NYFW FALL 2011 Trend Report

This fall, designers played up the drama with magnificent tailoring (we loved the fall collections of Michael Kors, Dianne Von Furstenburg, Jason Wu) and billowy, opulent gowns (see: Rodarte, Derek Lam). Though we were impressed by the clothes, these dramatic looks were often paired with makeup that may have been kept too simple or just too garish. Here’s a rundown of the trends we saw on the catwalks and tips on how to make these work in real life!

BERRY LIPS - Pretty, romantic and instantly polished.
As seen on the runways at: Luca Luca, Rebecca Taylor, Peter Som, Carolina Herrara, Cynthia Steffe, and Lela Rose
For bold berry red lips inspired by the models seen here at Luca Luca (Photo: Racked.Com) - Line the lips with Burgundy Lip Liner and apply Rosie the Riveter Lipstick (a rich, blue- red).
This look is probably the most wearable on it's own. However, for a softer take, try Mauve Lip Liner with Santorini Lipstick. Remember, the focus here is on the lips, so keep the eyes soft.

CAT EYES - Perhaps an homage to the makeup seen in Black Swan, these dramatic eyes are tough to pull off the runway into real life (we don’t recommend bleaching out your eyebrows either!)
As seen on the runways at: DKNY, Derek Lam, Vivienne Tam, and Jason Wu.
For the look inspired by this model at Jason Wu (Photo: Getty Images) -- Layer Cool Aubergine applied with a damp eye shadow brush on the upper and lower lash lines and along the crease, tapering out to a triangle shape. Fill in the triangle with Gold Eye Shadow. Use Wallflower Lip & Cheek Stain to softly contour the cheeks and apply Whisper Sheer Lipstick for shimmering nude lips.

For a real-life version of this look, try Cool Black and gold instead of aubergine (the combination of purple and yellow on the skin can look like a bruise!) Also, if you have deep set eyes, stay away from this look. Since dark colors recede, dark shadows will make deep set eyes seem even more sunken.

STRONG BROWS - The 90’s came back in a big way, with a strong, masculine brow.
As seen on the runways of: Alexander Wang, Proenza Schouler, Monique Lullhier, LAMB, Naeem Khan, Marc by Marc Jacobs.
To re-create the look seen here at Proenza Schouler (Photo: GoRunway.com) -- Match your hair color with a Brow Powder (Brow Powder #5) and fill in the brows with our Brow Brush.

We love a well-groomed brow, it anchors the eye, though we’d prefer to see more polished and defined eyes rather than this heroin-chic look.
For a real-life version of this look: fill in sparse areas of the brows with a coordinating brow powder and apply Clear Brow Gel to lift and shape the eye. Define the lash line with Opaline Creme Eye Definer, and avoid this reddish-brown shade that makes the eyes look tired (try Warm Brown Sugar, instead).


NUDE LIPS - The nude lip is a staple regardless of season. Versatile nude lips were showcased in a variety of finishes; from matte, to pearly, to glossy, and some with a touch of coral. As seen on the runways at: AnnaSui, Carlos Miele, Tommy Hilfiger, Erin Fetherston, Charlotte Ronson

For the look scene here at Nicole Miller (Photo: Andrew Burton, AP) -- Apply Cool Brown Sugar Eye Shadow with a damp brush to line the lower lash line and create a precise rectangular shape on the upper eye lid. Highlight under the brow bone with Cool White Eye Shadow. Apply Light Clarifier on the lower inner rim of the eye. Use a sheer layer of our Creme Concealer/Foundation as lip color and apply Translucent Powder all over the face for a finished, doll-like complexion.

For a real-life version of this look: Blend the eye shadow for a softer contour of the eyes and avoid looking washed out with a layer of Nude Attitude on the lips, our new coral-based nude.