The Top 10 Fall Makeup Trends

Smoldering brown eyes, blood-red lips, and après-sex…er, ski cheeks are just a few ways to look amazing this season.

GROOMED BROWS
Brows look best when they perfectly frame your eyes, and when they’re not pencil-thin (which always looks unnatural). Our best advice for nailing the perfect shape: Put down the tweezers and buy yourself a good brow pencil (try one that’s one shade lighter than your natural color), and if your brows grow quickly, use a tube of clear brow gel to keep them tame between appointments. Experts swear by either clear mascara or Tweezerman Browmousse.

APRÈS-SKI CHEEKS
Whether your cheeks are flushed from a day at the slopes or a night at the lodge, it doesn’t really matter: The illusion of healthy, rosy cheeks is just plain sexy. Stick to cream blushes—they’re easier to build up and diffuse, and they tend to have a translucent quality that allows you to see the natural texture of your skin underneath. Our favorite options: Face Stockholm Creme Blush-On in Milan and Stila Convertible Color in Poppy.

PICTURE-PERFECT SKIN
No one has a flawless complexion, but with the right amount of coverage and strategic highlighting, you can fake one. The important thing is for skin to not look like an oil slick, so pick a luminizer without too much shimmer or pigment (CK One Skin Illuminator in Cool is beautiful and subtle on light skin, while Smashbox Halo Highlighting Wand in Gold is ideal on medium to dark tones). Dab it around the outer corners of the eyes and down along the cheekbones. Don’t forget to add a bit in the Cupid’s bow.

BRIGHT MATTE LIPS
Superbright lips can often be supercheesy. But not the high-voltage pinks and red we saw on the runways of Jil Sander, Marc Jacobs, and Thakoon. Without the slightest bit of shimmer or gloss, they were chic, stylish and all grown up. (Try Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Lipstick in L’Exubérante.) To achieve maximum coverage—and staying power—swipe on a clear balm, then layer and blot a few coats of lipstick. Keep skin fresh and dewy.

COBALT-ACCENTED EYES
The cerulean shade dazzled on models at both Stella McCartney and Anna Sui. A small dose is all you need, though: Coat top and bottom lashes with one of fall’s new shocking blue mascaras (we like Dior DiorShow Waterproof Mascara in Azure Blue or By Terry Mascara Terrybly in Terrybleu), or try it in the form of liner. Liquid formulas, like Sephora Long-Lasting 12HR Wear Eye Liner in Fancy Blue, lend themselves best to a thin, crisp line, but if you prefer a smudged look, try CoverGirl LiquilineBlast Eyeliner Pencil in Blue Boom, which is also highly pigmented and easy to blend.

GOLD ACCENTS
Show off your angelic side with delicate touches of gold on the eyes and cheeks. Trace a gold liner around the eyes like at Marchesa (makeup artist Talia Shobrook used Laura Mercier Illuminating Eye Colour in Gilded Moonshine backstage), or dust a soft white-gold shadow all over your lids like at both Dior and Dolce & Gabbana. Gold also gives skin a candlelit effect when dabbed on the cheekbones. For fair skin, try a beige-gold, like Yves Saint Laurent Dare to Glow Silky Highlighting Veil in Tempting Gold, while medium and dark tones should go for something a bit more bronze (try Benefit Sun Beam).

GRAPHIC BLACK CAT-EYES
Warning: This is not liner for the timid. Dramatic swoops and exaggerated shapes painted on with liquids, gels, and pure black pigments characterized the coolest cat-eyes this season. For a night out, we suggest trying the Brigitte Bardot–meets–Cleopatra eyes at Lanvin (you can’t get much sexier than those two). First, draw the outline of the shape you want with black pencil and fill it in with black shadow. For a less intense version, a thick stroke of black liquid liner will do, and the fat marker tip of Estée Lauder PureColor Quick Thick EyeLiner is just the right shape to get it.

GREEN SHADOW
Yes, it’s green. But it’s a rich, sexy, jewel-tone kind of green. Not crunchy or earthy. We first fell in love with the shade at Jason Wu, where models hit the runway with emerald shadow spread over their lids and winged past the outer corners. For a more subtle effect, you can dust lids with gunmetal or charcoal, then press green on top. Either way, finish with tons of black mascara.

BROWN SMOKY EYES
Smoky eyes are like necklines—they don’t have to be showy to make an impact. Case in point: the makeup at Burberry and Blumarine, where makeup artists traded in their black pencils and sooty shadows for softer shades of brown and taupe. First, trace along the inner lash lines with a rich espresso brown pencil, such as Lancôme Le Crayon Khôl in Black Coffee. Then use a medium-size brush to diffuse a brown shadow (try Estée Lauder PureColor Shadow in Cyber Copper) from the lashes to the crease. For creams, we like RMS Cream Eye Shadow in Seduce or Almay Intense i-Color Shadow Stick for Blue Eyes. Tap the color on your lids first and use what’s left over on your fingertip to blend.

BLACK CHERRY LIPSTICK
Traditional red lipstick takes a dark and romantic turn this season. In fact, some of our favorite shades—Dolce & Gabbana Lipstick in Amethyst, Revlon ColorBurst Lipstick in Plum, and Estée Lauder in Plum Couture—are so deep they border on black. Apply the color directly from the tube for the most dramatic effect. And make sure to dust a skin-warming blush or bronzer on your cheeks to avoid getting into creepy vampire territory.