| How to create the autumn/winter make-up look
Beauty for autumn/winter 2005 reflects the new womanly, alluring style seen on the catwalk. To match the hourglass silhouette that's achieved with structured tailoring, you need to aim for a more grown-up look than we've seen in the past few seasons. Think Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly and you'll have a good idea of the level of sophistication in beauty this season. Click on the product links to buy direct from QVC. Central to this look is flawless, porcelain skin, and the final finishing touch is colour.
Create a perfect complexion
Perfect complexion After summer, the results of a fading suntan combined with the drying effects of central heating can leave your skin looking a little lumpy and bumpy - not an option for this season's flawless finish. An application of Smashbox Photofinish Foundation Primer, available exclusively from QVC (£30.00) resolves this in an instant and leaves you with skin that feels as soft and smooth as a peach, giving you a smooth base to work from. Next, to banish dark circles, spots and blemishes, you need to use a colour-correcting palette such as Models Prefer Hide, Sculpt & Correct Make-Up Compacts (£14.98). This compact contains three shades of concealer to disguise any imperfections as well as a palette of the make-up artist's favourite colour-correcting shade: pale green. Apply green sparingly to red patches, even angry-looking spots, then cover and blend over concealer and see your imperfections disappear. The next stage is foundation and it's crucial that the shade is exactly right for you. Models Prefer Perfect Match Moisturising Foundation (£24.25) contains a clever combination of collagen for a fresh-faced finish and hydrating benefits, to make sure colder weather outside and central heating indoors don't dry skin. The dial-up shade selector means that the foundation can be mixed to suit every skin tone as your summer tan (real or fake) fades away.
These are all my personal 'hero' products that will help you to create this season's clean, flawless finish, combining 1970s-style complete cover with current cosmetics technology to ensure a fresher finish.
Shaping and sculpting Shaping and sculpting with certain tools and techniques will help you to redefine your natural assets and rebuild them if ageing has altered them. Your focus should be your eyes and eyebrows - think of sleek, chic precision and definition a la Audrey Hepburn.
Eyeliner for this season is all about creating shape as opposed to using bright colour. You want to aim for a precise line that makes your eyes look bigger and gives the impression of thicker lashes. Smashbox Proof Cream Eyeliner, Palette and Brush Set (£20.61) allows you to create a precise line for sophisticated definition. It dries in 60 seconds so won't smudge when you're aiming for a clean, formal line. For maximum impact, use a darker colour on the top of your eyelid and behind your lashes and a lighter shade underneath your bottom lashes. Mascara should be applied to both sets of lashes. For the ultimate in long, flirtatious lashes without taking the time to apply false ones, use Laura Geller Might Mascara and Fortifier (£14.75), available from QVC. Apply the fortifier on the upper, outer lashes and then apply the mascara on both sets of lashes. This, combined with the eyeliner, will help to create the desired almond shape for eyes this season.
Lips
The colour palette Smashbox Slide Show Eye Shadow and Lip Gloss (£14.33), available from QVC, gives subtle colour in soft pastel shades. The colours suit all skin tones and give density and vibrancy to Asian and dark skin tones and a lighter colour wash on fair skin tones. Sweep the eyeshadow over your eyelids for a highlighting effect. Alternatively, use Bare Escentuals Sexy Sheen Glimmer Duo (£22.33) for a subtle yet alluring sheen in either Vanilla Sugar or Bare Skin. These ultra fine powders won't sit in the creases of your eyes and can be applied dry or wet for more impact. Party looks
For evening, the key colour of the season for lips and nails is berry, a truly sophisticated, dramatic colour that completes the look of grown-up glamour. Prepare lips properly by applying liner and powder to them and finish with glossy Models Prefer Berries and Cream Lip Collection (£13.86) for a perfect pout. For a sheer but no less glamorous look, try Prescriptives Moonbeam Reflective Gloss (£13.00). This light-reflecting gloss gives your lips a voluptuous look that's traffic-stopping! For your nails, apply the (aptly named) Leighton Denny Femme Fatale Seduction Collection (£27.50). This consists of four nail polishes in various berry shades: Viva La Diva (red), Diamond Diva (sparkling silver), Plush Pink (rich pink) and Best Seller (sparkling maroon).
Hair flair
Philip Kingsley (The Hair Doctor) is the secret behind some of the most glossy, glamorous heads in the world. The Philip Kingsley Big Hair Starter Kit (£18.50), available at QVC, consists of a Body Building Shampoo and Conditioner for a seriously volumising effect. Spray The Maximiser for super volume from the roots that will make you feel like a movie star. As an alternative, the new Hairfix Healthy Volume System (£16.75) consists of a two-phase system that you use after shampooing and conditioning. First, plump up each hair strand with Feed Up, then give body and lift from the roots with Lift Up. Neither will leave your hair feeling sticky and both have an anti-build-up formula so your hair is voluminous but still has movement and shine - avoiding the rigid stickiness that can be caused by hair spray. Don't worry that this autumn/winter beauty look means hours spent in front of the mirror perfecting your application techniques. Instead of spending time applying and blending three different shades of eyeshadow as in previous seasons, you're simply re-allocating your time to old-school beauty application with precision and definition. Now that your hair and make-up are complete, button up your jacket and slip on those heels and you can guarantee you'll glow with sophisticated elegance all season. All of the products mentioned are available from the QVC website www.qvcuk.comor by calling QVC on 0800 50 40 30. For more beauty advice, tune in to QVC to watch my show, In the Salon with Alison. QVC is available on Sky Digital, channel 630, cable (contact your local operator) and Freeview, channel 16. |