As the weather becomes colder, fresh makeup trends start to heat up. This winter is no exception with new emphasis on the eyes and lips being seen on the runways and on the streets of large, trend setting cities. This is the year to choose your focus, eyes or lips and really play them up in a glamorous, fun sort of way. Keep your makeup more subtle for the day and pull out all the stops for evening. The 2008 makeup trends for winter give you lots of flexibility. If you’re focusing on smoky, sultry eyes, choose a more muted, natural shade of lip colour. If red lips are your focus, play down the eyes with a soft, neutral shade of eye shadow. The look is glamorous but not overdone.
Colour cosmetics will dominate the scene in 2008. Women will be drawn to noticeable, not neutral, hues, including red matte lips and more colour on the eye than we’re used to seeing. The colours sound intimidating – purple, orange, a peachy-yellow – but they will look really good. It’ll be a sheer hint that gives you warmth. But go easy with colours.
Applying a cream-based product, especially a cream eye shadow, allows you to easily control the intensity of the color. Don’t be afraid to use your fingers, either. It helps put the colour where you want it and spread out the edges so it doesn’t give a harsh look.
Don’t go bare. It’s boring. This season’s eye shadows are ferociously colourful, layering brights like purple and turquoise against neutral gold, taupe and grey shadows for the perfect pop. Smoky, dark shades of eye shadow are also the rage to complement the current winter fashion colours. From one extreme to the next, dramatic eyes are just as popular as bright colours this season.
Right now bushier brows are back in style. The trend in eye brows is towards a fuller, more natural look. Gone are the days of heavily plucked, thin brows. They’ve been replaced with full, thick, natural brows.To perfect the look, grow out your manicured arches. While you wait for them to grow back in, use your eyebrow pencil to fill in the arch. Lashes are fuller and longer than ever, complimented by multiple coats of dark mascara to play up the look of smouldering, sultry eyes.
Look sun-kissed even when the sun’s not shining. OK, you’re probably thinking, bronzer will do the job, but there’s a difference – texture. Bronzer is now matte and applied precisely. The old way; simply brush your cheeks, and then sweep a light dusting across your hairline, nose, chin and shoulders. The new way; apply behind your cheekbones, your temple and if you want to glow more, go easy. The key is to look polished and sculpted with this new bronzer appeal, not bahama mama.
It’s all about the lips, and the louder the better is the tone for this season. Don’t throw away your red lipsticks just yet. Deep red lips will be in winter (not that they’ve ever gone away). Reds are running the gamut from brick reds with brown undertones to plum reds with blue undertones. A bit of experimentation will determine which shade is right for you. On the flip side, matte pink lips will be the other trendy look. Pink for day, fire engine red at night. A word of advice: If you’re going bright on your lips, remember to tone down the rest of your makeup.
While straightening is still popular when it comes to hair, think sexy and relaxed, rather than perfect and polished this season. There are some ways to update your tresses. First, low ponytails and chignons are a great, classic look for the office, and you can add a bit of shine serum for some extra panache. Another good option to dress up longer locks is to sweep curls up to the top of the head in a big, beautiful updo. You can put your flat irons away and just enjoy your natural waves and curls for a change. The more curls you let loose, the cuter the style will be. Keep in mind that when you are wearing hair down, straight and sleek seem to be the buzzwords of the season.