemps Corner; Mumbai, IndiaLike our fashion sense, our ‘look’ can often get in a style rut. Some women have the tendency to find what works for them, and stick to it – for 20 years! But just like our clothes, our beauty products and look can become dated and the pressed powder that worked for you in the 80s may not work for you today. Take inspiration from the seasonal collections, visit beauty counters and try out new products. You can still stick to the color palette that suits you, but beauty products develop and move on all the time, and so should you.
J: Jazzy
Clarins Jazzy Colors, Fall 2008Inspired by starlets of the 1920s, Clarins’ fall look is “the essence of elegance and seduction – flawless complexions, deep red lips and bewitching eyes,” says make-up artistic director Thibault Vabre. With its sultry soft eye palette and juicy red lips, this is definitely a favorite for the party season ahead.
K: Kit
Barry M. make-up bagJust like you, your make-up bag should be cleared out and updated, it’s the most important asset for a woman on the go and you should look after it. Beauty essentials you should have in your kit include powder, compact mirror, lipstick, eyeliner, a blush and shadow (a duo compact preferably), mascara and hair bands. And remember, beauty products have a shelf life – mascara should be renewed after four months max, liquid foundation can last between a year and 18 months, powder, lipsticks and liners last longer (up to three years), and any creams and gels in your cabinet should be thrown out after a year.
L: Luminous complexion
La Prairie opened its first India-based location this past summerIn the scientific way that
La Prairie has perfected, skincare and make-up. This season through The Cellular Treatment Center. The product range uses formulas to nourish, firm and hydrate skin, while creating a luminous, flawless finish. At its core is the
Anti-Aging Foundation, which effortlessly covers at the same time as stimulating skin cells and enhancing collagen. The range is complimented with a
matte or loose powder finish and
blush, and comes in eight different shades to suit varying skin tones.
M: Metallics
Nina Ricci, circa Fall 2008What season would be complete without a smattering of metallics? Models smoldered down the runway at Nina Ricci is sassy shades of copper, bronze and gold. The David Bowie-esque slash through the eye may be a bit extreme it but for party season, shiny eyes are bang on trend – theatrical, opulent and glamorous! Try Bobbi Brown’s new metallic range for eyes and lips which come in
Champagne Quartz,
Gold Dust,
Rock Star and
Gilded Pink. They’ve got plenty of shimmer-factor and don’t crease in all the wrong places. Also,
Chanel Gold Fever Highlighter, is a fab way to add an all over sparkle.
N: Nude
"Pixi: Pretty and Simple," Petra Strand (owner Pixi Cosmetics)Pixi’s Dina Makiya says achieving this season’s flawless look is easy. “Start by exfoliating your skin with
Pixi Honey & Almond Polish, before applying
Pixi Mask-Quick Fix, to hydrate and cleanse,” she says. “Your skin is now ready for make-up and I recommend using
Pixi Flawless Vitamin Veil. It’s an excellent lightweight base for flawless skin.”
O: Overnight creams
Clarins Night CreamsUsing an overnight cream is more important that using your day cream. Night creams are proven to be more effective as they can get on with the job at hand, which is why it is also important to choose a night cream that targets your ‘troubled’ spots. Whether it’s anti-aging, rejuvenation, hydration or helping with pigmentation, your skin will benefit more from using a ‘specific’ night cream than it will using a ‘specific’ day cream. For daytime protection, try using a good sunblock instead, such as
Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Cream SPF 55 PA+++ . Go to a Clarins counter and choose from five different night creams:
Bright Plus HP Repairing Brightening Night Cream,
Extra-Firming Night Cream "Special" for Dry Skin,
Extra-Firming Night Cream for All Skin Types,
Gentle Night Cream,
Line Prevention Multi-Active Night Cream.
P: Purple
Dior Fall 2008Miu Miu, Bottega Veneta and Dior were all sporting ‘the’ beauty color of the season: purple. A great transitional color between seasons, purple is a sultry shade that wraps up autumn. Give blue eyes a flash of pop for the party season ahead and wash a purple shimmer over the lids right up to the brow. Add a deeper purple across the lids, and finish with a dark plum liner across the top lid. For lips, opt for an allover matte pout, but keep the rest of face neutral. Try
Sephora Colorful Eye Shadow Pour De Prunes its varying purple shades, and
M.A.C Technakohl Liner in Purple Dash, to finish.
Q: Question and Answers
The best advice anyone could ever give a budding make-up or skincare junkie is to ask questions. Asking questions can educate a person as well as tell people how to use a certain product correctly. Many sites offer beauty advice, as well as my blog offers many tips, and I personally answer all the comments and questions that are addressed on this blog.
R: Red siren
Kareena Kapoor wears red lips like no other
Go for vampy siren this fall with full red lips to rival Angelina Jolie. “Start by exfoliating your lips,” says Dina Mikiya, “followed by a lip treatment to nourish and condition. I love
Pixi Rose Lip Treat, which is a lip plumper and comes with a delicious rose extract. Next, line your lips with a liner – if you want to make them bigger, use the liner outside your natural lip line. All that’s left to do is finish with your favorite red lipstick!” We love
Clarins Joli Rouge Lipstick in Clarins RedS: Seventease
Amrita Rao does glam rock
“This trend is revisiting the Glam Rock era with its chic and intensive look. Its back to the discos at Studio 54,” says make-up artist
Vimi. “Think morning after with melted liners and smoldering eyes. Plush metallic eye shadows underpin the eye scene this fall.” Try
M.A.C Goldmine Eye Shadow, with
M.A.C Smolder Eye Kohl and
M.A.C Zoom Lash Mascara to recreate this look.
T: TheBalm
Shady Lady is one of the palettes from this girly, sexy line; it includes nine shadows/liners
Youth is both a state of mind and a product of your makeup bag," says Marissa Shipman, founder and CEO of TheBalm. "The brand is fun and nostalgic—perfect for women of all ages." With a "beauty in five minutes" philosophy, TheBalm's multi-use, mega-fabulous products have become their calling card, offering quick fixes and wondrous solutions for a wide range of beauty wants and needs. And their plethora of striking colors and fantastic formulas allow you to release your inner artist to create looks that will keep you looking and feeling forever young.
U: Urban Decay
Eyeshadow Primer Potion is an eye prep for smoother, longer-lasting, crease-proof eyeshadowUrban Decay is beauty with an edge. It is feminine, dangerous, and fun...appealing to anyone who relishes her individuality and dares to express it. Known for their daring shade names and innovative products (which are all cruelty-free), Urban Decay carries one of the widest selections of color at Sephora—a main reason their brand is so much fun! From a myriad of unique eye products, to performance foundations, and lickable, sexy powders, Urban Decay has always found new ways to excite beauty junkies and makeup artists alike.
V: Vivid colors
Manish Arora Fall 2008Eyes continue their playful reign with saturated hues of violet, orange and peacock blue as seen at Vivienne Westwood. Brown eyes work best with burnt oranges and gold while blue gleam in cobalt and plum. If you are going for an extra bold look for the eyes, team it with a neutral face for more impact. NARS has fabulous matte and shimmer duos in
Jezebel and
Rated R, for an instant flash of color.
W:Wow brows
Karisma is known for her full and perfect eyebrowsBrows are making a statement this year – think Brooke Shields circa 1986! Thick, natural and full, you should put away your tweezers because the days of painful plucking are finally over. Invest in a good brow kit and you can’t go wrong. Try
Benefit Brow Zing, or
Givenchy Eye and Brow Prism, which both include colors that compliment your natural shade and all the tools to shape and blend your brows.
X: X-tra long lashes
Kareena's lashes make her gray green eyes pop even more!Prepare to be bold with your lashes this season as they just got bigger than ever before. Use everything you can to pump up the volume – if you don’t or can’t do false lashes, then try just adding a few to your outer lash line to create a fuller look. Use everything you can to pump up the volume – try
Dior Diorshow Mascara in Azure Blue which offers immediate volume and comes in a sassy navy blue. Or opt for
Smashbox Bionic Mascara or
Sephora Atomic Volume Mascara, to amp up your lashes.
Y: YSL Touche Eclat
Katrina Kaif swears by YSL Touche Eclat
When Yves Saint Laurent launched
Touche Eclat, we’re sure he didn’t think he was about to revolutionize the make-up industry. But with one simple design, this little magic marker became THE must-have beauty product. Covering a multitude of sins, the Touche Eclat is every girl’s best friend, and far from being a seasonal buy, this one is for life!
Z: zzzz
The most important beauty tool is sleep, yet it is often the most ignored. We should be getting a good eight hours a night, but research shows that most women only average between six and seven. While we sleep, our skin renews itself, improving its texture and luminosity – nothing can give you that healthy glow like sleep can. Without enough shut eye your skin will become tired and dull looking, so make sure you include it on your beauty agenda everyday. Try to go to bed before 11pm as this is the time that our vital organs also start to regenerate themselves, and lie flat on your back – burrowing your face in your pillow can create mores lines!
