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! »

If your beauty bag is missing violet hued products, we think you’re in need of a serious update. From eyeshadows to nailpolish to lipstick, deep purples have been creeping into every aspect of fall makeup and today, we’re teaching you how to make the rich hue work for you.

Jason Wu’s Fall 2013 collection reiterated purple’s prowess in flattering all skin types. His final runway piece, a floor grazing indigo dress, set the tone for the season’s runway beauty look. The show’s purple eyeshadow lifted all muted palettes and monochromatic looks while adding drama to the rouge and indigo pieces.

Challenge 31: Purple is a flattering and easy colour to wear for most eye colours and skin tones, but it can also look super dramatic. What are your tips for wearing the shade? See the answers now! »

Eyes are getting some serious kohl treatment, hair is left unkempt and the darker the lipstick, the better. Or at least that’s what happens when fall’s riot girl trend takes over our beauty routines—and we’re totally on board. The minimalist no-makeup look has its time and place, but there’s something so liberating about smudging eyeliner into messy shapes and embracing our rebellious side.

Thanks to this year’s punk-themed MET Gala, our favourite stars gave us a plethora of moody beauty looks to take inspiration from. Wearing the most daring deep shades of lipstick, Rooney Mara and Katy Perry were the epitome of sultry. Taylor Swift was all about the eyes, wearing top and bottom-heavy liner. And Kristen Stewart swapped out her signature charcoal smoky eye for a burgundy look worthy of Gucci. The message is clear: Get ready to reach for all the deep-toned makeup palettes in your arsenal when trying the riot girl trend!

Challenge 30: How do you channel the riot girl trend with your hair and makeup? 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! »

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! »

Summer wedding season is here, and whether you’re walking down the aisle, standing up for your best friend or just showing up and dancing the night away, it’s important to consider how you’ll look. In terms of outfits, we certainly have you covered. But what about your hair and makeup on the big day?

More and more brides are taking the DIY approach to their wedding makeup (even Kate Middleton was rumoured to have done it herself!) and it goes without saying that most wedding guests aren’t spending a day at the salon before a friend’s nuptials. But with photographers everywhere and some weddings starting at the crack of dawn and going into the wee hours of the night, it’s advisable to put some extra effort into your hair and makeup.

To get the best advice on wedding day makeup and hair, we turned to the Beauty Panel. With a number of professional makeup artists on the panel, these experts have many weddings under their beauty belts—and plenty of tips for you, regardless of your bride, bridesmaid or guest status.

Challenge 12: How would you do your hair and makeup for a wedding? 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?

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! »