HOW TO GET THE LOOK FOR LESS

Rich-Kid Rebel

THE RICH-KID REBEL

LUXE LOOK: An almost bare face with a hint of smudgy morning after eyes showed independent attitude at Luella. One-makeup suits- all was ditched in favour of looks tailored to spotlight each model’s best features, and “super-realism” was the beauty buzzword. Translation? Be you, only better.

SWEET TRICKS: Pare down your makeup kit and get back to basics. “It’s no-makeup makeup. It’s just a really wearable palette,” says Revlon’s global artistic director, Gucci Westman, who created the look. Skip the foundation and brighten up with an illuminating concealer. Create a slept-in look sans eyeshadow by swiping black eyeliner along the upper and lower lash lines, then smudging it with your fingers. Add clear lip gloss on top for a touch of cool-girl shine.
FLARE pick: Marcelle Kohl Eyeliner in Soft Black, $9.

Modern Princess

THE MODERN PRINCESS

LUXE LOOK: Ethereal skin and delicate violet lips were the perfect match for Jason Wu’s fairy tale–inspired collection. All eyes were on the fashion newcomer whose own leap into the spotlight has been more than a bit magical, thanks to his first-lady fan, Michelle Obama.

SWEET TRICKS: To save cash and time, go for makeup that works double duty. Westman ditched foundation in favour of pressed powder, then added instant radiance to faces by dabbing on a shimmering cream eyeshadow with silver flecks as an allover highlighter. She gave a hint of fresh and flirty colour to both lips and cheeks with lilac lipstick. Blend the lipstick with your fingertips onto the apples of your cheeks for the most natural results.
FLARE picks: Revlon Illuminance Crème Shadow in Seashells, $10.

Retro Glam Starlet

THE RETRO GLAM STARLET

LUXE LOOK: Natural matte skin, a classic winged eye and a daring crimson lip channel Marilyn Monroe—the muse for this timeless trend that Pat McGrath, global creative design director for CoverGirl, dubs “full-on beauty.”

SWEET TRICKS: For a wardrobe of red lip shades right for any season, try this tip from McGrath: spend on two hues—one bright, one deep—then sport each one solo, custom-mixed together or topped with gloss or glitter to create a myriad of different looks. “Reds are so versatile right now,” McGrath says. This season, there are few rules to follow, so whether it’s matte, stained or shiny, rock it any way you want. To complete the high-drama look, add black liquid eyeliner and curled faux eyelashes with extra brushings of mascara.
FLARE pick: CoverGirl Outlast All-Day Lipcolor in Ever Red-dy, $10.50.

Retro Glam Starlet

THE ’8OS FASHION ICON

LUXE LOOK: “More is more” was the mantra at Gucci, where the Tina Chow–inspired power women flashed no less than six shades on their kaleidoscopic eyes, from wallflower brown to wild-child fuchsia, plus coral and gold. Why stop there? Cheeks were sculpted with copper red and lips were painted cherry.

SWEET TRICKS: “This is our sexy smoky eye, but this time, we used red eyeshadow,” explains McGrath. To make the disco-worthy trend wearable in reality, save the rainbows for the runways. Instead, splurge selectively on just a couple of bright and bold shades—the more pigmented the formula, the less you’ll need to use. Then, she suggests creating a traditional smoky eye with loads of black eyeliner and mascara, and sweep just an accent of strong colour (such as hot pink) on your eyelids. Blend the vibrant eyeshadow all the way out to your temples, then brush the same fuchsia shadow onto your cheekbones for the finishing touch.
FLARE picks: Nars Eyeshadow Duo in Caravaggio, $38.

Indie Ingenue

THE INDIE INGENUE

LUXE LOOK: French girls in the ’60s were the inspiration at Trovata, where Willer kept models looking young, natural and fresh with “see-through” foundation and subtle girlish sweetness on eyes, cheeks and lips. Chocolate and candy-floss pink were the hues that made it all look so pretty.

Model photography, Anthea Simms; Product photography, Ivan Engler; Text, Wing Sze Tang with files from Suzie Dicker.

“How to Get the Look for Less” has been edited for FLARE.com; the complete story and where-to-buy appears in the September 2009 issue of FLARE.

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