GET THE LOOK | 80s Beauty. Inspired, but not Outdated.

With celebs like Lady Gaga dominating major fashion magazine covers and high fashion designers steering the style masses, it’s no surprise that the decadent 80s have made a return to the forefront of fashion and beauty trends. Now, before visions of blue eyeshadow (the horror!), wing-tipped eyes, harshly contoured cheekbones, Dynasty and 80s prom queens (the list goes on!) infiltrate your senses, keep in mind that runway trends are meant to be inspirational, rather than literally interpreted. The key to getting the modernized 80s ‘it’ look (without looking like you’re actually stuck in the past) is to take your favourite elements from the trends and adjust them to your own personal style. Whether it be scooping up an animal print top or buying a new eyeshadow, getting the it look is easy…AND you don’t have to blow the budget! Here are a couple of beauty tips to get your look in line with the season’s trends:

1. Nail polish, in well, pretty much any colour (opt for deeper shades). Matte texture nail polish for true beauty fiends.
Nothing says it like deep shaded nail polish, especially for the cooler months ahead. Gone are the days when everyday acceptable nail polish colours were limited to simple shades of red, pink and brown. Now, pretty much anything goes. Drawing inspiration from the runways, fall nail trends include every colour imaginable. Colours like navy blue, gray, deep purple and jade green along with metallics in silver and gold are just a few picks from fall's spectrum of nail colours. Even black nail polish, once considered only (semi-)appropriate for rebellious teens, has become a staple for everyday wear. More lines are offering office-friendly versions of black with softer metallic finishes or blackened colours (that are deepened shades of traditional colours). For the true beauty stylistas, matte nail polish is the ultimate in the season’s nail trends.

As seen at: Doo-Ri, where MAC's limited edition Beyond Jealous (a dark blackened teal pictured at left) was used on runway muses

Note: My personal faves include MAC's Dry Martini (a deep brownish green), Revlon's Steel-her Heart (deep gunmental grey) and Midnight Affair (dark navy blue..been opting for this instead of black nail polish), and Sally Hansen's Jamboree Beauty (burgundy brown with large gold sparkles...this one's an old fave that's perfect for the season's glitter trend - see next!).

2. Add some glitter for a night out.
Insert disclaimer: Glitter is fun, but use it sparingly and with discretion (i.e. may not be so office appropriate), or else you'll risk looking like a disco ball. To keep the look modernized with the season's trends, focus the glitter around the eyes. Apply eyeshadow as desired and then use an eyeliner mixing medium to help the glitter adhere to your skin. If glitter is too much for your own preference, opt for a shimmer for a softer but still eye-catching look.
As seen at: Prada where models rocked glitter in red - not the most universally flattering colour, but hey, it's fashion!

3. Black is back (well, thankfully for my sake, it never really goes away).
Several major make-up lines have introduced goth-inspired collections, and although the products may be limited edition, the looks can take you way past Hallowe’en. Chanel's Collection Noirs Obscurs and MAC's Style Black offer an array of 'black-imbued' shades to help you achieve the dramatic and sultry look. MAC's collection is the most vast, with blackened shades of everything from eyeshadows to gloss to lipstick to nail polish. The Style Black collection also sees the introduction of MAC's Greasepaint Stick, a versatile cream-based product that lets you boldly define the lashline or easily blend a smoky eye. Greasestick is also smudgeproof and water-resistant - what more could you ask for?!
As seen at: Versace where black smoky eyes were the focus, accented with hints of purple-blue

Note: I recently added Gilt by Association eyeshadow, Blue Flame eyeshadow, Black Greasepaint Stick, Black Knight Lipstick, Midnight Media Mattene Lipstick and Blackware Glimmerglass...all from MAC's Style Black collection to my own personal collection!! The lip colours aren't exactly for everyday wear, but work great for photoshoots...and Hallowe'en! I will have a review of these up shortly!

Overall, trends don't have to make you go crazy - think of it as a way to refresh your look each season. There are options at every pricepoint making it easy to update your own personal style....not like we need an excuse to go shopping, right? :)

What items will you be buying (or have you bought) to update your make-up look?