Beauty Meets Fall

Fall is quickly approaching.

And when the sun’s toasty rays begin to cool, that’s when lots of cosmetic and hair design tastemakers find inspiration from the fall runways and derive their palettes from the luxe colors of the season’s foliage.

So whether you’re adding layers in Chicago and New York, or changing accessories in Miami and Los Angeles, here are five beauty trends to keep you glowing and gorgeous this fall.

No. 1  Heavy Metal
This season’s striking trend – the metallic eye.  For a simple statement, grab a metallic crème shadow that has a water-proof base or a dewy standalone.  Don’t be afraid to pair this with a smoky eye palette to make your eyes alluring. For the fearless, smudge more than one of the bolder, metallic shades along the lash line to create that smoky look. Don’t forget to add a few coats of darker than midnight mascara.  For a simple alternative, dab a touch of bright gold or silver shadow to the inner corner of the eye.

No. 2 Red Hot
The red lip was one of the most prolific trends on the fall 2011 runways. While shade variations continue to reverberate throughout the year, true red is quintessential fall.  Texture is yours to play with, and there are some gorgeous formulas to explore.   Try a sheer, glossy red to pair with a smoky eye and nude cheek.

No. 3 Beauty’s Only Skin Deep
Great skin is always in fashion, and fall is a great season for renewing any damage done by the summer sun.  While it’s important to have a dermatologist check your sunspots and moles, some treatments can be done at home.  Try a daily, full-body facial, which will most certainly cost less than a day at the spa.

No. 4 Tease Your Tresses
Voluminous tresses are all the rage.  For women without an abundance of hair, use a serum that’ll lift, thicken and strengthen.  Many products will thicken your hair by up to 47 percent, which means every woman can have locks that would make a Victoria’s Secret model green with envy.

No. 5 You’ve Nailed It
Nails used to be an afterthought in the fashion industry, but today no designer would put on a show without consulting a top nail artist.  A wide variety of trends are roaming the runways this fall, ranging from wild animal prints to gorgeous opaque cream polish – nails adorned with what appears to be rock candy.  Step outside the box. You might be surprised how sweet it can be.

Rachael Perrin is a makeup artist and studio hair stylist with Artists by Timothy Priano and The Bridal Team Chicago.  An admitted product junkie, Perrin’s work has been recently published in Cosmopolitan, Maxim, Good Housekeeping and Grace Ormonde Wedding Style, and a number of European publications.