Calling All Ghosts, Witches, Vampires, Zombies....

Halloween is creeping up on us and if you're planning on getting dressed up for the occasion, it's probably time to start planning out your costume. This Halloween is my seventh wedding anniversary (yes, I was a bride on Halloween back in '03...and yes, I did, in fact, wear black!) and I haven't dressed up to celebrate the day in a while.

If you need a little inspiration for your Halloween costume, hints on how to do your Halloween makeup, or Halloween/gothy decorating tips, here are a few sites to check out:

• Any Time Costumes
  
• Halloween Online Magazine
• All Hallow's Eve
  
• Ghoul Skool
• Zombie Makeup, 1
• Zombie Makeup, 2
• Zombie Makeup, 3
• Martha Stewart
• Gothic Martha Stewart

And for all of you who come to my site in search of how to apply makeup like the members of the rock band, KISS, click over to this site to see the evolution of their Kabuki-style makeup. KISS could be a fun, easy Halloween costume for you and a few friends this year!

Since I'm a Halloween freak, be sure to leave me a comment letting me know what you're going to be this year, or what your favorite costume has been!

More Fall Trends!

As I mentioned yesterday, a new season means it's time to make some changes and to adjust your beauty routine to reflect the new season ahead. For whatever reason, it seems like the move into fall brings with it the most change...and it makes me want to update my beauty products and clothes more than at other season changes throughout the year.

No matter what season we're in, I think we all want the basics: glowing skin, kissable lips, rich hair color and perfectly styled strands.  Here are some tips and beauty buys to keep you looking effortlessly chic throughout the fall season from the folks over at Proctor & Gamble (don't laugh--they're the home of some of your favorite beauty products like Pantene, Cover Girl, and Olay!).

Hair Color
Variations of warm reds, red-auburns and strawberry will be the color looks of the season. Whatever your hair color, fall looks will be fresh - the days of visible roots are over! Get the vibrant fall color you want with Clairol Perfect 10. The AminoGlycine technology creates depth and dimension using high-gloss, high-shine color for flawless gray coverage in just 10 minutes. (No visible roots!  Ah!  I need to get to my salon ASAP!)

Hair Style
Flat hair is so last season! Fall is all about making a statement with your look – including your hair style. Boost strands to reveal ultimate volume and bounce with the NEW Pantene Pro-V Fine Hair Triple Action Volume Mousse. It is formulated to keep hair from falling flat, creating effortless volume by lifting at the root and extending through strands. (I could really use this stuff!  My hair has seemed a bit too flat lately...)

Skin
This season give your skin a fresh start and a firmer, younger look. The Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Serum is a super concentrated serum clinically proven to help firm skin’s appearance across three key zones – the face, neck, and décolletage after only five days. Containing Olay’s most concentrated amino-peptide complex, this hydrating serum is the perfect pre-makeup skin solution.  (I love Olay.  For me, they can do no wrong!)

• Insider tip from Olay Celebrity Makeup Artist Bruce Grayson: “Great makeup starts with great skincare. The key to prepping and hydrating the skin without overdoing it is using a product that’s powerful yet lightweight.”

Lips
Complementing all skin tones, sheer lipsticks in rose, pink, peach and beige will be seen this fall season. Soft color gloss will mimic nude lips and add fullness. COVERGIRL Outlast Lipstain gives lips a natural look and the innovative formula delivers precision application and color that lasts without the sticky, heavy layer of many traditional lipsticks. Lips feel bare and look beautiful – what more could a woman want from her lip color?  (I am currently on the hunt for a killer fall lip product and will happily accept any suggestions you want to throw my way!)

• Insider tip from COVERGIRL Celebrity Makeup Artist Molly R. Stern: “To achieve the perfect pout and smooth lips, start by exfoliating your lips with warm water and a wash cloth, then apply an emollient lip balm to deeply nourish lips throughout the night.”

Embrace Fall Colors Sephora

I LOVE the fall.  It's my absolute favorite season.  I love the weather, the way the trees change colors, and all the new fashion and makeup trends.  It's the best time of the year.

Now that summer has met its end for 2010, it's time to start easing into fall beauty trends. With the virtually unlimited product selection at Sephora, incorporating fall colors and fragrance is effortless!

Here's a selection of fall beauty must-haves available at Sephora:


Sephora Collection Colorful Palette in Kiss From 10 ($24) - Give the neutral eye a twist using this natural toned palette perfect for all skin complexions. The four shadows and matte liner featured are all formulated with a color-intensifying HIBOOST complex to ensure a look that lasts.

Sephora Advanced Lash Booster ($17) - The first lash booster mascara that doubles as a cosmetic AND treatment product. It works to improve the four most important lash characteristics - Length, Thickness, Fullness and Strength - for healthy, beautiful lashes.


Sephora Ultra Shine Lipgloss in Dazzling Violet ($14) -This lip gloss combines form and function with a new generation of “multi-holigraphic” shimmers, a special “ultra hydrating complex” to help stimulate hyaluronic acid synthesis in the lip, and an elegant, transparent tint that showcases the perfect shade of violet that will give lips an overall boost.

Sephora by OPI Nail colour in Just A Little Dangerous ($9) - Purple is the trend shade for fall. The dramatic eggplant purple will add an edge to any look.

Kat Von D Adora Eau de Parfum ($55) - This new fragrance from Kat Von D exudes a sensual and passionate aura with notes of lychee, boysenberry and thyme, the perfect mix for transitioning your scent to the new season.

Fall Nails from Essie

I'm a bit late on this one, but I'm a nail color fanatic, so sue me!  Anyway, Essie's Fall 2010 Collection is out now and features six lovely new shades for us to paint our nails this season.  I must say: I like all six of these shades and think that they'd look great as we get into the cooler months.

Here are the colors:

• In Stitches: cheeky blush pink
• Limited Addiction: racy garnet red
• Sew Psyched: cashmere-soft sage pewter
• Merino Cool: sensuous autumn mulberry
• Velvet Voyeur: intense chocolate amethyst
• Little Brown Dress: beguiling black coffee

Essie nail polishes retail for $8.00 each.  What do you think of the collection?

Fall Nails

For the past few years now, super dark nails have been all the rage in the fall/winter.  I don't think deep purples, blues, and blacks are going anywhere any time soon.  HOWEVER, if you want to try something new, why not consider tones like gray, beige, or taupe?

Here are five great shades to consider:

 Essie Nail Polish in Mink Muffs

OPI Nail Lacquer in You Don't Know Jacques

Butter London in Tramp Stamp

Deborah Lippman Nail Lacquer in Waking Up in Vegas

Chanel Particuliere

What do you think? Will you try "greige" nails?  I love 'em!

Are You Ready for Fall?

I know, I know...Spring's barely started, Summer hasn't even happened yet, and already I'm talking about Fall? It may seem strange, but it will be here before you know it. And after seeing the China Glaze Vintage Vixen Collection, I'm more than ready for cooler days, dark nails, and all that wonderful stuff that Fall brings with it.

Check out the Vintage Vixen Collection...I think you'll agree:

For Fall 2010, the China Glaze Vintage Vixen Collection captures the vivid and saturated hues of the 1940’s with this seductively complex palette. These classic shades of the season recreate the timeless tableau of movie land mystique, perfect red pouts and steamy nights where swing was the scene!

Step out with these multi-faceted jewel tones, rich reds, titillating taupes and smoldering sands. This collection deliverers a high octane 40’s era glamour with a sophisticated edge! The 12 colors in this collection include:

* Riveter Rouge – Deep red shimmer
* Foxy – Burgundy frost with shimmer
* Goin’ My Way – Brown frost with copper shimmer
* Classic Camel – Khaki crème with gold micro glitter
* Swing Baby – Taupe frost with silver micro glitter
* Ingrid – “Greige” crème with copper micro glitter
* Hey Doll – Rose frost with shimmer
* Bogie – Plum frost with shimmer
* First Class Tocket – Deep purple frost with shimmer
* Midnight Mission – Navy blue frost with silver micro glitter
* Emerald Fitzgerald – Turquoise green frost with shimmer
* Jitterbug – Grey chrome with silver micro glitter

The China Glaze Vintage Vixen collection starts shipping June 6th internationally and July 6th, 2010 domestically. All 12 colors will be available as open stock, in 6 piece box collections, a 12 piece counter display and a 36 piece rack. China Glaze is free of DBP, toluene, and added formaldehyde.

Get Your Hair Ready for Fall

A new season means updating your look. While you're freshening up your makeup look and your wardrobe, be sure to do something with your hair. Here are some hints from Pantene and Hallie Bowman, Celebrity Hair Stylist.

As we enter the fall season today, it’s important that we do what we can to help prevent further damage that’s already been done over the summer. Luckily, the color trends we will be seeing this fall are conducive to rehabbing your hair – it’s going to be all about giving your natural hair color a chance to shine and staying away from the harsh colors and bright platinum shades that are most damaging to your hair.

“The days of striking, contrasting colors are gone this season,” explains Celebrity Stylist for Pantene, Hallie Bowman. “This fall people will be going back to their roots, or at least making it look that way. We’re going to see natural-looking tones to balance the more extreme hair styles that are going to be big, including mixed textures and nods to the 80s shapes.”

The Color Trends:

Blonde: Platinum blonde is out and warmer, neutral tones are in. If you’re blonde Bowman recommends shades of sable, vanilla or mink. However, if you’re not ready to let go of your platinum locks, soften the look by adding some golden highlights. (Note from Lydia, the platinum blonde: Even though it's fall, I have no intention of ditching my ultra-blonde...no matter what the trends dictate!)

Brunette: Reddish or bluish browns are out and warmer browns are in. Shades like deep chocolate and chestnut are going to be all-the-rage; it’s all about making your shade believable.

Redhead: Two words – true red. The key is to ask your stylist to stay away from blue and copper undertones, both of which reflect orange in the sunlight. One way to avoid orange is to add some highlights to cool down the shade.

Black: Stay away from blue undertones and go for ebony to keep the shade natural-looking.

Maintenance: Once you’ve achieved the shade you want, keeping your color looking fresh can be a challenge, but it doesn’t mean you have to spend a lot! Bowman recommends using a shampoo and conditioner system that is developed for color treated hair, such as the ones from Pantene.

“I love the Pantene Expressions collection because it keeps hair color looking fresh, and helps reveal the three facets of hair color: tone, depth and vibrancy,” explains Bowman.

The Pantene Expressions shampoos are formulated with a patented liquid crystal technology that helps repel water and condition hair to keep color radiant. The five collections are custom designed by shade – blonde, brunette, red, midnight and highlighting – to help color-treated hair maintain its vibrancy and multi-dimensional shine in between colorings.

The Pantene Expressions shampoos and conditioners retail for just $5.49 apiece at national food, drug and mass merchandisers, and online at drugstore.com.

How to Wear Dark Lipstick

Fall is here and that means trading in your light, shiny lipgloss for a deeper, richer, dark lipstick. But pulling off the dark lip look can be tricky. If done wrong, darker shades can make thin lips look thinner. If the color feathers or is not applied flawlessly, it will look sloppy.

Here are some hints to help:

• Focus on your lips only. If you try to pull off a dark lip with a dramatic eye, you're going to look a little clownish. Avoid this by making your eyes look very natural with minimal shadow, just a touch of liner, and mascara. Also ease off the blush. Rosy cheeks and almost black lips could make you look silly.
• Be sure to pick your shade well. Consider your complexion and the undertones in your skin. And don't forget, dark lipstick doesn't have to be black.
• Exfoliate your lips. This is easy to do and requires no special products. When you brush your teeth, just gently brush your lips as well. This will remove dead skin cells and soften your lips. Dot on a little lip balm or moisturizer for added protection.
• Consider a lip primer. Again, don't buy anything special: just put some concealer or foundation on your lips. This will help to neutralize your lips' natural color and may help prevent against feathering. If you want a special product, try for something with silicone in it so the darker color has something to cling to.
• Line your lips. Try using a small lip brush and your dark shade to line your lips. I'm not a fan of using lip pencils for this, and you probably know why. Just think of the first image that pops into your mind when I say "lip liner." I rest my case! Next fill in the rest of your lips using your lipstick and the lip brush. Using a brush will give you better control and should result in a more precise look.

I've been trying out a few shades from Mattese Elite, one that's a deep raisin shade and one that's a vibrant (though dark) pink. Unlike some deeply pigmented lipsticks, this brand made my lips feel soft and moist--not cakey and dry. If you're looking for a dark shade, you might want to check them out (plus at just $10 a tube, they're pretty budget friendly!).

Shiseido's Fall Collection

I feel like I'm playing catch-up with my beauty blogging duties. I was weeding out my old emails when I came across a press release with Shiseido's Fall 2009 line. The line launched in August, and the shades are beautiful. Check out what they're offering:

Shiseido introduces its Fall 2009 Makeup collection, created by Shiseido’s Artistic Director Dick Page. The inspiration for this line was drawn from mosaic art, bringing a variety of different shades together to create a “full wardrobe” of colors, one that would fulfill a woman’s basic needs for every occasion. These colors are reflected in the new Luminizing Satin Eye Color Line, an elegant collection with the luminous look of fine silk. Available in 15 unique shades, this new interpretation of neutrals, pastels and brights makes choosing a color an adventurous pleasure. Each shade is meant to wear alone or in combination for an unlimited variety of looks for the season. The suggested retail price is $25.

Also included in the 2009 Fall Collection:

· Shiseido Makeup Perfect Mascara is available in 2 new shades at $23

· Shiseido Makeup Smoothing Eyeliner Pencil is available in 2 new shades at $20

· Shiseido Makeup Natural Eyebrow Pencil is available in 4 new shades at $20

· Shiseido Makeup Advanced Hydro-Liquid Company Foundation SPF 15 is available in 11 new shades at $30

· Shiseido Makeup Translucent Loose Powder is available at $38

· Shiseido Makeup Eyelash Curler is available at $20, $5 Refill

Available now at fine department and specialty stores nationwide and at online retailers Sephora, Nordstom and Macys.

NARS for Fall

NARS makes some lovely collections, and their Fall line--out now--is no exception. It looks like there are some great things in this collection. I'm loving both the lipstick and nail polish mentioned below. Check it out:

Fall’s runways were dominated by two words: bold and feminine. Strong shouldered and form-hugging silhouettes, extreme heels and provocative thigh-high boots, and a color palette of classic hues turned up a notch to Technicolor volumes. These trends also illustrate the NARS Fall collection.

“For this collection, I wanted to create something fragile and strong, and seductive but not aggressive,” said François Nars, Founder and Creative Director of NARS Cosmetics. The combination of strength and refinement has become a hallmark of NARS, and is particularly fitting this season as the brand celebrates its 15th anniversary. Below are the highlights:

NARS Fast Ride Lipstick - $24 This seemingly dark purple may intimidate, but swipe it across the lips and its true shade is revealed: a sheer mulberry. A color that falls somewhere between an intense plum wine stain, and a moody, deep violet.

NARS Tokaido Express - $16 This new hue is a cult classic in the making. Named after Japan’s most heavily frequented high-speed rail route, this lacquer is an opulent blackened amethyst doused with ultra-fine gold dust particles.

NARS Silk Road Duo Eyeshadow- $32 This new shade mirrors the hues from traditional damask fabrics. Classic meets edgy in this new duo — an icy pink is paired with a warm rose gold with golden flecks.

NARS Brumes Duo Eyeshadow- $32 These new hues perfectly capture the moody shades of a cool twilight sky. Brumes pairs a velvety matte charcoal with a sparkling, blue state for a smoky eye that is both confident and serene.

NARS Indian Summer Duo Eyeshadow- $32 A typical Indian summer comes as a surprise, balmy sunshine meets brisk fall. Swipe the summery, frosted champagne shimmer up to the brow, and line the upper lid with the autumnal deep, matte mustard for a striking look, appropriate for every season.

NARS Mekong Single Eyeshadow- $22 This is the perfect addition to the NARS woman's adventurous palette. The intense, blackened espresso hue scattered with rose gold is a study in contrasts. Applied liberty across the lid it exudes a sexy attitude, or applied lightly, a simple, fashion-forward sophistication.

The Fall 2009 collection is currently available at http://www.narscosmetics.com/Fall-2009-C545_collection.aspx.

Temptation...

I've been flipping though page after page of September magazines and I'm still not done with my stack. I've poured over Allure, Marie Claire, and half of Vogue, and I have yet to touch my Harper's or InStyle. (I didn't pick up Elle because I hate how they reformatted the magazine a year or two ago!) I feel like I'm OD-ing on fashion, trends, and makeup...not to mention frighteningly skinny models and the disgusting use of fur.

Anyway, in all my "reading" here are some products that have me intrigued:

• Clinique's Vitamin C Lip Smoothie Antioxidant Lip Colour ($17.50). These look like pens, but they're filled with some juicy looking lip colors that brush on and promise healthy, shiny lips. Yum.
• Elizabeth Arden Pure Finish Mineral Powder Foundation SPF 20 ($37.50). I love mineral foundation, and I love foundations containing SPF. This product looks interesting because you grind the product before each use, so the color is fresh. It says "No waste. No mess. No kidding." Hmmm...mineral makeup is almost always messy. I wonder if the grinding mechanism makes this foundation less messy...or more messy!
• Bare Minerals Matte SPF 15 Foundation ($28). I love the idea of a matte foundation. Bare Minerals does a great job with foundations, so I am eager to give this one a test. Like the Elizabeth Arden foundation, this one promises to be mess free. Uh-huh.
• Almost everything from Dolce & Gabbana's Makeup Line. The fashion giant has a full line of products for eyes, lips, and face. They're all beautifully packaged and they look delicious. Now I just need to figure out how to get enough $$ to get my hands on the stuff!
• Pixi By Petra Strand at Target Wakeup Kit ($34). This kit has everything: tons of eye shadows, blushes, and lip colors to pick from, all in a handy and pretty little box. This is face in a box, and it looks perfect for travelling.

There are tons of other products out there that I can't wait to see. These are just the tip of the iceberg! Are there any products you can't wait to try this? Leave a comment and let me know. ALSO: don't forget to enter my Too Faced Natural Eyes giveaway!

Cuddle With Color...WTF?

With Labor Day just a week away, the unofficial end of summer is almost here (yay!!). And, to get our nails ready for cooler days, nail giant Essie has launched their new Autumn colors under the slogan Cuddle With Color.

Cuddle With Color?

Really?

Who comes up with these names? Wow. Cuddle With Color doesn't make me excited about the line, but here are the shades:

• Chinchilly: A nice mushroomy shade.
• Angora Cardi: A pretty plum. (The name makes me think of Ed Wood and his angora fetish.)
  
• Mink Muffs: Dark brown. (Ok, this sounds like a really bad Burlesque name to me. Mink Miffs? Come on!)
  
• Midnight Cami: A lovely dark blue.
  
• Bright Tights: A bright orange shade. (Orange nails? Not for my skin tone, but whatever!)
  
• Pink Parka: A super hot pink. (Pretty, but summer-y.)

I like most of these shade (despite their names), except the orange and pink since I can't pull them off. I'm dying to paint my nails dark but I'm forcing myself to wait until it gets cooler. And the waiting is killing me! What do you think of Essie's line?

Spanish Fly!

Every season, the nail masters over at OPI introduce a line of nail lacquers inspired by exotic locations. This fall, OPI's taking us on a voyage to Spain with their Espana collection. Here are the colors (and funky new names!), as well as OPI's descriptions:

• Can You Tapas This?: a yummy shade of raisin
  
• Ate Berries in the Canaries: cool fuchsia
  
• No Spain No Gain: luscious berry
  
• Bullish on OPI: a red-hot shade
  
• Suzi Skis in the Pyreness: deep grey blue
  
• Pink Flamenco: sizzling hot pink
  
• Pamplona Purple: a precious plum
  
• Conquist Adorable Color: take no prisoners, vibrant red
  
• Here Today...Aragon Tomorrow: dark emerald
  
• Manicurist of Seville: rich sangria
  
• Give Me Moor!: stunning wine purple
  
• Barefoot in Barcelona: a luscious nude with Spanish "sole"

Wow! Let me first say that I am so glad to be thinking about dark, richer nail colors. That means summer is slipping away and that the best time of year--the fall--is almost here.

Unlike OPI's South Beach collection, there are a lot of shades in Espana that I can't wait to try out. I love the idea of a grey-blue (Suzi Skis in the Pyreness), green nails are very trendy for Autums (Here Today...Aragon Tomorrow), and there's something about a dark purple that I love (Give Me Moor!).

The Espana collection is currently available at $8.50 a bottle. What's your fave?