Those nude lip glosses you’ve loved all summer will soon get buried in your makeup bag. Bold is back for fall. Strong brows, thick lashes and red lips were all over the runways. Together, they can be a little intimidating. So Natashia Paul of Wink Eyelash Bar and Makeup Studio in Old Metairie breaks down the season’s darker look, step by easy step.
Eyes
To play with the look, without going too dark and stormy, Paul likes to use metallic shadow as a highlighter, dabbing it into the inner corners of the eyes. “Use a small, fine brush, and don’t use too much,” she said. “A little goes a long way.”
For a more party-worthy approach, amp up the drama by brushing metallic shadow across the eyelid near the lash line, using a dense, compact brush. “This expands the entire length of the eye,” she said.
Paul’s favorite metallic color is gunmetal, a versatile gray that goes with most skin tones. She also prefers cream metallic shadows to powder ones. Her in-house brand, Wink, has a 12-hue palate that includes rich tones, such as bronze, dusk and sunset. “It shimmers and has staying power that lasts all day,” she said.
Trick of the trade: There’s is a fine line between smoky and raccoon. One way to avoid the latter look is to apply foundation after your eye makeup. It cleans up the look and touches up makeup mishaps.
Brows
The trick to bold, but natural-looking brows is to fill them in, but not draw them on. Urban Decay’s Brow Box makes the process a little easier. The kit 
includes tweezers, a small brush, a mirror and two tones of eyebrow color. Blend the two colors to create a unique shade or use the lighter tone for daytime and the darker one for evening. The wax drawer allows you to set the look.
Trick of the trade: “Use concealer on the skin above and below the eyebrow (don’t put it on the actual brow). This allows the brows to pop forward,” Paul said.
Lips
Those of us who have tried to wait out the red trend aren’t having much luck. Dark, crimson lips aren’t going away. So maybe it’s time to embrace them.
There are all types of reds, ranging from easy-to-wear glosses and lipsticks to shades that should be reserved for super models in ideal climate conditions. Most people, regardless of age or skin tone, are best paired with a true red, Paul said.
Her favorites are Russian Red and New York Apple by MAC Cosmetics. The colors are demi-translucent, making them easier to wear. Reds can be less forgiving than other colors. So make sure your lips are adequately conditioned before you apply. Then line them with a similar color. MAC lip pencil in Cherry, for example, is a good match for both Russian Red and New York Apple.
Trick of the trade: Apply the liner with a lipstick brush first, Paul said, and then fill in the lip area. “After applying the lipstick, I go back and make sure I have a clean crisp line with foundation or concealer,” she said. “This helps to prevent it from running into fine lines.”
Lashes
While mascara can darken lashes and make them appear fuller, it doesn’t make them longer (no matter what the bottle claims). The surefire way to extend your lashes, Paul said, is to go faux.
“They can actually take five to 10 years off of your appearance because they open up the eye and give your face a new focal point.” To achieve a more natural, cat-eye look, opt for individual lashes. For more drama, try strip lashes. Individual lashes, after application, last roughly 10 days, while strip lashes, when properly treated, can be used multiple times. Individual lashes are best applied by a professional, but strip lashes are relatively easier to put on at home.
Paul recommends Red Cherry lash strips. Made of human hair, these strip lashes are designed to fit various eye shapes and come in short to natural lengths, as well as more flamboyant options.
Trick of the trade: Before applying faux strip lashes, first cut them to the length of your eye. Use a toothpick to apply a small amount of glue across the lash band. Let the glue set for a minute so that it gets sticky and then apply to the lash line.
http://www.nola.com/fashion/index.ssf/2011/08/fall_makeup_goes.html
Image: A model backstage at the Pamella Roland Fall 2011 Collection, during Mercedes Benz New York Fashion Week, held at Lincoln Center, New York City, Monday, February 14, 2011. (AP Photo/Jennifer Graylock)
