Three makeup artists spotlight their favorite autumn beauty trends.
New York - www.kristingallegos.com
How did you get interested in makeup?
I started getting interested in beauty and fashion as a little girl looking through my mom and older sister's Vogues. I was a ballet dancer until I was 17, so I learned a thing or two about heavy stage makeup from performing, which also struck my interest. But it wasn't until my early '20s that I decided to do makeup as a career. I never thought it was an option!
Where and how did you train?
I went to school for skin care first when I was figuring out what to do with my life. And then decided to take a little makeup workshop in Los Angeles at the Studio Makeup Academy. But my real training came when I moved to New York in 2004 and began assisting top makeup artists like Dick Page and Lisa Butler, amongst others. And then I started to get my own work. Experience is the best way to learn!
Who are your beauty icons?
I have so many! The people that inspire me most are Edie Sedgwick, Siouxie Sioux, Brigitte Bardot, Courtney Love, David Bowie, Robert Smith, and Penelope Tree. They all have really distinct and original looks!
What is the one beauty product that you can't live without?
I really couldn't live without black eyeliner! I am rarely seen without it.
FALL FAVORITE TRENDS
Bold Red Lip
This was seen at the Proenza Schouler and Givenchy shows. The face was pale and matte. But then the focus was on the lip. It was a very defined, dark wine or blood red lip. It's a strong look for the season that really makes a statement! You can achieve the look by getting a wine or blood red lipstick and a matching or slightly darker lipliner. You want to make sure it's really defined and perfect. And make sure your skin is evened out so the color really pops! A good trick is to put a little concealer on the lips before, so you start with a clean slate and it also helps to keep the lipstick on longer!
Grey Eyes
I think grey is an amazing makeup color for fall/winter. It's still neutral but is a bit different. This look was seen at the Rodarte show. It was a wash of grey eyeshadow around the eyes with a clean neutral face. The skin was even and matte. You want to make sure the eye is nicely blended. It's all about the right tools. You need to have a soft blending brush to make this look flawless. If you don't have that, use a q-tip. You can add a nice soft pink blush to the cheeks to keep this look fresh!
Neutral/Minimal Grunge
This trend was found on the runways of Alexander Wang and Ann Demeuelemeester. Alexander Wang had a smudgy brown eye, which was cool and very grunge. The combed over greasy hair definitely added to this! And Ann Demuelemeester, as always, kept it minimal with a bit of a messy but defined line in the crease of the eye. Almost a nod to the '60s with a goth/grunge touch. These looks are easy to achieve. To look like an Alex Wang girl, you could use a medium to dark brown cream shadow and apply with your fingers or a brush and smudge it out. For the Ann Demuelemeester look, you can use a black pencil in the crease and smudge it out with a brush or a q-tip! If that's too messy, you can always use a black eyeshadow and apply it to the crease of the eye. Add some mascara and lip balm and you're ready to go!
Los Angeles - www.sandraganzer.com
How did you get interested in makeup?
My dad had a sportswear company in the '80s (Jimmy'Z) and I tagged along to every tradeshow as a kid-my favorite place to be was with his makeup artist watching her work on all the beautiful models. I remember being about four and she taught me how to use a lip brush for more definition!
Where did you train?
I have been putting makeup on anyone who would let me since I was about 12 and I started cutting my family's hair at about 14, but I went to Joe Blasco a few years ago for formal training. I could have learned how to do so-called "High Fashion" makeup someplace cooler, but I thought being taught old school techniques by the makeup artist behind '70s B-movie classics like Ilsa: She Wolf of the SS and The Touch of Satan would be a lot more fun.
Who are your beauty icons?
There are so many! My ultimate, classic beauty icons would be the obvious choices: Women like Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Loren and Brigitte Bardot, and I will always love a strong brow because of them. I think Grace Jones might be the coolest looking human being ever created. I also love women who aren't "classically" beautiful but who radiate style, and whose quirky features make them sexy-women like Stevie Nicks, Shelley Duvall and Angelica Houston.
What is the one beauty product you can't live without?
Exfoliator! It is so essential to good-looking skin and so many people are afraid of it… Side note: I did makeup a girl recently who had the best skin I'd ever seen and she said she was at a river years ago and picked up a smooth-ish stone and thought it would feel nice on her face… so she started using it as a natural exfoliator. The next time I am near a river's edge, I will be on the lookout for my very own magic face rock!
FALL FAVORITE TRENDS
New York - www.annasui.com
'70s Peach Chic
Amber and peach washes of color all over the eye with natural lips look super dreamy. Think soft-focus, Vaseline on the lens, fluffy curls brushed out, ultra feminine. The amber/orange eye was on practically every fall runway in one form or another (Alexander Wang and Dior ready-to-wear had the best examples) and it’s no surprise, because almost anyone looks good wearing it. Start with a clean, primed face. Take an apricot-peach shadow, and with your finger, work it onto your eyelid starting from the lash line up. You want it to look like a wash of color with no real definition. Throw a little on to your cheeks (with a brush) and then dab an apricot-brownish lip color onto your lips, making sure that it just looks barely there. You can line the eye lightly with a dark brown liner if you like, blending it in with your finger and brush brown/black mascara on your lashes. Apply some gloss on top (or not) and you're good to go!
Hazy Grey
I love matte grey shadow in the full range of hues from almost a light pastel to super dark almost black. Grey eyeshadow paired with a warm nude lip looks ultra chic, or a light berry pink lip stain works, too.
The key to this look is good blending. I like to start with a really light grey shadow and go over the entire lid all the way up to the brow and swing the shadow down below underneath the lower lashes. At this stage you might want to put some mascara and lipstick on and call it a day, or you can go more dramatic. Add a darker shade of grey closer to your lash line and you can start to define the eye a little more if you want to by winging the outer corners a bit with your shadow brush or rounding them to get that cool, alien-model look. Keep going till your desired look is achieved.PS-If you don't own a bunch of shades of grey you can blend a dark one on the back of your hand with a white or nude colored powder till you get the right color on your brush. You can modify this look if you're daring and add either a cool dark berry color (a.k.a., Chola Chic) or a wicked glassy/glossy bright orange red to your lips for nighttime glamour. Or just keep it nude. Whatevs.
Red Lips
Fall is the perfect time of the year for a strong red lip. It's timeless (think Chanel) and perks up your face at a time of the year when it can start looking dull. I like to do a red lip with very little else on the face, just clean fresh skin. The matte red lip is more wearable for everyday, but glossy can also be done for a retro-Guy Bourdin kind of vibe.
This look is so easy. Prime your skin and spot conceal. Powder the T-Zone for extra shine control if you need it. Line your lips lightly with a nude lip pencil if lip color on you tends to "bleed", and then apply your favorite matte lipstick. Blot, reapply, then blot again. If you want to go glossy, apply a heavy gloss to the center of your lower lip and work outward using a lip brush. Trace a little powder around your mouth to keep the gloss from running into fine lines. Fill in your brows, making them slightly longer at the ends and fuller than normal and finish the look with some clear mascara on your lashes. Hot!
How did you get interested in makeup?
When I was five, I was in Japan and I had my first encounter with makeup. I was sent to a beauty parlor to get my hair and makeup done. When I walked out of that place, I looked like Toddlers & Tiaras...
Asian-style. Ever since then, I've been in love with makeup and what it can do for people. After taking fashion classes as a teen and then going to F.I.T., makeup became something that wasn't just fun but also essential. Working with fashion, you really realize how important makeup is to complete a look. I mean, you can't get decked out in some funky Anna Sui dress and not have any makeup on!
Where and how did you train?
My training consisted of being super obsessed with makeup and being lucky enough to be able to work with and observe the other makeup artists at Anna Sui and our International Makeup Artist, Craig-Ryan French. I’ve always liked to experiment and once I see something I like, I have to try it for myself and keep trying until I get it exactly right. My persistence (to the point of being annoying), experimentation, and great mentors have helped me learn so many things.
Who are your beauty icons?
The totally clichéd on my list are Jean Harlow and Ginger Rogers. In our time, I love how striking Karen Elson is, and Dita von Teese is just so soft, feminine, and classic. Also, drag queens! Chi Chi Rodriguez (John Leguizamo), in To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar will always have a big, special place in my heart!!
What is the one beauty product that you can't live without?
BLUSH! It even sounds the best. Some people may not need mascara or lipstick. But everyone could use at least a little touch of blush. It can balance out whatever you put on your eyes and lips. It can change the shape of your face. It can be natural looking or really bold. If you ever walk in on me touching up my makeup, you'll probably see me applying more blush!
FALL FAVORITE TRENDS
New York - www.annasui.com
Bold colors for the eyes
Bold and colorful eyes were featured on the fall runways of Carolina Herrera, Oscar de la Renta, and Leanne Marshall. I always recommend using a good eye shadow primer. It makes the colors come out truer and brighter, while keeping them in place without creasing. If you've never used an eye primer, you might think 'how good could it be?' but, it really does make a world of difference. After you've primed your lids, try using a colorful eyeshadow duo. It makes applying bold colors around the eyes foolproof because you already have complimentary shades.
Lipstick is back
I know, we grew up on lip gloss and it's scary to try something bold like lipstick. But, trust me! Lipstick is coming back in a big way. Peter Som and Oscar de la Renta featured very bold lips at their fall shows. The best advice I can give for this trend is: Don't be afraid of lipstick. It might feel weird putting on lipstick when you haven't really used it before, but you will definitely get compliments when you walk out with a bold red or pinky-purple lipstick.
Flawless skin
I saw this one at pretty much every show. For a super flawless look, apply a medium coverage foundation and then use a good concealer on any spots, dark circles, and redness. Set all of this with a fine powder. This trend compliments any look.
