FASHION Magazine

Beauty trends may come and go, but key elements can be everlasting. For Fall 2012, braids and buns proved their staying power while red lips and black eyeliner were reinvented yet again. Here are three of our favourite takes on each and what you need to try these looks at home.

See the looks »

JUMP TO: GRAPHIC BLACK LINER | RED LIPS | BRAIDS & BUNS

See our full guide to Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal’s FNO! »

As Fashion’s Night Out quickly approaches, the announcements just seem to get better and better. And while we can only be half-excited over the fact that Azealia Banks is set to perform during FNO in New York City (make a last-minute change and come to Toronto instead, please?) we’re completely behind the news that she’s created a limited edition lipstick with M.A.C Cosmetics for the occasion.

See the entire collection! »

It’s always exciting whenever Peter Phillips, Chanel’s creative director of makeup, whips up a new covetable colour, but when a product launch comes in twos, anticipation also doubles. Add in the fact Chanel’s forthcoming Les Twin-Sets collection is a special edition for Fashion’s Night Out and it’s downright collector-worthy.

Love fall style but not ready to say goodbye to summer? This week Beauty Fix shares three approaches for adapting Fall 2012 beauty trends while the temperatures are still sizzling—including the best tips for wearing super saturated lip colours and smoky eyeshadows. Plus, we explain why no matter the dye job, what’s really causing your hair colour to fade.

Read on for the full fix! »

See the entire collection! »

Ruby Woo, Russian Red and Russian Red all in one handy package? Yes please! M.A.C Cosmetics is giving lipstick fanatics an easy one-stop shop by launching five covetable Pro Lip Palettes, each of which by piece together six popular M.A.C shades. Aside from the red editorial compact that houses the three famous lipsticks mentioned above, there is also an orange, pink, plum and brown lip palette.

Check out the collection! »

If shopping is your mood booster of choice, listen up: Lush’s highly anticipated, two-years-in-the-making colour collection is taking retail therapy one step further. The forthcoming “Emotional Brilliance” makeup collection was created with a strategic behavioural therapist, resulting in a product line that’s named to reflect psychological needs.

The collection, which will boast 13 liquid lip colours, 11 liquid eyeliners and six cream eyeshadows (all priced at $23—way cheaper than most therapists’ going rate), is described as a way to “fulfill an emotional need at any give moment.”

When creating his Spring 2012 collection, Jonathan Saunders had an unlikely muse: chemically sedated Miami housewives from the ’50s. His models, clad in full skirts of Floridian pastels, sauntered down the runway with bronzed skin and flesh-toned lips. It was makeup artist Lucia Pieroni’s bold use of an oversized cat eye, however, that had beauty editors swooning.

By starting with a sunny glow, bringing some drama to the eyes, and slicking on a creamy nude lipstick, you can channel Saunders’ South Beach chic with just five products!

Here’s how to do it! »

It should come as no surprise that during financial downturns, people tend to tighten their purse strings. What is surprising, however, is a spending phenomenon called the “lipstick effect,” which is a cute way of describing how women surprisingly spend more on beauty products during recessions. For example, did you know that L’Oréal was one of the few companies to experience growth in 2008? When all other sectors were approaching rock bottom, the beauty market was actually thriving.

Up until this point, most speculated that women were opting for beauty buys because they’re cheaper ways of splurging. However, a recently released study seems to have scientifically debunked this notion. According to the study’s findings, when it comes down to it women are less “recessionistas” than they are “recession mate hunters,” at least on a subconscious level.

Essentially, the scientists found that in keeping with ancient times (when finding a mate was of paramount importance, especially during environmentally taxing periods) the modern-day hunt for a mate is put into subconscious overdrive when the economy takes a nosedive.

In other words, as the number of gainfully employed men dwindles, women are drawn to beauty products to up their physical attractiveness, making them more viable competitors for those few eligible bachelors. This trend even extends to advertising: slogans that hinted at a “catch-a-mate” function fared better than those that were more neutral.

Though this sounds a bit (a lot) like gold-digging, apparently, it’s not — according to the study, the women’s own resource needs (i.e. money in the bank) didn’t play a part in their draw to beauty products. In fact, the lipstick trend seems to just be a byproduct of an adaptive evolutionary tactic that’s been around for years: the most desirable females were often the most beautiful, while the most sought-after men were usually well-equipped to provide for their mate and offspring.

Sexist? Well, unintentionally, yes it is a bit sexist. But it’s food for thought: are evolutionary tactics still permeating our modern-day existence? Or did the researchers fail to take into account other factors, like the cross-gender effect of a little retail therapy during bad times? Also, how many women can rely solely on beauty products to enhance their appearance? What about gym memberships, cosmetic surgery, and the like — do women spend more on them during recessions as well?

“Young, eccentric and rich” were the words makeup artist Pat McGrath used to describe the beauty look she dreamed up for Yves Saint Laurent’s Spring 2012 show. McGrath painted models’ eyelids metallic brown, their lips metallic red and bleached away their brows. The look was confident and glamorous, if not a little bit severe.

I created a softer version of this dramatic look for real life with a few small tweaks and just four products. By opting for a wash of colour on the eyes instead of opaque brown, and by highlighting your brows with tinted gel instead of bleaching them off, you’ll be super glam without looking harsh. Finish with a pop of crimson red lipstick and you’ve got an elegant look for any occasion that requires an extra jolt of confidence!

Try this look in 4 steps! Read on »

From lips to nails, shades of burgundy were all over the Fall 2012 runways—and, because stars are always the first to embrace a trend, the deep red lip has now dominated red carpets. Camilla Belle and Lana Del Rey both wore the colour at the Met Gala, Katy Perry can’t stop matching her just-dyed indigo hair with her lipstick, and even Jennifer Lopez is a fan of the vampy look. Of course, Nail Corner wanted to take the trend a step further: why just paint your lips and nails a shade of burgundy when you can actually paint tiny lips on your nails?

See the burgundy lip manicure! »

Want to get the raspberry-red look? 5 lipsticks you should try »
Which look do you like best? Vote now! »

The party to be at on Friday night—if you’re an A-list celebrity in Los Angeles, that is—was one hosted by Stella McCartney for the music video premiere of Paul McCartney’s “My Valentine.” The video (which stars Johnny Depp and Natalie Portman) was watched by everyone from Gwen Stefani to Gwyneth Paltrow, making the exclusive screening quite the red carpet event. While the majority of guests wore Stella McCartney Spring 2012 pieces, bright shades of lipstick were just as popular a style statement. Kristen Stewart and Zooey Deschanel certainly stood out above the rest, with almost-identical makeup that was focused on raspberry-coloured lips and heavily lashed eyes.

It’s Friday the 13th—a day that’s considered extremely unlucky by superstitious believers and and pop-culture enthusiasts alike. But don’t let your friggatriskaidekaphobia get the best of you, because we’ve rounded up 12 pretty ways to keep the good luck on hand, including wish-granting necklaces, cats that can cross your path, and other totems of luck.

Let’s get lucky! »