Black Fridays: Hottest Makeup Trends for Fall by Guest Blogger, Joy N. Randall

This fall, makeup is headed back to basics. In the revolution of HD, women can’t afford to look too made up. And with a ton of products on the market, a girl’s got to know how to choose what’s hot and what’s not. I’m here to tell you what’s hot, what’s not, and how to read through what I call “the epidemic of fake expertise”…product lines, you tubers, and makeup enthusiasts who really just have no idea!

Heavy Brows

It’s ALL ABOUT THE BROW! Heavy brows are so in! So if you have teeny weenies, get-ta growin! Heavy doesn’t mean unkempt, just shaped with a much natural fullness as your eye shape can handle. Some women will be able grow brows thicker than others. The main thing is not to whittle them down to nothingness. That one line look went out in like the 20’s…ok I’m exaggerating, but I think you get my point.

Once you have your brows shaped nicely, you can perfect them by filling them in. There are all sorts of brow filling products out there, from pencils and powders to brush-ons. What works best will be unique to your brow. My absolute fave is MAC’s brow pencil! It works for any length of brow and fills them in without looking like you painted them on. They also come in every hair color, which is essential for keeping brows natural is looking too.

Heavy Mascara

Fashion Week just passed and all over the runways, all you saw was tons of mascara! This fall is about what I like to call “clean and clumpy”! Mascara heavy enough to let natural lashes pop and get noticed. People have overdone fake lashes so much, that they are just plain played out. Now it’s all about enhancing what you already have to upmost! Mascara is all a girl needs to get those lashes battable!

When I apply mascara, I take the brush and slowly roll it on top of the lashes first, and then I go up from the bottom the same way. That way both sides of the lashes are coated. With the heavy lash look, you add a third step, by sweeping the wand horizontally across the lashes to create volume and fullness. You will start to see the lashes “building”. Wait a minute or so, and repeat the techniques until your lashes pop the way you want them to. The slower you go, the better the results. This will help any brand you love work that much better… trust me! Then you will see how much you don’t need those fake, unnatural looking thingies on your eyes anymore! 😉

Blush

Blush always seem to be a tough one for women. This fall, you’re off the hook a bit, because blush on the runways looked clean and simple. We see fleshy, neutral and dewy cheeks that mimic natural contours of the face. Fall always brings in deeper tones too, so you can put away your bright pink and oranges. And also get rid of the shimmery, glowy stuff. The season is about deep bronzes (color, not texture), deep corals, and soft plums. All in creams or matte powders.

When I say blush is tough, one thing women have to consider is there skin texture. This is essential in selecting the best one for you. The more texture you have in the skin (wrinkles, pimples, large pores, etc) the less shimmer you want in your blush. Anything with shimmer will bring more attention to those issues. Choose a matte to help diminish those flaws. Cream blushes are great for those blessed with good skin. They give a look that looks more like skin.

The New Nude

When the “nude” look came out, it was neutral, but quite pale. Whether a pink nude, brown nude or orangey nude, the color was a little flat, which is what made it so distinctive. This season, the color has changed to a much fleshier and warmer shade. I like to paint the picture of “its as if your lips had a natural bronzer on them.” Texture play is also important here. Across the board creamy texture lips are EVRYTHING! If you notice, gone are the days of glassy shine (think clear Lipglass by MAC) and definitely nothing with glitter (nnless you are 12). Lipsticks are all the rage and glosses with a creamy shine look verses the megawatt shine.

Products I love for this look are MAC Cosmetic’s Crème Sheen glosses (Over Indulgence is lip crack for me) and I also love NARS Velvet Gloss pencils. Lipsticks are always great ways to go…a few nudes I run to at MAC are half-n-half and fresh brew. You can also fill in the lip with your favorite liner and put a little lip conditioner on top, just so it won’t look too dry. Though the matte look has its place, it’s so about creamy this season! Everyone’s “new nude” will be a little different depending on their skin tone. So be sure to look for what creates the look on you!

Foundation

As the seasons change, so does your skin. Foundation is one of those things that will have its seasons too. Lots of women find the need to switch up their shade in the cooler months. The skin can get lighter and sometimes dryer compared to warmer months. It is quite common to have a “winter” and “summer” shade. Undertones are the key here. Most women will lighten up one or two shades in the winter and may even have to switch to a formula that is more moisturizing. One thing is for sure, nothing is cute about wearing a foundation color that isn’t right for you. It tends to be very noticeable, and affects the way the rest of your makeup looks.

I love liquids and creams in cooler months. They tend to counteract any dryness the winter brings, and they melt into the skin just like butta! My fave right now is MAC Cosmetic’s Match Masters, it looks like skin and it actually shifts to your perfect undertone! Perfect for “in between” times of the year. Which brings me to another tip: if you know you will lighten up more the cooler it gets, wait a bit to purchase a new foundation. That way you’re not wasting money on trial and error. Your best bet is to be matched by a professional and invest in a good brand. And please remember mineral isn’t for everyone, and it doesn’t always mean healthy, often times it just means hype…do the research. Let a professional help you find what tone, texture and type will work best for the look you want. Nothing beats Flawless skin!

I am one of many in the industry with expertise on beauty. Beauty is a part of fashion, and at the end of the day, what really matters is that you take information and see what works best for you. Confidence is your absolute best cosmetic! All of this means nothing if you don’t feel like a “Flawless” you when it’s all said and done. I hope you enjoy the tips! Do #WERK!

“Joy Nichelle Randall is the owner of Flawless Makeup Art based in Charlotte, NC. She is an award winning, professional makeup artist, with over 7 years experience in the beauty and fashion industry. Joy has worked with a wide span of clients from NASCAR Media Group to “The Color Purple” on Broadway. She started her career with MAC Cosmetics, and moved on to companies such as L’Oreal and Urban Decay. She is now a full time freelance artist under her own brand.”