Let the fashion pundits debate the gowns; when Hollywood stars saunter down a red carpet, our eyes are forever on their makeup. After all, while most of us don’t have the social calendar (or the budget!) for those dresses, the beauty looks are an achievable bit of glamour that any of us can wear. So, which trends work best in the real world? From the latest smoky eyes to a colourful new twist on basic-black eyeliner, read on as Avon’s Celebrity Makeup Artist Lauren Andersen shares how to bring a little A-list beauty to your everyday look.
Black eyeliner has always been the LBD of makeup: It goes with everything and it always, always works. But lately, celebrity makeup artists have been expanding their eyeliner wardrobes by breaking out a rainbow’s worth of shades on the red carpet. “Eyeliner is the easiest way to incorporate a pop of playful colour to your makeup,” says Andersen. Her pick:
Avon True Color Glimmersticks Eye Liners. “They’re soft, they glide right on, and they come in so many different shades,” she says. Choose a colour – eye-catching jewel-tones like plum, emerald, and sapphire are especially pretty for fall, then start drawing. Shape-wise, anything goes, says Andersen. Try a strong, extended cat-eye for a bold look or a thin, smudge-y line for a subtler effect.
Stars have long known the power of mascara on the red carpet; it adds instant drama, making eyes look bigger and better like nothing else. “Mascara defines your eyes and makes them look way more open,” says Andersen. “It brings attention to them without a ton of eye makeup.” And the newest formulas, like Avon True Color Wide Awake Mascara, do it all with zero clumps, giving you voluminous, miles-long, amazing lashes that still look totally natural.
Smoky eyes are a perennial red carpet favourite, and this season, they’re getting a bright, beautiful update. “Smoky eyes don’t have to be black,” says Andersen. “I love a wash of colour all over the lids paired with a corresponding coloured liner.” To get the look, brush eyeshadow over your lids up to the crease (deep purple, olive, or cranberry are particularly gorgeous!), then smudge a similar colour of Avon True Color Glimmersticks Eye Liner along the lashlines.
Whether thick, thin, or dramatically strong, brows have had many different iterations on the red carpet over the years. And this season’s brow trend is perhaps the easiest and the most flattering: full, groomed, but still natural-looking arches. Think your brows, only better. After combing the hairs up with a good stiff brush (we like the Avon Pro Brow Brush), fill in any gaps and define the shape with a pencil like Avon Glimmersticks Brow Definer. For the most natural look, choose a colour that’s slightly lighter than your brows. “If you’re using a shade that matches, instead of one that’s lighter, your brows can get heavy-looking, quickly,” says Anderson. And keep your application light. “Use small strokes that mimic the hairs and fill in just where needed,” she says.
Who needs the complicated guesswork of which cheek colour goes with which lipstick? Forget all that, because sticking to one colour family and matching your makeup is in. “I love a monochromatic makeup look right now,” says Andersen who adds that pairing similar tones on the lips and cheeks is the simplest, prettiest way to achieve this. “Try peach blush with a peach lipstick or berry cheeks with a strong, berry lip,” she says. Cool combos to check out: Avon Be Blushed Cheek Color in Tropical Peach with Avon Ultra Color Lipstick in Silky Peach, and Avon Ideal Luminous Blush in Cranberry with Avon Beyond Color Lipstick in Berry Cute.
Avon True Color Wide Awake Mascara
Avon True Color Glimmersticks Eye Liner