A/W Makeup Trends 2009

With the chill of autumn on our doorstep, let's face it September makes or breaks summer for good! I'm still clinging to the hope that we might have 2 more weeks of a Golden September, but until then and after (if it ever comes!) it will most definitely be "Bye bye summer" for 2009...

That said - it's not all doom and gloom! Autumn and winter mean more accessorising (hats, scarves, gloves, tights and booties), layering (jackets, cardigans, wraps and knitwear galore) YAY and also makeup - whether it be your eyes, lips or even nails - can be taken up a notch in terms of colours and strength/depth, HOORAH! So the colder months needn't be boring, and they ought not to be seeming as all that colour and the excuse to wear more clothes will help lift your mood on the rainy, cold walks to work : )

Today I've been looking at the new trends for makeup this A/W and what's hot on the catwalks this season...

It's All About Brows, Brows, Brows!
Over the years people have realised how important a well groomed and defined brow really is to complete a look! I never used to fully understand how it could make a difference but trust me it does. If you haven't tried defining your brows, be brave and give it a go. You'll wonder how you ever managed without it before.

A well groomed and defined brow can take years off a face and transform it all at the same time. This year shimmery golds were brushed through the brows to add more impact to the overall eye makeup. It may sound severe, but the end effect is stunning, opening up the eyes and adding a new dimension to the face.

Of course you might feel this all to be too much if you've never even touched your brows with a brow definer brush or pencil, haha! I'll be giving a tutorial in the next two weeks on how to define your eyebrows so watch this space...

Red Lips
This winter the lips are 1940s inspired, rich red and strong! Plus it's all about the detail - lips are going Geisha-style with a sharp contour on the Cupid's bow. A red lip needs to be done carefully, so make sure to apply concealer/foundation to the lip and powder so you have a great base, then get to work with a red lip liner all over the lips and finish off with your red lipstick of choice.

Smoky Dramatic Eyes
And we're not just talking black - blues and sparkling greens are among this year's colours of choice for that impactful look. I'm in love with Aaron De Mey's creations that he demonstrated for Lancome.

The new Artistic Director has also developed his third makeup collection for the brand called Declaring Indigo which made its debut on the catwalks this season and will be hitting our stores very soon! He's even had input into other areas of Lancome's business such as the way its products are presented instore...

He gave models a smoky eye using sapphire blues and emerald greens but advises to use very little foundation to keep the look fresh and youthful.

Aaron De Mey, whose Lancome range Declaring Indigo is out in stores soon!

Good things come in small packages!

Right now I'm loving all of the mini makeup kits that are coming out! They're perfect for that weekend away where you don't want to haul your entire makeup collection along, or you want to take something along as a safety measure for a night on the tiles, but only have a little clutch bag with you.

These are some of the mini makeup wonders I really love (and want)...

Benefit's Justine Case

This cleverly named box has all you need to refresh yourself when out and about, on a date or just because! It contains mini versions of some of Benefit's best-selling products:

'Some Kinda Gorgeous' - what Benefit call a 'foundation faker', this a pressed sheer cream-to-powder that apparently blends in to most skin tones - I'm curious about this one as it sounds quite intriguing!

'Benetint' lips & cheeks tint - yes I know it comes in what looks like a nail varnish bottle, complete with a nail varnish brush, but it's not. It's a very rouge liquid tint - in some ways it intimidates me because it is so red, but I'm still keen to try!

'California Kissin'' - lip gloss with a difference. This gloss has a slightly blue hue to it to make teeth appear whiter. It's also minty to freshen your breath!

'Eyecon' is Benefit's eye cream that provides additional 'fading action'. You can use it any time of day or night and it's supposed to soften fine lines and lighten those pesky undereye shadows.

Benefit's Smokin' Eyes

This is an all-in-one kit that has everything you need to create smoky eyes and perfectly groomed brows. It comes with 3 shadows (pink highlight shadow, pewter base and deep charcoal), a black 'Smokin'' eyeliner, 'Eye Bright' brightener, mini fluffy shadow brush and mini hard angled brush, Brow Zings wax, mini tweezers and a little leaflet with a 'How to' lesson.

TheBalm's Shady Lady Palette

I only heard about TheBalm fairly recently but this palette's been out since last year and is a limited edition exclusive to U.S. department store Sephora. They're a U.S. brand not yet selling over here *sigh* but that still doesn't deter me, there must be some left in the world somewhere! : ) Their cute branding and packaging is very similar to that of Benefit's in fact. TheBalm's Shady Lady Eyeshadow Palette contains 9 'long-lasting' eyeshadows that can be used wet or dry.

The variety of shades on offer make this small palette really flexible, so if you're at work and end up going out for some spontaneous partying at the last minute, fear not - this little gem will help you smoke up your look from daytime to nighttime in no time! The shades on offer are:

Caught in the Act Courtney (rich brown with gold sparkle)

Shameless Shana (tahitian bronze)

Luscious Lani (icy pink champagne)

Jealous Jordana (rich shimmering green)

Risque Renee (dark navy blue sheen)

Curvy Cami (plum shimmer with gold flecks)

Jet-Setting Jennifer (pale gold shimmer)

All About Alex (olive shimmer)

Easy Wheezie (gunmetal gray shimmer)

In the word's of Garth and Wayne from Wayne's World - They will be mine. Oh yes. They will be mine.

Image Source

Images courtesy of Benefit and Sephora