HI-STYLE PRESENTS: FALL 2014 BEAUTY TRENDS

p/c Stephanie Klein

Each runway season brings not only a new crop of fashion, but a whole slew of beauty looks - ranging from totally wearable to "only in a Miley Cyrus video." Designers let their Pat McGraths and their Gucci Westmans go hog wild with faux eyebrow piercings, eyelashes out to there, and glitter in places I didn't know were medically advisable. Models are transformed into whatever vision the designer has in mind, no matter how outlandish - I don't think Kendall Jenner has looked like herself since 2011.

This fall, we at HI-STYLE created six looks based on trends we saw walking both the runways and the streets - some wearable, some not so much. We tried 'em so you don't have to.

Now let's get lookin'!

HEAVY METAL

Metallics were big this season, and I mean BIG. Issey Miyake, Altuzarra, and Emporio Armani all went ham with overdrawn, flawless metallic eyes (and even matching lips at Rodarte). I usually steer towards warmer metals, but for this look I wanted cold, hard steel. 

I already had this Shu Uemura silver shadow, but I've found it can go on too sheer. For this application, I tried this NYX eye shadow base first - spread it on your lid as a primer and the color will be super pigmented wherever it lands! I used the pearl white shade to give the silver an extra boost of shine. 

Silver too tinfoil-y? Use a fluffy eyeshadow brush to lightly sweep black eyeshadow over your lids - it will minimize any unwanted blue effects and make the silver a little grittier. 

For my nails, I used another product that's been hiding in my bathroom - Revlon's Top Speed polish in Lily Chrome. Want to know exactly how long it's been in there? It's discontinued, that's how long. In fact, there are whole message boards dedicated to finding dupes for this polish! For a chrome that will dry just as fast as this one but is actually available, try Sally Hansen's Insta-Dri in Silver Sweep. 

PRAIRIE CHIC

This is one of the simplest looks you are going to see this season. MKS likes to call it "baby perfect nothingness"- which describes it to a T. I have spent my entire adult life trying to master this look. During the day, I never leave my apartment with more than a swoosh of mascara, some eyebrow gel and a little lip color. Which is exactly what this look aims to be. It is inspired by the runway look from Isabel Marant and it can be yours with just a few tools.

Start with a clean face; you want your freckles to be the star of this look (if you feel more comfortable with foundation then go for it!). I started by filling in my eye crease with a nude shade to add more depth. I followed that with a cream highlighter to my cheekbones. I tamed my brows with a clear eyebrow gel and finished it all off with a light pink lip.

This is going to be one of the easiest looks for you to play around with this season and it is flattering on all. The reason I say that is because the lip color is what defines this look. And that is easily changed by choosing a lip shade that bests fits your skin tone.  I have always been partial to pink, but if you are more of a red lips girl, then get a nice red gloss!

I paired this makeup look with simple braid - something that will always be "in." I flipped my hair to one side of my head and french braided along my hairline, starting at my ear. Once I got all the way around to the other side, I tied it off with an elastic and pinned it back. Remember to always start tight because you can always loosen the hair to give a more natural feel.

MEOW DU CHAT

Longing for Sixties school girl chic? How about that Edie Sedgwick sass combined with Audrey Hepburn mod class? And let's not forget Saint Laurent's Fall 2014 campaign that we all have been drooling over. Don't worry, we've got you covered. Never in my life have I so desperately wanted (scratch that, required) a velvet Peter-Pan collared dress, skimpy sequined minis, and knee high leather boots - I'm mad for mod. Donning the whole get-up isn't in the cards for me, but that doesn't mean I can't mimic the look. 

Sephora Eyelash curler, Benefit BAD gal mascara, Stila eyeliner

First, let's dive into those feline eyes. I'm an eyeliner pen girl through and through, always have been. Stila is my go to, I have never tried another brand. If it ain't broke, etc? I digress.

MKS did a killer photo tutorial, or if you are more of a video kinda gal check out Essiebuttons video tutorial. Either way, layer that eyeliner on there nice'n good. 

After, curl your lashes and throw on a few (several) swipes of mascara. I'm currently loving Benefit's BAD gal mascara because it gives me bold bodacious lashes without falsies. It is also a serious matte black shade. 

Voila! You're done. People are going to mistake you for a member of the Mod Squad all day.

L'Oreal Elnett hair spray

Now, on to turning that mop on your head into a fantastic bedhead-on-purpose do.

I washed my hair the day before so when I woke up in the morning I gave my roots a good spray with Batiste dry shampoo. The first thing you want to do is part your hair deep to one side, luckily for me deep to the left is the only part my hair will allow.

For that Sixties volume, take the hair from the back of your head or crown and tease it until you get a desirable amount of volume. I used a brush but there are such things a teasing combs if you prefer. Set that into place with L'Oreal Elnett hair spray, then take a section from either side of your head and pull them back right underneath the crown of your head. Secure both sides in place with bobbi pins. Spray the ends of your hair scrunching upwards to get a more tousled look. Remember, this does not need to be perfect because you are going for a just out of bed look!

Now all you need to do is throw on your best faux fur, those leather boots, and get groovin', baby! 

GLAMAZON

Personally, I've been feeling a Seventies vibe this fall - I'm talking Farrah Fawcett highlights, Halston body-skimming jersey dresses, and long camel coats from here to the floor. Add a turtleneck and some tall boots and I am good to go for fall. Beauty-wise, a heavy hand on the bronzer with just a touch of highlighter will surely bring out my inner glam. But a girl can't live in the past forever. For a more modern twist, a little bit of our favorite Brit bad-girl Cara Delevingne is in order - specifically, those famous brows of hers. 

My natural skin tone is as colorless as the driven snow, so to achieve this look I needed some help from NARS - their Laguna bronzer has saved my pale life more than once. I used a big brush all over my face and neck to get an even glow, then added highlighter along my cheekbones and the bridge of my nose.  

For the brows, I used a gel/powder palette from elf and a brow gel duo from Prestige. I brushed my brows a little outside the lines, but just on the top - too much extra on the bottom of the brow and you'll end up with Cro-Magnon eyes. A touch of Maybelline Kajal in brown along my lash-line, and the look is done.

It's a little bold for every day, but I could see myself wearing a lighter version for a night of grooving on a light up dance floor - Honeycut, anyone?

NUDIST

Between our girl Cara for Givenchy and Kendall Jenner for Marc Jacobs, bleaching the brows off beautiful women has practically become de rigueur for cutting edge designers. So obviously, we had to try it for ourselves. While we find actually bleaching anything a little...drastic, we may have found a way to make it more accessible to the everyday woman. 

The first step is to gather all things nude in your makeup collection. The most important thing is to use a waxy pencil concealer or light eyeliner to give something for the makeup to cling on to. Brush that through your eyebrows with a spooly brush and add your concealer/foundation until you have successfully hidden those beautiful brows. Finish it off with some clear brow gel to keep them in place and take a look in the mirror - I promise, it isn't as scary as you thought it was going to be.

I ended up really liking it. The best part was pairing it with my favorite-- a nude lip. Why not give this look a shot; it's fun and a nice change of pace to your everyday look.

WITCHY WOMAN 

Anyone who ever told you that dark lips were only meant for Halloween or other spooky costume parties was wrong. Fall is the season to don your best witchy lips, because hey, who doesn't have a little bit of goth in them? 

Topshop, Depth 

Topshop will forever be my safe haven when searching for out-there beauty trends that your typical drugstore won't necessarily carry. As expected, they did not let me down when I was on the hunt for that perfect beautifully plum lipstick this season. Not to mention that their lipstick formula is incredibly creamy and long-lasting. When it comes to sporting a darker/bolder lip I always like to keep it simple on the rest of my face, a little bit of eyeliner and mascara and you are good as goth. 

The only logical step with this goth look is to match your nails with your lips. Dark metallics are in this fall and Essie has the perfect color, Over the Edge.

Essie, Over the Edge

If you're not brave enough to dive directly into this dark of a lip, we suggest trying a berry or dark red. Or if you're feeling daring, go for the bold! We support you.

So which fall beauty trend will YOU be trying?