FASHION Magazine

Single or taken, Valentine’s Day is an excuse to get all dolled up, show the world what you’ve got and look totally fierce in the process. There’s no shame in letting the day of love inspire a change in your beauty routine, especially when flowers, hearts and anything red or pink make for ideal hair and makeup looks. So, this February 14, it’s time to try out that romantic beauty look you’ve been saving on Pinterest or coveting since it debuted on the spring runways (hello, Dolce & Gabbana!). What better to make your crush swoon?  All in the name of love, of course.

Challenge 48: What’s your Valentine’s Day beauty look? See the answers now! »

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! »

Can we get a what what for eyeliner? With endless formulas and application methods, eyeliner is one of the most versatile products in our makeup bags. While some prefer a subtle smudged line, others dig the high drama that comes with cat-eyes and winged tips. Seeking a pop of colour? Add a quick swipe of bright-blue liner. Want to make your eyes stand out? Smudge a little kohl at your lashline. However you wear eyeliner, there’s no wrong way to do it. But there’s always room for new tips and techniques, which is why we’ve turned to the Beauty Panel.

Challenge 29: What’s your favourite way to wear eyeliner? 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! »

With Canada Day just around the corner, it’s time to start planning those red and white outfits! Whether you’re spending the long weekend at the cottage or celebrating in the city, Canada Days calls for the addition of a patriotic ensemble. But if there’s nothing in your wardrobe that suits the occasion, consider inserting some red and white into your beauty routine. No, we’re not suggesting you go all out with a maple leaf flag face paint situation—instead take it to your nails with some Canada Day nail art.

The best part about doing a themed manicure for Canada Day is that no matter your talent level, there’s a nail art option for you. Whatever combination of red and white nail polish you end up applying will get the patriotic message across! To get the Canada Day nail art ideas rolling, we asked the Beauty Panel to share their long weekend manicures. From simple red and white dots to intricite maple leaf designs, these manis are sure to inspire some Canada Day nail art of your own, adding the perfect dose of patriotic pop to your long weekend.

Challenge 17: Happy Canada Day! What are you wearing on your nails this weekend? 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! »

This season it’s all about the statement lip. Moving away from the darker hues of fall, designer after designer sent models down the spring runways wearing vibrant shades of lip colour. From Prada to Rochas to Dries Van Noten, the statement lip was certainly the beauty statement of the season.

When done right, the statement lip can look stunning, but it can be tricky to find the right colour for your skin tone. And when you’ve found that perfect colour, how do you make sure it stays on all day (or night) long? Luckily, with a little help from the Beauty Panel, we have all the tips and tricks you’ll need to find the best lipstick out there—and to keep it on your lips.

Challenge 11: The statement lip is a big trend this season. How do you make your lipstick colour stand out and last?

Raise your hand if your last haircut or makeup look was inspired by a celebrity. (We all have our hands raised, right?) While runways set the trends, when your favourite star is spotted wearing the newest fashion, makeup look or hairstyle, that’s likely the point when you want in on it as well. But who are the actresses, musicians and A-listers who inspire your beauty style? Are you devoted to duplicating all their looks—as we know, celebs are quite fond of changing their hair cut and colour at a moment’s notice!—or do you follow the general theme of their go-to beauty routine?

Who better to offer some insight than the Beauty Panel! Our team of expert beauty bloggers were eager to share their celebrity beauty inspiration and offer up easy-to-follow tips on how to duplicate popular red carpet looks. From Kristen Stewart’s signature smoky eye (and sassy smile!) to Jennifer Lawrence’s Oscar-winning red carpet look, there’s plenty of A-list hair and makeup influence.

Challenge 9: Is there a celebrity that inspires how you do your hair and makeup? See the answers now! »

Music festivals should be all about the music, but given the popularity of our Coachella fashion slideshow, it’s safe to say that festival style is the unofficial headliner of the season. And the season has just begun: Coachella’s second weekend is a day away and after it ends all other music festivals will quickly follow. We’ve shared our tips for festival style and now it’s time to talk about how to do your hair and makeup for a music festival. To get the best advice, we turned to the Beauty Panel, our team of beauty blogging experts. Even if you’re not headed to Bonnaroo, Osheaga, Lollapalooza or another music festival this summer, their answers are ideal for any day you’ll be out and about under the hot, hot sun.

Challenge 7: With Coachella in full swing, it’s officially music festival season. How do you do your hair and makeup for a festival? See the answers now! »

With retro styles still going strong, cat-eye liner is one makeup trend that isn’t going away—and it’s easy to see why. The cat-eye gives off a seductive cool-girl vibe and often is appropriate for both day and night. This beauty look was once known as Amy Winehouse’s signature, but with stars from Lana Del Rey to Gwyneth Paltrow favouring cat-eye makeup, it really is a look that anyone can wear.

But for those of us who don’t have a personal makeup artist at our beck and call, how can we master this sometimes-tricky makeup look? We posed the question to our Beauty Panel this week to get their expertise on the best tips and tricks for applying winged eyeliner.

Challenge 4: What’s your trick for applying cat-eye liner? 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! »

Ever since emerald was announced as the Pantone colour of the year for 2013, it’s been trending as a must-wear shade for both fashion and beauty. But how do you actually incorporate such a bold colour into your everyday look? If you’re used to wearing neutrals on your lids and lashes it can be an especially daunting colour to consider—which is why we posed the question of how to wear emerald makeup to our Beauty Panel.

(Also, considering that St. Patrick’s Day just a few days away there’s never been a better time try wearing the colour. No one will question the addition of emerald green to your beauty routine on March 17th!)

Challenge 2: Emerald is the colour of the year for 2013. How will you incorporate this colour into your beauty routine? See the answers now! »