5 Sexy Makeup Looks for Labor Day

If you’re like us and are looking to savor every last bit of summer this Labor Day weekend, replay the most coveted looks before summer is gone for good. Break out your bright lipsticks, even brighter nail colors and dewy, radiant skin, and say a fitting farewell to summer in the hottest hot weather beauty looks of the season.

GOLDEN GIRL GAZERS

Want that twinkle in your eye to last long after the dog days of summer are through? Apply a drop of water to an eyeshadow brush and dip into Illamasqua Powder Eye Shadow in Bronx-Copper Shimmer ($20 on sephora.com). The high pigmentation of the shadow mixed with the water will make for unforgettable eyes that are guaranteed to make that cutie at your weekend barbeque stop dead in his tracks!

Image credit: yourbeautyspot.ninemsn.com.au

Hot Lipsticks We Love

“Pour yourself a drink, put on some lipstick, and pull yourself together.”
― Elizabeth Taylor

The drink part is of course optional, but Liz got it right in saying that lipstick is an important step in pulling yourself, or your look, together!  It takes a confident woman to rock a bright lip color, but these super flattering and wearable shades make it easy.  Try a colorful lip this spring, it’s an easy way to complete your outfit and you can keep the rest of your face clean and simple.

Dolce & Gabbana Classic Cream Lipstick in Dahlia or Scarlett color, BUY NOW, $30
Scarlett Johannson is the face of Dolce & Gabbana makeup and a notorious fan of red lipstick, calling it “glamour in a tube.” If you want to capture the sexy star’s red lip look, try this D & G’s Scarlett or Dahlia shades.

My Top Five Foundations for Perfect-Looking Skin

I like to protect and even out the tone of my skin every day with a light foundation. I have tried so many over the past few months and found these to be the best and most natural. I am very sensitive to smell and perfumes so the five listed below have a slight pleasant scent if any. Here are my favorites whatever your budget:

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua

Chanel finally came out with a super lightweight water-based foundation last spring and I think it is one of their best new products. The ultra-fine and oil-free fluid feels like a second skin and blends easily. It is available in 10 shades and contains SPF 15.

Buy Now, Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua, $45

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20

Laura Mercier is a cult favorite and I must admit I am one of their biggest fans when it comes to natural-looking foundation. Even though the name says tinted moisturizer, this superb formula has coverage and evens out the skin perfectly. I like both formulas depending on the season (oil-free and regular). This foundation also has SPF 20.

Buy Now, Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20, $42

Sue Devitt’s 70% Triple Seaweed Gel Foundation

The Triple Seaweed Foundation is an oil-free gel formula that evens out skin imperfections and offers an instant healthy glow. I like that it is super lightweight and 70% water based so you can layer if for more coverage as needed. Also, visibly reduces the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines–just love it!

Buy Now, Sue Devitt 70% Triple Seaweed Gel Foundation, $38

L’Oreal Visible Lift Instant Age-Reversing Foundation

For a lightweight and soft foundation, L’Oreal’s Visible Lift is a great product, especially for the price. It protects your skin with SPF 17 and evens out skin tone. Plus, it comes with a brush applicator and is easy to apply!

Buy Now, L’Oreal Visible Lift Smooth Absolute Instant Age Reversing Foundation, $15.95

Revlon PhotoReady

Revlon PhotoReady foundation gives you picture-perfect skin without caking and feels light on the skin. It can be found at your local drugstore but feels like expensive department store make-up.

Buy Now, Revlon PhotoReady Makeup. $13

 

 

 

 

Ask Melissa: Favorite Primer & Foundations

I’m 55 years young with uneven skin tone, age spots and small veins. Is a primer really necessary? If so, what is the best foundation, liquid or mineral, and which brand would you recommend?

I really like using a primer under my foundation as it smooths out and prepares the skin for make-up application. My favorite primer is by Laura Mercier–it has the perfect consistency and it really fills in lines and wrinkles for smoother skin appearance. I like Sue Devitt’s Triple C-Weed Whipped Foundation for medium to full coverage. It’s oil-free formula has a whipped texture that evens out skin imperfections while locking in moisture at the same time. Minimizes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles too. -Melissa

Buy Now, Laura Mercier Primer, $30

Buy Now, Sue Devitt’s Triple C-Weed Whipped Foundation, $40

Have a question for Melissa?

A Day in the Life of Pamella Roland

Pamella Roland debuted her namesake collection in 2002.  The line, best known for its saturated color palette as well as precise and flattering cuts, has been a bestseller ever since.  Hollywood’s elite, including Angelina Jolie, Hilary Swank and Jennifer Garner, are known to be fans.  Roland plays a major role in every facet of the business, from the creation of each piece, to the direction of the global sales effort.  Here, she gives us insight into what her jam-packed typical day consists of.  Game on!

8:15 am: Rise and shine; just arrived back in New York after a few days at my summer home on Lake Michigan—sent a good morning text to my husband, Dan, my son and my two daughters.

8:30 am: Take Manolo (my dog, not the shoe designer) for a short morning walk.

9:00 am: Pilates—great way to kick off my day.

10:00 am: Grab a smoothie and head next door to the Paul Labrecque Salon & Spa to have a blow-out.

10:30 am: On my way to my showroom; check-in with my assistant to go over my day and pressing items; listen to a CD with music ideas for our presentation during the ride.

11:00 am: Meeting with my design team to go over the status of all looks for Spring ’12—still quite a bit of work to do, but things are coming together!

12:00 pm: Meeting with my Sales Director to get an update on Spring ’12 Market appointments in New York, RSVP list for our presentation, Fall awards season/red carpet, and Paris market appointments in October.

12:30 pm: Meet with lead artist from Laura Mercier to confirm makeup direction for our Fashion Week presentation.

1:00 pm: My good friend, fashion photographer, Nigel Barker, stops by to discuss details of a new sizzle reel, shooting photos at our Fashion Week presentation, and our Spring look book shoot.

1:30 pm: Eat lunch at my desk—salad and raspberry iced tea from Mangia; check my many e-mails simultaneously.

2:00 pm: Catherine Bove from Chopard stops by to discuss which pieces we will use for our presentation.

3:00 pm: Send a tweet, update our blog, and post on Facebook regarding pre-show preparations.

3:30 pm: Text my son to see how school and hockey practice went.

3:45 pm: Call my daughter, Sydney, to see how her day went at Hope College.

4:00 pm: Have a small Amway Nutrilite snack bar to tie me over until dinner.

5:00 pm: Conference call with my PR team to go over notes for this season’s collection release.

6:00 pm: Call with our music consultant, Kevin Edwards, to go over the tracks I liked from the CD he sent over.

6:30 pm: Fittings with my design team and several of the models we have already confirmed for the presentation.

7:15 pm: Have a latte for some energy.

8:00 pm: Join a couple members of my team at Park Avenue Summer for dinner; recap various meetings from today and discuss what we have going on tomorrow.

9:30 pm: Get a call from some friends who want to meet for a drink at SoHo House—I shouldn’t, but I join them for a nightcap; on the way I call my daughter, Cassandra, to see how things went at the law firm today.

11:00 pm: Back in the car heading home to my apartment; call home to say my good-nights to my husband and my son.

11:30 pm: I finally have time to finish going through my e-mails, just to wake up and have many more!

11:45 pm: Call my mother as she has e-mailed me several times today—I get my night owl ways from her.

1:00 am: Lights out, but I still flip channels for a bit to wind myself down from a busy day.

Pamella Roland collection is available at Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom.

Lindsay Brooke Weiss (Cohen) is a fashion and accessories editor and on-air style expert. She was previously Haute Living’s editorial director, Niche Media’s fashion and accessories editor and fashion editor for L-Atitude.com. Lindsay has been a frequent contributor at styledon.com and is a regular guest stylist on NBC’s “Gossip Gram.” For more articles from Lindsay, check out her site!