fashion for fall: makeup

i'm kicking off this little mini-series of posts with makeup. my face is the first thing i see when i brush my teeth in the morning, the first thing i fix when getting ready, and it's the last thing i see when getting ready for bed when i wash it at night. and if your routine is anything like mine, that goes for you, too, so it's a pretty important part of yourself.

as for fall trends, i feel like gold and copper are always in style, and often times said to be "in this fall." well, how about something different?! this year, there are several awesome trends out there for your makeup routine. you can wear any of them in a more natural way that can be appropriate for work and school, or vamp them up so that you get noticed quicker than a guy handing out free money.

so let's do this.

look one: the denim eye

blue eyeshadows can seem scary, especially if you equate it with the 80's and scrunchies. but like your favorite pair of jeans, a navy shadow can be the perfect piece to your look. one of my favorite sites, the beauty department, featured a great post about this look and how to create it. i wore blue lids a few times last fall and winter, and i loved it. so i'm super excited it has carried over into this season. i have a couple of dark blue eyeshadows that i like to use when the mood strikes me. i usually use a dark navy shadow and line my eyes with it, then smudge and blend it upward so that it fades into the crease of my eye. i usually finish with a swipe of black liner. M.A.C. has an amazing navy blue gel liner that would be perfect for this look. it's sold out online, but hopefully the counters still have some...? anyway, blue shadows look amazing with brown eyes. i usually pair this look with a peachy blush and nude lips.


look two: emerald city

gemstone colors are really in this year, which i'm excited about, because i love wearing these looks anyway. i wear the emerald look in basically the same way as the denim eye look, just using green shadows. black liner looks great, but i did score the M.A.C. "dark envy" gel liner that is an awesome dark green. a girl i love to watch on youtube, julia, used emerald in a more dramatic way, and kept with the nude lips. she has so many great makeup videos that are so fun to watch if you're into makeup -- check her out! :) gold shadows look great with this look, too, and it can really be glammed up for the holidays. you can wear this look with the peachy cheeks and nude lips, like with the denim eye look, or go for a dark red lip. either way, it's lovely.

my emerald look from last march on st. patrick's day. ;)

look three: shades of berry

shades of purple are great for fall. you don't want pastel purples. this isn't easter in 1998. you want darker colors like a deep fuchsia or plum. you can go all out with this look by using plum shadows and dark lips, or go for a balanced look with the dark lips and more natural eyes. a great berry red lipstick is M.A.C.'s "runaway red" from their "m.a.c. me over" line. i like to pair brown-based shadows with darker lips. that just seems to work on my skintone. i use a cheap eyeshadow palette from target with several different shades, and it has a couple of great purpley, berry shades. these shades really are amazing for fall, because they are beautiful and can also work as a neutral with whatever you're wearing, so don't worry about your makeup not "going" with your outfit.

M.A.C.'s fluidline in "macroviolet"

look four: pin-up

this is pretty much my go-to look for all seasons, but i especially like to rock a dark red lip in the fall. i like to wear natural eyeshadow, just using a couple shades of medium brown and a highlighting color for the browline. then i wear a dark black cateye liner using M.A.C.'s "blacktrack" fluidline gel liner. i apply two good coats of dark black mascara, a peachy/shimmery cheek, and i finish with a red lipstick that means business. i think this fall i'm going to love the "runaway red" shade, but i also love M.A.C.'s "ruby woo" and "brave red" which was the first red lipstick i ever bought. this look goes with everything and can be worn anywhere. if i had to choose a signature makeup look for myself, this would be it.

don't feel like M.A.C. is the only way to go with all of this makeup, that is just what i happen to use. there is great makeup out there, but if you don't mind spending a little more, go with M.A.C. you'll never go back.

there are so many options with these looks, as well as other makeup looks for this fall. try whatever you like and see what looks best on your skin, but don't be afraid to try something new. it's a new season with new opportunities. don't miss them, style related or not.

love&makeup.
krq.