miss black eyeliner

I can’t help it.  I love to line the inner rim of my eyes when I want to look extra. Yup, I said extra and left it hanging.  That’s my new expression, “You’re looking all extra.” That’s a compliment…

Anyway, back to the best liners for an inside job.  While black may be your key to extra sexy, I love blue for brightening, nude for widening and bronzes for smoldering.  Don’t get stuck in a rut — branch out and rim your eye in a new hue!

What you need for a perfect  inside job:

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One trend that’s here to stay is the smokey eye. And there are several variations of the traditional smokey eye — call it smoldering, sizzling.  Today’s smokey eye can go from day to night — but you have to have a the right tools and the correct application methods to have the perfect smokey eye.  I love Leona Lewis’ look at the 2009 AMA’s.  Her look was more on the smoldering side.  Not the punched-in-the-eye look of Avril Levigne but a luminous smokey eye.  I love it.  Leona wears it well, and so can you.

Leona Lewis 2009 AMA's Getty Images

5 Steps to a Smoldering Smokey Eye

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Elizabeth Arden set the model years ago for makeup sets by giving their loyal customers a ridiculous amount of makeup in kit form one time per year. That set had more makeup than one person could actually use in a lifetime, but still customers return year after year for that fun filled kit overstuffed with makeup goodies. Now Sephora has a blockbuster kit they revamp each year as does Nordstrom. I love kits and palettes, and they are ideal for gift giving.

Every woman in your life deserves a kit that does it all. Here are my favorites:

Keke Palmer Getty Images

1. Teen Princess – Think Keke Palmer

She is young and fabulous. When not on her cell phone or checking out My Space, she’s comparing notes with her friends about who’s hot and who’s not. The Teen Princess cannot live without lip gloss, hair gel and her iPod. When she is not studying for her SAT’s she is at the mall scoping out the latest trends. She lives girlie gifts and goodies that her friends will envy.

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What’s in your wallet makeup case? Too much no doubt. I’m guilty of having about 20 lipsticks and lipglosses in my makeup bag at any given time, and consciously I know I really don’t need that many.  One lipstick and one lipgloss are plenty.  And I have a ton of other stuff in there that I just MIGHT need, but I know I really don’t.

But there are a few things that are necessary for each and every one of us to have in our personal makeup arsenal at any given moment.  Here are my top 5 makeup bag necessities:

Revlon lipgloss

1.  A luscious lipgloss that enhances your own natural lip  color. I love Revlon Lustrous Lipgloss in Life’s a Peach.  Stock up when it’s a buy one get one free!

Lorac Double Feature

2.  A concealer. With a concealer you can touch up not only under eye circles, but any other place on your face that may need a bit of coverage.  And it’s a lot smaller to pop a concealer in your makeup case than a bottle of foundation.  Try Lorac Double Feature.  I love double-duty products, and Double Feature has your stick concealer on one end and a beautiful highlighter on the other.  I have two at all times.  I love it.

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It’s Friday!  How are you going to get your fierce on? I have been inspired by Alicia Keys beautiful, classy and hot look at the AMA’s.  On the red carpet and while delivering her rocking performance, Alicia looked fabulous.  More than I can say about some other performers….

Alicia Keys Red Carpet 2009 AMA’s Getty Images

Alicia is head to toe in blue with an emphasis on the blinging blue Armani Prive’ dress. And just when you thougt it was a fashion faux pas to match your purse to your shoes to your dress to your makeup, Alicia does it and proves all us naysayers dead wrong.

Let’s check out the makeup:

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Rihanna Red Carpet 2009 AMA

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An old adage says that the eyes are the windows to the soul.  That very well may be the case when you are engaged in a heart-to-heart, but when you are in the market for some instant attention — major eye drama is key.  Here are my steps for simple eye drama for Friday Fierceness.

Gabrielle Union with smoldering eyes

1. Smolder

Get smoldering smokey eyes like Gabrielle Union. There are two simple options for making eyes smolder.  First option: Line with your eyes with your favorite black pencil.  I have a couple favorites: Sue Devitt Eye Intensifier Pencil in Pointe Noir $22.  This pencil has become a perennial favorite of mine.  I love the thick tip and the sponge smudger on the opposite end.  Once you blend with the sponge tip, your color lasts for the day (or the night.)  Layer a shimmery eyeshadow over the liner.  The powder over the pencil liner creates a bond that makes for a long-lasting smolder.  Try NARS Night Flight, a black with cobalt pearl accent.  $22

Your second option: Line eyes with a water-proof  pencil in a deep jewel color.  Jewel tones as opposed to traditional black liner makes eyes sparkle and pop.  Try emeralds, bronzes and teals.  In love Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Eyepencils.  $17 Try Stash, a dark golden green or Rockstar a dark purple.  Be sure to smudge the color into your lash line for intensity.  Urban Decay pencils are ideal for rimming your inner lower lid.  For more intensity, layer with a loose pigment like Black Radiance Mineral Eye Shimmers. $4.99

2.  Lash out

Layer the mascara.  I love big ole trashy lashes.  Forget less is more when it comes to eyelashes.  Mascara easily punctuates your eye drama with just a few well placed flicks of the wrist.  My favorite is L’Oreal Voluminous.  I keep trying to find a suitable replacement, but it just hasn’t happened yet.  And at $7.99, it’s a keeper.

Last but not least, keep the rest of your makeup subtle, subdued.  Just a touch of color on the cheeks and a pale glossy lip.  Those final touches insure that your eyes will be the star.

I know I have gushed about my obsession with red lipstick on many occasion on this blog. I have even written a great piece on the Power of Red.  But what you need to remember is that red is such a powerful color. So it’s Friday night, you want to go out, but you don’t want to look like a painted lady, what do you do?  Pull your hair back, add another coat of mascara,  a bit of  bronzer and red lipstick.  It’s instant hotness.  Instant va va voom.  You will get noticed.  Simply elegant.  Think back to those starlets of the 40’s and 50’s.  They didn’t wear all that wacko makeup — just a punctuation of red lipstick. Just check out timeless beauty icon Lena Horne:

Lena Horne

Notice what Color Wheel Pro says about the color theory of red:

Red is the color of fire and blood, so it is associated with energy, war, danger, strength, power, determination as well as passion, desire, and love.

Red is a very emotionally intense color. It enhances human metabolism, increases respiration rate, and raises blood pressure. It has very high visibility, which is why stop signs, stoplights, and fire equipment are usually painted red.

Hmmm, no wonder I love red lips.  One of the problems however many women have is finding the perfect red lipstick — it’s like searching for the holy grail.

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I’m a baby boomer, so when I think of purple, I think of two things — first and foremost, the man who said “Sexy never left”, Prince.  And I’m a lover of the written word, so The Color Purple by Alice Walker comes to mind.  But as a makeup artist, I am always on the lookout for the perfect wearable purple eyeshadow.  Some purples can make your eyes  look like you spent the previous 24 hours doing all kinds of random partying. 

One woman of style I love to watch is beautiful Thandie Newton.  She is classic, timeless.  Yet, when she does pull the edgy looks out, she rocks them with a fierceness.  Here Thandie is wearing purple eyshadow that is so subtle it seems to illuminate her eyes.  Notice the rest of Thandie’s makeup is muted and soft, even her hair takes second place to the purple shadow.  Yet the whites of her eyes are just that — white, and her eyes do not look bruised.  This ladies is the way to wear purple.

Dior Eye Shadow Amber Plum

Try Dior Powder Mono Eyeshadow in Amber Plum

Go full-on purple with Urban Decay eyeshadow in Flash for an edgier look

 Do you rock purple eyeshadow?  How do you wear it?  What’s your favorite brand?  Share!

Yves Saint Laurent Runway Trend Dark Lips

I love, love, love fall makeup and fashion. Unfortunately, the best of fall is previewed 6 months early in February of each year. Who is ready to buy for fall when summer is right around the corner?  I do get excited when I see the fashions, the colors the new products, BUT, I’m just not ready for the to embrace fall when I’m on a diet trying to get swimsuit ready for summer. 

Right now, Spring 2010 fashion shows are in full swing at Bryant Park in NYC. (long sigh here) But are you ready to wear spring fashions? NOT.  So even though every self-respecting beauty editor and blogger has already written about the fall trends, 6 months ago as a matter of fact, now is the time to check out the fall trends and get on board.

Rihanna -- Photo from Essence

One fall 2009 trend that hit the runways with a vengence was the dark lip. Let me tell you something about this trend, you have to bring it!  If you want to rock the dark lip, everything else must be in place — makeup, hair and your fashion!  This is one trend that is not for the faint of heart.  Think of motorcycle chic or the edgy black dress when you adorn your lips with your dark lip color.  Please don’t try to mix boho with dark lips — you will resemble Bozo. Rihanna is known for edgy glam swagger, and can pull off the dark lip trend with ease.

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