Masquerade is Smashbox’s new fall collection featuring rich shadows, high impact metallic liners and dazzling glosses.  The Masquerade Eye Shadow Palette includes matte and metallic shadows in a range of shades from soft peach and glowing gold to a dramatic metallic cabernet and shimmering navy.  The colors can be worn solo or paired with other shades.

Masquerade Liquid Liner & Lash Overlay is a 2-in-1 product that gives an intense metallic color at the lashline, adding glamour and mystery to the eyes!  First, use the specially designed combination brush and rod to line lashline.  Next, apply your mascara and finish by using the rod to sweep hints of metallic teal or bronze onto the tips of your lashes.

Masquerade Lip Enhancing Gloss is ultra-moisturizing and guaranteed to keep lips sparkling all night long.  If you want to create the illusion of a fuller pout, darken the area underneath the center of bottom lip with the nude lip pencil in a shade that matches your skin tone, then apply lip enhancing gloss in Reveal or Disguise in the center of your lip.

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I’m always amazed by how many women claim they can’t wear concealer.  I remember having an extensive conversation with Janeane Garofalo one time while I was applying her makeup.  We talked about women reaching a certain age where the fine lines take over and the makeup starts settling in and how discouraging wearing makeup can be.  What are the best brands on the market?  What is the best method to apply them?  The trick is, I say, to use about 50% less product than you think you need and only apply it to troubled areas.  Here are a few more foolproof tips:

1. Choose a color that matches your skin exactly.  Going one shade lighter can result in the unsightly raccoon-eye effect.

2. Apply concealer after foundation.  You don’t want to rub it off when blending in your base.  When applying undereye concealer, use a concealer brush and only target the darkest part.  Similarly, when covering blemishes, you only want to apply it to the blemish itself — using concealer around trouble spots will only highlight those areas.

3. Use powder sparingly — if at all.  While once considered a “must,” it can age you and actually encourage settling into fine lines around the eyes and mouth.  Newer concealer formulas have much better staying power, so powder is essentially obsolete.  Plus, dewy skin is a key to looking younger (just ask Jennifer Aniston). 

4.  Look for a creamy formula.  I like M.A.C. Studio Finish Concealer and Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer.  While only available in a few shades Cle de Peau is a phenomenal, but pricey, formula.  Don’t have a lot of coin?  L’Oreal True Match Concealer is hands-down the best drugstore brand.

I have very fair skin, and for the longest time I thought I couldn’t wear bronzer. Irony aside, all of the products that I tried were just too orange or too dark.  I remember a few years back  I dipped into my sister’s Hoola bronzer and had to wash my face immediately after.  However, I recently set out to determined to find something that works to give me the “California girl” glow that is ubiquitous in L.A.  Here’s what I found:

1. Benefit Dallas Bronzer
With a sheer wash of color and subtle shimmer, this bronzer is just pink enough for me to skip the blush.  Wear day and night.

2. Chanel Sheer Illuminating Fluid in Sunkissed
This sheer fluid gives a serious glow with just the right amount of color.  I mix in a little with my foundation and spread over my cheeks, forehead, and brow bone.  Since it has a true golden tone, I still find I need a little blush on the apples of my cheeks.  Tip:  When wearing something low-cut,  mix in a dime-sized amount with body lotion and spread over neck and chest.

By now you’re probably aware of the fact that the hot lip color for spring/summer 2010 is orange.  It started with Prada’s spring/summer runway, and fashion and beauty lovers everywhere have been replicating that look ever since then.  From shocking electric tangerine lipstick to sheer melon gloss, here are my expert tips for rocking the season’s juiciest lip colors:

1. If You Go Bold, Leave the Rest Bare
When wearing a neon lip color, it’s best to leave the rest of the face natural.  Now, I’m not talking about completely naked-natural.  Rather, go through your usual foundation/concealer routine, and just go easy on the eyeshadow and blush (observe the 2/3 rule, below).   I like using eyeshadow base and a dab of creamy blush.  Also, unless you’ve really got the ingenue look down, don’t forget the mascara!  I recommend tightlining with a dark brown liner and following up with several coats of black mascara.  This creates the perfect palette for the season’s boldest lips.  Try:

NVEY Eco Organic Lipstick in 363

Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pure Shine in #94 Blood Orange

2. Match Your Cheeks to Your Lips
Whether you’re dusting on bronzer or using a creamy cheek stain, it’s crucial to ensure that your cheeks match your lips.  Be aware of the fact that your orange lipstick will have either cool or warm undertones, and be sure to match from there.  Don’t believe me that orange lipstick can have cool undertones?  See this photo of January Jones and her creamy cool lips and cheeks.

Warm Undertones, Try Sisley Paris Hydrating Lipstick in Intense Coral

Cool Undertones, Try Laura Mercier Creme Lip Colour in Passion

3. Observe the 2/3 Rule
Whether going for a bold lip or a sheer gloss, you should only emphasize 2 out of your 3 main features (eyes, cheeks, lips).  This means either highliting your eyes and lips or your cheeks and lips.  It doesn’t matter which you choose, but this is the best way to make sure you don’t overdo it.  For me, I find that I always need a little extra emphasis on my eyes.  So for this trend, I use a shimmering eyeshadow base all over the lid like Trish McEvoy Base Essentials and a thicker liner line and lots of mascara.   Expert Tip: Place blush/bronzer on browbone in place of shadow.  It really opens up the eyes and makes them pop.

It’s no secret that I’m a makeup fanatic and need to try just about every new product that hits the market with a little buzz.  It’s also no secret that I’ve worked as a professional makeup artist for nearly 10 years — creating looks for debutantes, blushing brides, and celebrities alike.  Perhaps the question I’m asked most is: What’s the best mascara on the market?

While I’ve extolled the virtues of boosting your lashes, and almost fainted in shock over the price, even I am often stumped by this question.  There are so many different types of lashes and face shapes out there, it’s hard to pick just one.  However, there are some basic guidelines to finding the right mascara for you:

Here are a few questions to ask yourself: 
1. Do you still think there’s something else out there that you’d like better?
2. Does the mascara flake or bleed onto your skin?
3. Is it hard to remove and/or does it pull out the lashes when you wash it off?

If you answered “yes” to any of the questions above, then honey, it’s time to find a new mascara!

Some of my all-time favorite mascaras that work on virtually everyone are Laura Mercier’s Thickening Mascara, great for “normal” lashes, and Clinique’s Naturally Glossy Mascara, great for more sparse lashes.  Both formulas apply smoothly with a buildable formula — so you control how much product you apply.  However, I may have found a new favorite.

Enter DiorShow Iconic Mascara.  Now, I wasn’t one to jump on the bandwagon when a slew of brands released formulas with “new” plastic bristles a few years ago – in fact, I thought the bristles looked like medieval weapons and was in no rush to try them.  However, a recent purchase at Neiman’s left me with a tester that I couldn’t resist trying out.

Initial Reaction: When I first started to apply DiorShow Iconic, I was hesitant.  I could feel the plastic bristles as I pushed the product into my lashline and shimmied it at the roots, unlike traditional soft bristles.  However, once finished with the application, the overall effect was absolutely stunning!  Dark, thick, separated lashes — yes!  One of my pet peeves as a makeup artist is mascara that looks clumpy or “fuzzy.”  This happens when a formula is too thick or when mascara is old.

Final Review: The DiorShow lasted all day with fabulous effects.  I’ve even cried since I’ve started wearing it, and it really stays put.  My only complaint comes when it’s time to take it off.  It takes both face wash and eye makeup remover.  However, the way my face is shaped I am constantly at risk for undereye smudging — so the fact that this mascara doesn’t smudge at all was an easy trade-off for the extra removal step.

Budget Bonus: That same weekend, coincidentally, I had a girlfriend come visit with a new tube of CoverGirl Lash Blast.  She generously let me try it — and it really did have the same effect as the DiorShow!  Bonus: CoverGirl’s product is about 4x less expensive.  While my next purchase will most likely be the DiorShow Iconic, I can easily see myself purchasing the LashBlast toward the end of the month when money’s a little tighter.

Tell me, have you tried any mascaras with the plastic/silicon bristles?  What are some of your favorites?