Spring Makeup Trends: The Brighter, The Better!

Okay, so I haven’t posted anything since the Fall and now we’re up to Spring. When did that happen?! Anyway, let’s talk Spring makeup. Here’s what the top designers are saying: All Neon Everything! Spring makeup is bright, fun and youthful. Pinks, oranges, yellows – the brighter, the better. Let’s check out some of the hottest colors for this season:

Classic Crimson

You can keep classic red lips fresh if you don’t overdo it – keep the rest of your makeup minimal. Here’s a perfect example from Cynthia Rowley’s Spring 2011 Runway Collection. For an awesome lip stain that lasts all day and never wears off, try the Chubby Stick in Chunky Cherry from Clinique for just $15, my favorite makeup brand EVER.

Barbie-Doll Pink

This bright, girly shade was all over the runways during Fashion Week. I’m loving the combination of bubblegum pink lips, retro shades, and sleek, pulled-back hair from Jil Sanders’ Spring Collection. So, think pink and try one of these fabulous Barbie Doll lip colors for Spring: Piret & Tamara Lip Slip in Strawberry, $25; or Lime Crime Countessa Fluorescent opaque lipstick, $16.

Electric Feel

Yigal Azrouël went totally wild on the runway with this warrior-esque, electric pink eye shadow. With eyes like this, the rest of the face was kept beautifully minimal – and it worked. If you think you’re up to try the neon color palette, try Napoleon Perdis Color Discs in Tequila Sunrise, Pink Slink, and Scarlet Woman, $25 each.

Not-So-Mellow Yellow

Peter Som’s models wore this bold, bright yellow eyeshadow to go with his Spring Collection. This shade is anything but mellow – not for the faint of heart! Try MAC’s eyeshadow in Chrome Yellow, available at maccosmetics.com, only $14.50! Peter Som used this color on both his blonde and brunette models, but yellow makeup shades definitely work best with darker hair colors…

Tropical Lips

This gorgeous coral / orange lip trend is one of my favorites for the Spring. Fendi took a break from their usual beauty palette and had their gorgeous models strut the runway in this sultry, tropical lip color. There are many surprisingly flattering shades of orange – try Shiseido Perfect Rouge lipstick in Day Lily, available at shopnordstrom.com., $25.

[ via Daily Candy ]

Seven Fall Wardrobe Essentials

This summer, life threw me a few massive curveballs to go along with the blistering heat and unbearable East Coast humidity. Now that summer is finally over, I’m more than ready for some cool fall weather and, more importantly, fall clothes. Here are seven absolute essentials for your seasonal wardrobe update:

Bootie Heels. Little Bro told me I looked like Peter Pan, but I fell in love with these funky booties. Apparently fashion experts agree with me – booties with just enough heel are everywhere this fall. Flat sandals and flip flops are terrible for your feet and back, so these low, chunky heels will feel great on your arches after summer’s abuse. Even better, I happened to pick out this pair made by the expert on all things feet – Dr. Scholl’s. My feet should be feeling like the Sugar Plum Fairy by Christmas. NYC Ballet, here I come…

Black Leggings. Leggings are both comfy and classy, acceptable both at work and on the couch. Grab a pair of this essential fall / winter bottom in every length and texture you can now – you’ll be happy you made the investment around mid-February when all your perfectly fitted leggings have holes and rips. Buy black leggings in cropped, long, and knit styles, plus a cool texture like faux leather or suede. Forever 21 has a huge selection, so whether you’re a long-legged goddess or a shrimp, you’ll be able to find a great fitting pair. Try their Fab Basic Leggings in black, brown and gray.

Chunky Bags & Bracelets. Big, floppy bags (satchels?) in bold colors are huge this season. I found this fabulous bright red Kathy Van Zeeland bag at Marshall’s for about $30. I was never a bag fanatic, but honestly, this one has finally converted me. You can really work an outfit around a great colored bag like this one, especially if you wear a lot of black like I do - the bag brightens up the entire outfit.

Scarves. Here’s another great accessory for fall that adds style to every dark winter outfit. Try a scarf in a hot leopard print or a summery pattern to remind you of warmer days. The best scarves seem to come from street vendors in the East Village or stands in the mall, so look everywhere for these awesome accessories.

Bomber Jackets. A great bomber jacket makes any outfit just a little more bad-ass. I grabbed the “fab faux leather bomber” from Forever 21 for around $25:

Girly Textures. Anything feminine is totally in this fall. Ruffles and lace add a little bit of girlyness to those awesome bomber jackets and skinny jeans – try something like Express’ foiled lace ruffled top:

Animal Print. If you’re anything like me, you’d never rock leopard head-to-toe – so try this trend in pieces. A leopard print bag, a zebra scarf, or some sweet jungle-chic bracelets are all great options to wear the animal print trend in a more understated way. Nicole Richie pairs a leopard scarf with a simple tank, dark skinny jeans and boots:

Making Waves: Beach Hair from Jones to Malibu

Wild, ”beachy” hair has been in style for years. Why not? It’s natural, feminine and free-flowing. Magazines always say that salt water and sea air are the perfect ingredients for texture and loose, sexy waves – think Victoria’s Secret Angels in swimsuits.

Marisa Miller, VS Angel and Sports Illustrated swimsuit superstar, rocks perfect ringlets on and off the beach:

   

Her look is so natural - as if we can all get those gorgeous curls from a day at the beach. Unfortunately, real life “beachy” hair doesn’t always look like the Angels’.

I’ve spent the last three years playing hostess at an awesome beachfront restaurant, while becoming far too familiar with sand and salt in my hair. My paychecks – and my hairstyles – have become seriously dependent on the weather. My hair has braved sweltering heat, miserable rain, umbrella-tossing thunderstorms and even a hailstorm or two. My fellow hostess’ gorgeous red locks recently fell victim to a seagull’s less-than-graceful crash landing.

Unfortunately, the natural beachy look – when styled by Mother Nature - isn’t quite as glamorous as it looks in Hollywood. The ocean wind definitely gives my hair some mermaid-esque waves, but it looks very flat on top. The texture feels more slick than sandy - almost stuck into the style I wore. It’s tough to run my fingers through it.

Resist the urge to put all your hair up after a beach day. It will hide that genuine ocean texture that can never be reproduced in a bottle, no matter what any ”beachy look” spray gel claims. On the other hand, letting it all down looks and feels a bit too grungy – not quite up to par with Princess Ariel’s authentic mermaid ringlets.

The ideal post-beach style, from a true expert, is a simple ponytail. A ponytail shows off those lovely waves as it hides your unfortunate crooked part and/or sandy scalp. Spice up your ponytail by playing with the height, making tiny braids or twists, or wrapping a piece of hair around the elastic. Accessorize with pretty clips or faux flower pins to glam up the messy side of beachy hair.

Cameron Diaz’ pony is red carpet status from every angle:

  

I absolutely love the beachy look - but if I want to make waves, I definitely don’t head down Ocean Parkway. Try this for a wavy ‘do that’s less grunge, more chic: simply part wet hair, braid it tightly and let it dry completely. After it’s dry, use a curling iron on the front pieces to shape them the way you like. When you let it all down, your hair will have that fabulous beachy look… with less sand.

Mary Kate Olsen, Audrina Patridge and Kate Hudson are my top three favorite wavy ‘dos of all time: