FASHION Magazine

Is there a better holiday than Halloween? It’s the one day of the year that we have free reign to create—and live the life of!—an alter ego, the more outlandish the better. From sci-fi heroes to spooky spirits, everything is possible on Halloween, especially when you have a makeup bag full of product to help you out. As anyone who recalls a childhood full of pans of primary-coloured face paint, you’ll agree that the best costumes are the ones that come with a crazy makeup requirement.

Plus, when else do you have reason to wear your biggest false lashes, your brightest eyeshadow colours and every glitter you own? Never, that’s when! As such, we turned to the Beauty Panel to share their Halloween makeup looks, and the results range from inventive to fantastical to downright gruesome.

Challenge 33: How are you doing your makeup for Halloween? See the answers now! »

With September rolling in this (long) weekend, it might be time to finally admit that summer is coming to an end. It’s time to say goodbye to our favourite warm weather-inspired beauty trends and embrace what fall has to offer. Spring’s bright lipsticks and summer’s superfluous bronzer will be dearly missed, but with the fall beauty guide out, our anticipation to try the ombre lips of Christian Dior, the fluffy hair of Marc by Marc Jacobs and the divine red eyeshadow of Gucci is at an all time high. There is no question that this fall it’s all about being bold.

But if you’re not a drop-everything-and-go-for-it kinda gal, the best way to test out a new fall trend is to ease your way in. Which means keeping some of your spring and summer favourites going strong as the seasons change. To help with the transition, we asked the Beauty Panel to share which summer styles they’re keeping into fall and how they’re making it work.

Challenge 25: How do you transition your summer hair and makeup into fall? See the answers now! »

It would be an understatement to say that nail art hasn’t completely saturated the beauty world. From Anne Hathaway’s neon manicure at the Met gala to Hailee Steinfeld’s pop art nails at Comic Con, nail art is still going strong throughout summer.

While A-list stars turn to nail gurus like Kimmie Kyees (Rihanna’s go-to) and Tom Bachik (he does Beyoncé, Zooey Dechannel and Jennifer Lopez) DIY nail art can look just as red carpet-worthy. Although scrolling through thousands of nail art images on Pinterest may be one way to get inspired, the Beauty Panel is here to lend us a hand. This week they’re sharing top tips and tricks on the best nail art looks for summer. From pastel shades to chevron nail art to glitter top coats, we’re pretty sure you’ll be reaching for a bottle of nail polish before you finish reading this post.

Challenge 22: What’s your favourite nail polish colour to wear this summer? See the answers now! »

While summer definitely calls for brightly coloured lipsticks, sometimes it’s nice to tone down the drama and allow your natural beauty to shine. Looking to the 1990s for inspiration, many Spring 2013 runway shows featured minimalist beauty looks that truly made us envy simplistic style. From Alexander Wang to Balmain, fashion houses made the neutral look appear effortlessly chic.

To achieve the minimalist look, a neutral lipstick is essential—but how do you wear such a pale shade without washing out your entire face? It’s all in how you apply it. With the right colour and technique, a neutral lip colour can make a statement.

Not convinced? Let our Beauty Panel guide you. This week they’re sharing tips and tricks on how to choose and wear a perfect neutral lip colour—while ensuring that the rest of your look also stands out.

Challenge 21: What are your tips for choosing and wearing a neutral lip colour? See the answers now! »

One of the things we love most about summer is travel. From weekend cottage getaways to month-long journeys, ’tis the season to enjoy a vacation. However, no matter where you’re headed, the question of what to pack is always a concern—especially if you’re a beauty junkie. It can be hard to resist the urge to just pack your entire bathroom and be done with it.

But! Before you throw your every item you own and love into your beauty bag, allow our Beauty Panel members to share some advice with you. This week we challenged our beauty blogging experts to pick just three essential items they require while on vacation.

Challenge 19: When packing light for a summer vacation, what 3 must-have beauty products do you bring and why? See the answers now! »

You’ve printed off your resume, know your strengths and weaknesses and have the perfect job interview outfit planned. But have you considered how to do your hair and makeup? Just like a low cut top is a job interview no-no, glittery makeup or a messy ponytail is best saved for more social situations. While some of us may seek work in offices that are more creative or casual than others, when it comes to making a first impression, showing up at that job interview looking perfectly polished is key.

When you want to put your best face—and hair!—forward, a neutral look that highlights your natural beauty is best. Don’t distract from your talents with hair and makeup that’s better suited for a night out with friends. To make sure the HR department focuses on your credentials rather than a makeup blunder, we asked the Beauty Panel to share some job interview-worthy beauty looks. Read on, take their advice and all you’ll have to worry about is showing up at the right place at the right time.

Challenge 18: How do you do your hair and makeup for a job interview? See the answers now! »

Let’s blame The Little Mermaid for making us think that with a quick flip of our hair, it’s possible to look like a perfect princess when emerging from the water. Sadly, it takes a little bit more of an effort to make sure your hair and makeup can stand up to the elements—and during the summer months, the sweaty, sticky heat can do just as much damage as a dip in the pool.

While we love that summer beauty is all about keeping things to a minimal, it can be tricky to figure out which products work best under the scorching sun. As such, we’ve turned to the Beauty Panel for tips and tricks about waterproof makeup, sweat-proof application techniques and summer-ready hairstyles. Whether you’re going to the first summer pool party of the year or just walking between your office and the subway, we want to make sure that no matter how sweaty things get, you’ll look your best.

Challenge 13: What are your tips for waterproof, sweat-proof or sun-proof beauty? See the answers now! »

Bring on the bronzer! Whether you wear it all year round or just like to add some glow to your complexion during warmer months, there’s no time like the start of spring to learn how to use bronzer properly. After all, this is when drugstore aisles and department store beauty counters will be inundated with new bronze-focused products, making even the most pale-skinned set want to add a little glow to their complexions. However, because there are so many types of bronzers out there—and so many questions about how to use bronzer—we thought it best to have the Beauty Panel, our carefully selected group of hair and makeup experts, take you through their best bronzing tricks.

Challenge 10: What are your tips on how to use bronzer properly? See the answers now! »

Figuring out how to put on eyelashes can be a tricky process. From finding the best false lashes for your face to mastering the application technique, there’s an almost infinite number of variables that can trip you up along the way. But despite all this, there’s no denying the added wow-factor that false lashes can provide. A good tube of mascara can only go so far: false lashes are certainly the best way to add volume, definition and drama to your look.

Whether you’re applying eyelashes for the first time or consider yourself an expert at falsies, tips and tricks to make the process easier are always appreciated. Which is why we asked our Beauty Panel to share how they apply false eyelashes. Even better, their tried-and-true answers include recommendations for some of the best false eyelash brands to try.

Challenge 6: How do you put on eyelashes and what are the best false lashes to try? See the answers now! »

Ah, the age old question: How can you transition your makeup and hair from your typical daytime look into something special enough for a big night out? After a day spent sitting at a desk or rushing between meetings, it’s unlikely that the makeup you applied at 7am will still look good to go come cocktail hour. Thankfully, with just a few products and tricks, it can be done—and without the need to set up a full vanity in your office!

Challenge 3: How do you take your hair and/or makeup from day to night? See the answers now! »