June Beauty Favorites

July 1, 2019

June’s Beauty Favorites addresses a ton of different serums, toners and cleansers in the world of skincare. To me, everyone’s skincare journey is different and especially during the warmer season like the summertime, everybody’s skin will have different reactions to different things. Which is why I’m reviewing more than one type of skincare regiment, to give you guys a better idea of what you might chose for yourself. We even have two different eyeshadow palettes, one that is mostly yellow & gold based and another that provides more definition to certain types of eye looks such as smoky and others. Continue reading to learn more about my monthly beauty choices along with where to find and shop the products.

COLOURPOP UH-HUH HONEY SHADOW PALETTE

This yellow 9-pan palette has every shade of yellow under the sun in 5 mattes, 3 metallics, and 1 Pressed Glitter. Literally, all yellow, the entire What's in ColourPop's Yellow Collection

Stinger: matte buttery yellow
Sunburst: metallic lemon yellow with blue glitter
Sweet Spot: matte primary yellow
Dandy: metallic vibrant yellow gold
Palooza: bright yellow with a copper duochrome shift
Queen B: metallic dandelion
Totally Buggin': matte butterscotch yellow
Oh Beehave: matte mustard
Buzz Kill: matte yellow brown

CAUDALIE LIMITED EDITION BEAUTY ELIXIR

A natural, innovative toning mist that sets makeup, provides an instant burst of radiance, and tightens the appearance of pores, featuring the same bestselling formula with a new, improved pump to finely and evenly distribute the lightweight mist. Inspired by Queen Isabelle of Hungary's famous elixir of youth, Beauty Elixir is formulated with grape extracts and clarifying ingredients to provide an immediate burst of radiance. The complexion treatment reduces dullness and is infused with toning rosemary, astringent mint, and soothing rose essential oil to prepare your skin for further treatments. Beloved by celebrities and makeup artists worldwide, the Beauty Elixir is the ideal priming base and setting spray between layers of makeup for a long-lasting and smooth finish. Perfect as an aftershave for men too!

LIME CRIME FRECKLE PEN

The Lime Crime Freckle Pen give ‘em blessings on blessings, babe. You’re a lil cutie in this long-lasting freckle pen that has a super soft felt tip pen applicator and is smudged proof for endless summer glamour. I don’t have any speckle of natural freckles and voila! Look what this magical pen can do?! I think I’ll be doing this beauty look a ton more often this season. Are you a fan of freckles? Yay or nay?

SON & PARK

BEAUTY WATER

A multitasking toner and cleansing water that creates a clean base for any skin care and makeup that follows. Solutions for:- Dullness and uneven texture- Dryness- Uneven skin tone If you want to know more… This multiuse product can be used as a toner and gentle exfoliant in the morning to prep for skin care and to create a smoother surface for makeup. At night, Beauty Water can be used as a cleansing water to thoroughly remove makeup, dirt, and oil. Lavender water, rosewater, and orange fruit extract hydrate the skin, while willow bark and papaya extract sweep away dead skin cells revealing a brighter skin tone and smoother texture.

BEAUTY GEL

What the heck is this, you might ask? It’s a light-weight gel moisturizer that would quickly absorb into your skin and provide the right amount of hydration in order to prep your face for base makeup. It sounds like it's a primer but it's not like your typical makeup primer where it will fill in lines/uneven skin. It will simply help to give light hydration to prevent dry spots/patches since that will make your base makeup look patchy or flaky. It also has little capsules filled with hydrolyzed collagen that will burst upon application; this capsule technology keeps the ingredients fresh until use.

BEAUTY PRIMER CREAM GLOW

A lightweight, quick-absorbing cream that provides coverage, brightens the skin tone, and primes skin for makeup application. This base cream that's packed with flower extracts you'll love, including lily, rose, and jasmine also contains pearl to illuminate the complexion and rosa damascena flower to help control sebum production. After using the filter cream, your skin will look brighter, smoother, and more even, as if you actually put a real life filter on it. I put this on days where makeup calls for more coverage. Literally the best primer I’ve ever tried!

BEAUTY FACE MASK CLEAN TYPE

This moisturizing mask contains hyaluronic acid and a blend of AHA from flower extract to help renew dull skin. The unique shape of the mask prevents essence from touching the hairline and weighing down hair. It’s a quick five-minute mask but with immediate results. My face looks fresh and clean every time I use these, and I use these often!

DERMALOGICA AGE BRIGHT CLEARING SERUM

This highly concentrated serum exfoliates to help prevent acne and supports natural cell turnover to reduce visible signs of skin aging. Phytoactives hydrate and smooth skin, while niacinamide and white shiitake mushroom promote a brighter and more even skin tone.

DERMALOGICA AGE BRIGHT SPOT FADER

This spot fader is a two-in-one brightening spot treatment that reduces the appearance of active breakouts and post-acne marks. Salicylic acid works to clear breakouts, while niacinamide and hexylresorcinol work synergistically to fade post-acne marks and improve uneven skin tone. AGE Bright Complex reduces visible skin aging and helps prevent over-drying.

KEVYN AUCOIN EMPHASIZE EYE DESIGN PALETTE

Unleash your makeup artistry through a range of eye-catching looks with the Emphasize Eye Design Palette from Kevyn Aucoin in ‘As Seen In’; a versatile eyeshadow palette presented within a sleek mirrored compact, that combines five matte, chrome and satin eyeshadow shades with a creamy metallic-effect color. Applied with an innovative ‘lemon drop’ felt tip for dual-purpose precision lining and color application, the Cream Foil Eyeshadow adds drama and dimension for a high impact finish. Experiment by layering the powder and cream shadows to create customised hues, or simply wear it alone for a reflective mirror-like shine. Shades Include (L>R): Ballet (matte) Blush (satin) Rose (chrome) Amethyst (matte) Sangria (matte) Rose Gold (cream foil)

FRESH BEAUTY SUGAR HYDRATING LIP BALMS

Sugar Lemon Hydrating Lip Balm locks in moisture for soft, supple, healthy-looking lips. The rich, cushiony formula coats lips with a protective veil that smooths and comforts on contact while delivering a velvety sheen and addictive flavor inspired by lemon meringue or peach. I can’t decide which one is my favorite, but they’ve been on heavy rotation this summer. I’m definitely obsessed with the flavors.

PURITO CENTELLA GREEN LEVEL CALMING TONER

A skin calming toner infused with 10% of Centella Asiatica extract, panthenol, witch hazel extract, and other EWG-class ingredients to instantly soothe and hydrate your skin. Contains sodium hyaluronate acid to prevent moisture evaporation while strengthening the moisture barrier of the skin. Free from harsh chemicals and preservatives.

PURITO CENTELLA GREEN LEVEL BUFFET SERUM

Formulated with EWG verified ingredients, this cica cream is packed with effective ingredients so skin will be protected, smooth, clean and vibrant. This versatile serum helps improve the appearance of your skin. Infused with 49% of centella asiatica extract, collagen, ceramide, and other EWG-verified ingredients to strengthen skin barrier while leaving the skin moisturized and supple.

LOVE & XX’S,

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Alexander Wang Pre Fall 2020 Collection and Beauty Trends

June 7, 2019

Last week I was invited by Jin Soon to go backstage at the Alexander Wang Pre Fall 2020 Collection Runway Show to see what the beauty artists were up to when it came to hair, makeup and nails. As an ode to the pioneers of American sportswear, Alexander Wang took inspiration from iconic designers such as Donna Karan, Calvin Klein, and Ralph Lauren for his 2020 Collection 1 runway show. With the collection broken down into four parts, the last part being Wang's future vision of American design, he also wanted four variated hairstyles to go with the looks. And that’s just hair. Continue reading to see full visual story of the behind the scenes in beauty along with some of my favorite looks from the show.

HAIRSTYLES

The first hairstyle was a very structured '70s silhouette, with two different types of braids. Some of the models had braids (which took up to six hours to create) with a center part. The hair was then saturated with handfuls of L'Oreal mousse to ease the pressure of the braids on the scalp, lock in style, and tame any fly-aways and baby hairs. "Alex wanted a very clean and graphic silhouette," says lead hair stylist Duffy backstage. "There's a Jet cover from 1973 with a [model with a] center part. When you look through documented trends in hair, some of the braid work was so intricate and well-executed. I wanted to celebrate that moment that was forgotten." For the second type of braid, the hair was extended into ponytails and then wrapped with leather to resemble a bull whip. My favorite hairstyle from the show. After waist-length extensions were added, models were given one, two, or three ponytails that were pulled tightly and held in place with Elnett Extra Strong Hold Hairspray. They were then wrapped and braided with leather all the way down — a project that took as many as five stylists on a single model. The level of focus from the stylists were intense. Major dedication to this look.

The second group of models had their hair separated into three sections, straightened, and then finished off with loads of L'Oreal setting lotion. The aesthetic was, "graphic, hard, and shiny," according to Duffy, but Wang didn't want the hair to look too wet or plastic-y either. The third look was inspired by sumo wrestler hair. L'Oreal Extra Hold Gel was applied to the strands in order to achieve an iridescent, reflective sheen and the hair was then fanned out into ponytails. See in image above to the right.

The fourth look matched with the other three looks but consisted of more individuality. Wang “gang” girls, Kendall Jenner, Kaia Gerber, Lexi Boling, Selena Forrest, and Binx Walton, all wore white for the show. To go with this look, they wanted sexy and minimalistic, as if the models just stepped out of water. This is definitely a look I go for during the summer time.

MAKEUP

Lead by makeup artist Diane Kendal, the models were given a subdued look of luminous, glowing skin with a bit of cheek contouring using Nars' Endless Orgasm Palette and Orgasm Liquid Highlighter. Brows were filled in with a "boy-ish" charm to them and the Nars' Orgasm Oil-Infused Lip Tint (insane packaging) was applied to both lips and the tops of the cheekbones for a 90s-inspired, dewy glow. That gloss/glass effect on the cheekbones and eyelids is definitely going to be making a comeback in the next few seasons. I have yet to try any of these products (too crazy to attempt to amidst the chaos backstage) but do use their Orgasm blush every day and it’s my go-to-product for fresh, subtle blushed cheeks. This look is perfect with slicked-back wet polished hair - I think because of the intricacy behind the hair along with the strong statement from Wang’s collection definitely were influenced by the minimal no-makeup-makeup look and it truly works because the makeup doesn’t need to distract from the clothes.

NAILS

The nails were also minimalist, with Jin Soon Choi using four nude shades from her eponymous polish line: Dulcet, Demure, Nostalgia and Muse. "We tried to match a JINsoon nude shade to each model to complement their skin tone" explained Choi. Then, because the designer "wanted a cool, more modernized spin" to the neutral nails, she topped the polish with Jin Soon Matte Maker Topcoat, noting that, unlike many other matte-finish polish formulas, hers is "very satin-finished, not dry. This gives more of a cool, sportswear look," said Choi, “while celebrating each model's individuality without overpowering any of the looks they are sporting.” If I’m wearing a nude polish on my nails, it’s Nostalgia, but I’m dying to trying Dulcet for the fall!

FAVORITE LOOKS/TRENDS

Taking place at Rockefeller Center the show was the first ever held at the venue, and sectioned off to specific clientele along with a quite vulnerable position for public viewing (hey, he’s done it before). In homage to the Holy Trinity from the 90s - Donna Karan, Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren, Wang feature 4 different looks including his own future take on American sportswear. I loved the bold shouldered blazers inspired from Karan’s collections along with the crazy cool denim, a personal favorite and one that will be sold out in a heartbeat are those thigh-high slit denim skirts. (That' 90s light blue wash is MINE) Definite Klein vibes along with logo tees and even underwear as outerwear. Ralph Lauren-isms like flannel plaid, mile-long suede fringe, and wide-wale corduroy were also spotted on the runway. How good are those corduroy blazers though?! Another detail I spotted were neck ties being used as an accessory on a handbag. Not your typical piece, but I will definitely be re-interpreting this.

LOVE & XX’S,

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April Beauty Favorites

April 26, 2019

Hi, everyone! I am posting my beauty favorites this month a little bit earlier than normal. MaQ has not been feeling well the past few days and took him to the vet yesterday where they run numerous tests. He is in good spirits but his skin has been horrible. We’ve got him under antibiotics and has been resting comfortably, but am just really hoping it isn’t anything serious. I’ll know more in the next few days, but will definitely not be working as much this weekend to spend some time with my baby. But kick back and relax while you dive into my April beauty favorites featuring the latest in my skincare and makeup routine, such as an amazing rose-scented sleeping mask, foundation, the ultimate luxe lipstick, and tons more, you’ll definitely want to check out some of the latest trends in the beauty world. Continue reading to see and learn more! Have a lovely weekend, everyone.

FRESH ROSE DEEP HYDRATION SLEEPING MASK

This next-level sleeping mask is proven to give you the appearance of plumper, smoother skin after as little as one night of use. Start by replenishing moisture with a cooling gel essence powered by rosewater, damask rose extract, and hyaluronic acid. Then lock it in with a silky water-cream mask that uses time-release technology. What I love most about this mask is that it is long-lasting and super refreshing. Perfect for anyone who loves that dewy, glowing skin.

bAREMINERALS ENDLESS GLOW HIGHLIGHTER

The Endless Glow Highlighter from bareMinerals is a mineral-based powder highlighter that gives a naturally luminous, dew-kissed glow. Clean, mineral highlighting powder provides long-lasting, lit-from-within luminosity while blurring the appearance of pores and imperfections. Talc-free formula gives you a smooth, photo-ready finish that won't crease, cake or crack.

CLINIQUE EVEN BETTER FOUNDATION IN MERINGUE

Clinique’s Even Better Makeup Broad Spectrum SPF 15 is a dermatologist-developed foundation that instantly perfects and actively improves with every wear. Hydrates and smoothes (hyaluronic acid and salicylic acid). The creamy formula gives skin a natural finish. Getting matched took less than 3 minutes (I'm the shade Meringue) and it's only $29! Comes in 60 shades!

CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN LOUBIGRAFFITI NAIL POLISH IN JAZZY DOLL

Christian Louboutin Beauty presents LoubiGraffiti, the color-drenched limited-edition collection that celebrates spring in the city. Inspired by the extravagant graffiti looks of Maison Christian Louboutin's LoubiGraf collection, LoubiGraffiti will spice up your lips and nails with its audacious street style.
Graffiti spirit is about boundless creative freedom something which Christian Louboutin has always infused into his creations. LoubiGraffiti's four Velvet Matte lip colors and six nail colors are an open invitation to explore, create and express yourself through bold color-clashing.
Because above all else, LoubiGraffiti is about powerful colors: hues that clash and contrast with clever abandon. You can never have too much. The collection's lip and nail colors are ultra-pigmented, giving a vivid, high-impact effect playing with dramatic matte lips and ultra-glossy nails. This season is yours, live it how you want! Dare to paint your pout the luscious pink of Bengali Velvet Matte, then add a vibrant pop of blue to your nails with Baraboum. The nail color's finish is as glossy as the iconic Christian Louboutin red sole patent leather stiletto and the perfect contrast to your matte lips.
LoubiGraffiti's cheeky clashes and contrasts evoke the eclectic Maison's style. Because who else but Christian Louboutin would dare to bring together a devastatingly chic stiletto and a street style-inspired graffiti design? LoubiGraffiti's limited edition packaging is splashed with bright graffiti prints and presented in craft paper bags sealed with graffiti-inspired street art stickers. Playful and bright, chic and street, LoubiGraffiti is just the thing to spark your inspiration this spring.

DR. JART + FOCUSPOT DARK CIRCLE MICRO TIP PATCHES

The advanced Dr. Jart+ Focuspot™ Micro Tip Patches inspired by microneedling has micro tips that penetrate and melt deeply into the skin’s surface to deliver active ingredients such as 72% Hyaluronic Acid and nourishing Vitamin A that target & treat blemishes, dark spots, dark circle, and fine lines and wrinkles. Safe for sensitive skin - my fav is the dark circle patches. Available now at Sephora!

DRUNK ELEPHANT T.L.C. FRAMBOOS™ GLYCOLIC NIGHT SERUM

This high-tech gel resurfaces dull skin, lifting dead skin cells away by gently dissolving the glue that holds them to the surface. The results are greater clarity and a smoother, more even-looking complexion. Formulated with a dream-team AHA/BHA blend including glycolic, lactic, tartaric, citric, and salicylic acids, and blended with raspberry extract, T.L.C. Framboos™ sinks in easily and delivers an effective level of chemical exfoliation without the harsh side effects like dryness or sensitization. Fine lines, wrinkles, and discoloration, along with excess oiliness and the appearance of pores, appear dramatically diminished over time. Horse chestnut, bearberry, and white tea help to calm and soothe, while improving the appearance of broken capillaries. Go from a drab complexion to an absolutely luminous one—practically overnight.

PAT MCGRATH LABS MATTETRANCE™ LIPSTICK IN OBSESSED!

MatteTrance™ is a richly pigmented lipstick with a sensually creamy, powerful pigment that evokes screen siren glamour with every application. Each shade is presented like a jewel in a black-lacquered couture case fashioned with a sensually surrealist golden lip that’s destined to be a cult-status collectable.
Get entrancing color that satisfies with supreme hydration and opulent matte opacity. Flaunt this richly pigmented formulation, cloaking lips in a lightweight veil of rich color. It’s infused with optical diffusers that blur the appearance of imperfections, combined with a blend of polymers to provide flexibility and adherence. An advanced formulation of spherical particles ensure a creamy soft texture for the smoothest film of color. Each shade is enmeshed in a powder film combined with saturated pigment for lightweight opaque coverage. This lipstick lays down a high impact with a strong finish. My favorite shade is ‘Obsessed!’ 211, the perfect orange-red shade.

COLOURPOP COSMETICS ENTENDRE EYESHADOW PALETTE

ColourPop's Double Entendre Pressed Powder Shadow Palette is the perfect palette for everyone! Your new go-to, your ride or die, your partner in crime - this palette holds the ultimate everyday, nude neutrals. With 12 shades, ranging from cool to warm, matte to metallic, you and this palette will be inseparable. You can never have too many nudes...

Shades:

Locked & Loaded (matte pale yellow)
Uninhibited (metallic deep gold)
Hot Bod (matte chocolate brown with gold flecks)
Flasher (satin soft ivory)
Nekkid (matte pastel orange)
Extra Curricular (matte burnt orange)
Hard (matte deep terracotta)
Draft (metallic rich rose gold)
Keep it PG (metallic champagne gold)
Nip Slip (matte warm saddle brown)
Send Noodles (matte soft tan)
Teddy Bare (matte deep chocolate brown)

LOVE & XX’S,

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March Beauty Favorites

April 3, 2019

Happy Wednesday and the beginning of April, everyone! Today’s post is my monthly beauty favorites from the month of March! I’ve got the latest eyeshadow palette that literally looks like a tequila sunrise, a vegan gummy-supplement for glowing skin, enzyme peels, and a new collection that recently launched from one of my favorite K-Beauty brands. There’s also a new favorite fragrance, mascara, ultimate setting powder (trust me, you’ll never use anything else again) and more. Continue reading to learn more about my latest favorite beauty products!

COLOURPOP COSMETICS SWEET TALK PALETTE

This is my latest favorite eyeshadow palette for spring/summer. I wanted to create a sunset look but subtle for soft, everyday eyes. This Colourpop palette has 4 different shadow formulas: The star of the show is the brand new PRESSED GLITTERS! Self-adhering, insanely sparkly, these babies will bring on the glam. There are also pressed powder shadows in matte and metallic finishes. Here are the names/shades of each color. For this look I used ICYMI, Catch Me, Work It, Melody, Feel Free & Garden Date.

Catch Me: matte pastel peach
Side2Side: warm champagne with silver and pink glitter
Garden Date: metallic coral with a gold sheen
Work It: soft matte yellow orange
Prima Drama: pale rose gold glitter with a copper and gold duochrome shift
Meadow: matte true coral
Early Mornin’: marigold glitter
Dream Maker: matte soft coral
ICYMI: matte dirty terracotta
Melody: metallic rose with a gold flip
West Side: matte camel
Feel Free: rich matte bordeaux

LAURA MERCIER TRANSLUCENT SETTING POWDER

This bestselling translucent powder sets your makeup for longer wear. Created in two shades for all skin tones, the soft-focus effect subtly blurs the look of fine lines and imperfections, and it doesn't settle into lines or pores. The result is natural-looking, never powdery or cakey. I’ve literally have tried probably over a hundred different setting powders and nothing compares to this one. Hands down, the best ever.

GIVENCHY LIVE IRRESISTIBLE ROSY CRUSH

Live Irrésistible Rosy Crush is a confident explosion of pink freshness and bold vitality. A vibrant floral fragrance, bursting with rose and vivacious pink peppercorn. Goji berries, chypre and patchouli blend youthful vivacity with elegant sophistication. A bouquet of pink roses in many shades. A fragrance for women who live irresistibly in the moment and embrace the power of pink. Pink is more than a color; it's a positive state of mind.

LANCOME MONSIEUR BIG MASCARA

Meet Monsieur Big, volumizing mascara that delivers up to 12x more volume and 24 hour wear for your biggest, blackest, boldest lashes yet. It’s the only mascara I’ve been using for several months and have already gone through three of them!

SULWHASOO BLOOMSTAY VITALIZING WATER

Harmonizes the anti-oxidant energy of plum blossom with Yuzu components to rejuvenate skin, leaving your skin hydrated and smooth. The light and watery texture helps deliver moisture quickly into skin. With a subtle plum blossom scent.

SULWHASOO BLOOMSTAY VITALIZING SERUM

Harmonizes the anti-oxidant energy of plum blossom with five germinated fruits and seeds to rejuvenate skin, leaving your skin with a bright glow. This serum spreads evenly to give your skin a soft and smooth finish.

SULWHASOO BLOOMSTAY VITALIZING CREAM

Harmonizes the anti-oxidant energy of plum blossom with five germinated fruits and seeds to improve skin firmness, and the Yuzu and hardy orange components to leave your skin hydrated and resilient. The soft and elastic texture adheres well to your skin and leave a smooth finish. The best cream to prep with before applying makeup! You’ll look radiant every time!

AMORE PACIFIC TREATMENT ENZYME PEEL CLEANSING POWDER

Reformulated for daily use, this deep-cleansing exfoliator uses papaya- and green tea-derived enzymes to remove dulling residue without irritating healthy skin for a brighter glow. The water-activated, powder-to-foam formula leaves skin moisturized and primed to best receive ingredients to follow.

AMORE PACIFIC TREATMENT ENZYME PEELING MASQUE

This gel-to-cream mask dual exfoliates on the surface with papaya and green tea-derived enzymes. AHA and AHA salt help remove dead skin cells caused by aging. This transformative formula is made up of 60 percent green tea water to moisturize and soothe, immediately revealing brighter, smoother skin with a dewy glow.

HUM NUTRITION GLOW SWEET GLOW

A delicious orange-flavored vegan gummy supplement with hyaluronic acid and vitamin C to help hydrate skin. Glow Sweet Glow features an easily absorbable, low-molecular hyaluronic acid that helps lock moisture into the skin to keep it plump, hydrated and glowing. As we age, we naturally lose vitamin C in both the epidermis and dermis. This contains vitamin E and C to give you an ultimate glow. I personally have been loving them, and I’ve never taken gummy supplements for skin before. Now I do every day!

LOVE & XX’S,

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NYFW Beauty Trends in Hair, Makeup and Nails

February 16, 2019

Hi, everyone! I’ve been meaning to get this up on the blog, but amidst travels and also my laptop having a nervous breakdown, it’s been rather trying to get this up and live. But it is finally here: my recap of all the beauty trends I noticed during New York Fashion Week for Fall/Winter. Some have been around since the dawn of time, as most trends in fashion are refurbished, reused and recycled. But there are several trends I truly loved and will definitely be partaking in the upcoming season. So without further ado, let’s jump on it and start with the makeup trends spotting around from NYFW.

MAKEUP TRENDS

PINKY PINKS & BURGUNDY WINES

If you noticed one thing about my makeup abilities as of late, I am all for color. The more vibrant the better. Which is what many makeup artists played around with backstage this season. For example, the makeup direction to Kate Spade with Romy Soleimani and Maybelline was filled with vibrant, friendly pink shades ranging from blushing pink to burgundies. Sally LaPointe’s show also displayed heavy wine colors, interestingly applying an iridescent pink liquid highlighter - the Hyper Real FX to the cheek bones which gave such a beautiful subtle quality to the look.

SMOKEY EYES

You know what’s a trickery in eye makeup? Mastering the art of a smokey eye without looking like raccoon eyes! What makes this difficult is the subtlety of the smudge, but not too much where it becomes overkill. Tom Ford always does this technique so well (need to try the Tom Ford beauty line) but my favorite was the intense smokey eye in Jeremy Scott’s Show. Maybelline did the full eyelid smokey, but also carried it down to the inner corners of the eye to give it a more dramatic effect. Rest assured, smokey eyes aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

WATERCOLORS

Another favorite, MUA Cassandra Garcia played with a subtle green smudge for Tibi. Using Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, the look was inspired by the perfectly imperfect look of slept-in makeup and the watercolor green is something cool and different. It looks slightly messy, but in a chic unpolished way. Other shows that really played on watercolors more intently were Eckhaus Latta and Collina Strada where the models’ eyes were a wonderful canvas to blend on. Literally reminded me of Monet’s brush strokes and definitely got my heart palpating.

SHARPLY SKILLED EYELINER WORK

3.1 Phillip Lim’s lead makeup artist for the show, Diane Kendal was all about precision when it came to eye makeup backstage this season. Using only three colors of white, khaki and purple and with the help from a new makeup brand, Unframe the Beauty, their eyeliners are an innovation 1200 years in the making. The brush is created by traditional craftsmen from the Kumano and Nara region of Japan, with custom-made fibers that are entirely hand-blended for firmness, flexibility, and softness. Only seven people in ALL of the world can skillfully do this delicate and precise work.

BAMBI LASHES

Makeup artist Tom Percheux described the beauty as “eyes that wouldn’t lie to you” for the Brandon Maxwell show was very reminiscent of Twiggy’s signature look. And it’s as simple as it can get, but will bring the eyes to life with an added illusion to bigger and brighter eyes. Something I can totally get on board with - the key is to do both the top and bottom eyelashes. I have to say out of all my favorite makeup trends, this will be probably the first one I will want to re-interpret.

HAIRSTYLE TRENDS

BEJEWEL ME, BABY

If you’ve been paying any attention in the hair accessory scene, you know barrettes, bobby pins, clips of any kind are all making a huge comeback. But there’s been a transitioning period here at NYFW where the accessories are more about letting women SHINE. Justine Marajan did the hair backstage for Christian Siriano where we saw chains mixed in with braids, giving it a cool and edgy vibe. Area had a gang of 70s rebels take the runway with likeminded hairdos beaded in jewels, literally. I am really into anything in the rebellious family so this trend is definitely something I would like to re-create for myself!

CRIMPED

Probably my favorite hairstyle that I saw backstage this season, it’s not a difficult hair style to achieve. Nowadays with all the top hair gadgets/tools you can get a heat iron with the shape embedded into the tool that will ease the process of getting the waves in the crimped hair. However, one way to achieve this as well is to braid the hair then flat iron the braid before brushing it out. This gives it a more froofy overall look, leaving it more modern in my opinion. I saw this technique done by Aveda, led by Gary Gill for the 3.1 Phillip Lim Show.

A SPLASH OF COLOR

Or rather a splash of paint, Jeremy Scott’s fake news theme was quite cheeky with the hairstyle to go along with the message behind his collection. The models all wore wigs which were all trimmed backstage before what looks to be a bucket of paint spilled all over the tops of the models’ heads. It obviously was painted on, however. Philipp Plein also used neon green streaks in the models’ hair, giving it that pop of color.

FINGER WAVES

The 30s are back and I couldn’t be happier! Finger waving is the shaping or molding of hair while wet into "s"-shaped curved undulations with the fingers and comb. These waves, when dried without being disturbed, will fall into deep waves. Finger waving differs from marcel waving in that there are no heated irons used on the hair. Prime example was Sally LaPointe’s show, giving the models’ a suitable look to go with the Elvis theme. Zimmerman and Maryam Nassir Zadeh also demonstrated this look but in a more relaxed way either with softer waves with a shorter cut or ruched ponytails. Overall, another favorite hairstyle I need to try and do soon!

NAIL ART TRENDS

ADD SPARKLE

At Kate Spade New York, manicurist Julie Kandalec (for Essie) paid homage to Kate, “she leaves a little bit of sparkle everywhere she goes.” by subtly applying bronze glitter to a nail prepped with a base coat for a naturally shimmery look. Tibi also took an understatedly sparkly route: Jin Soon Choi painted the top half of the nail in a rich toffee beige shade and filled in the bottom half with a mélange of holographic silver flecks. To tone down the shine, Choi finished it with a matte top coat. Which is what is next in terms of trends.

MATTE EVERYTHING

I noticed several other nail looks aside from Jin Soon Choi’s such as Maryam Nassir Zadeh powdery blue matte nails, which were also a favorite. Phillip Lim also worked with Jin Soon Choi to create a peachy nude matte finish as well, bringing a modern woman essential vibe. I love the non-streaky look to a matte nail, as it looks more polished and sophisticated. You can bet you’ll be seeing a lot more of this trend come this fall season.

OVER THE TOP EXTRANESS

Jeremy Scott worked with Ms. Pop to do a monochrome monogramming in an effort to keep up with the graffiti-inspired textiles. She lent her expert brushstroke to write out "New York" in black-and-white lettering, creating a newsprint effect over seven fingers. Definitely made headlines. ;) Other statement nail looks included Alice + Olivia where they literally hand-painted 3-D acrylic butterflies on sets of burgundy nails. And last but not least, Adeam went with gluing pearls of all different sizes on blue and pinks nails, which were definitely delivering something extra to the table.