Many of us may still be bundled up against the elements, but there’s no question that spring is on the horizon. If you’re craving color, you’re not alone. This quick beauty guide to what’s hot right now will help you transition from the dark colors of fall/winter to the sorbets and neons of spring/summer.
We asked a few of our favorite beauty bloggers–a group of make-up masters that have swatch-tested, sampled and reviewed the best the cosmetic counter has to offer–to share their NM Beauty Award ballots. First up, Dallas-based beauty blogger Karla Sugar.
Beauty Blogger Karla Sugar
Best Moisturizer
Kate Somerville skincare. It’s hard to pick just one favorite from her line; everything I’ve tried does exactly what it promises. But if I had to choose, I’d say Deep Tissue Moisturizer — it’s given me the skin I didn’t appreciate when I was younger.
Tom Ford and model Laura Stone grace the season's campaign, a statement of all-out glamour.
Tastemaker, provocateur, film director and designer Tom Ford recently added beauty products to his repertoire. Since he already designed couture, men’s wear, accessories and fragrance, makeup and skincare were the clear next step in the creating the ultimate Tom Ford experience. The Tom Ford face focuses on radiant, sexy skin, a flawless complexion, and sensuous, glamorous color.
Dallas-based makeup artist Russ Brouse demonstrated how to bring Mr. Ford’s vision to life, even on a daily basis.
Beauty blogger Karla Sugar wears the Tom Ford eye.
Chanel Illusions d'Ombre, $36
Collection after collection, Chanel has been sweeping makeup lovers off their feet this year, and Fall may be the brand’s strongest season yet. Credit the combination of technological innovation and the impeccable taste of Peter Philips, Chanel’s global creative director for beauty — Chanel’s Fall offering doesn’t miss a beat.
"Makeup Your Mind, Express Yourself" by François Nars
François Nars, the mastermind and creative genius behind NARS cosmetics, recently published Makeup Your Mind: Express Yourself, a makeup how-to manual. The book features before and after images — clean and made-up faces of all ages and ethnicities — with transparent overlays explaining the placement of each product.
Marcus Monson, national makeup artist for Guerlain, shows us how to get a radiant summer face in just 60 seconds.
Tom Ford — a man who holds the fashion world in the palm of his hand — first introduced Neroli Portofino as part of his Private Blend fragrance collection in 2007. This spring he launched the Neroli Portofino “spa” line: Shower Gel, Bar Soap, Body Scrub, Lotion, and Body Oil. Neroli Portofino smells like a page out of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Tender is the Night: a beach on the Riviera, ringed by blooming orange trees.
Brushes are to makeup artists what knives are to chefs. Le Métier de Beauté national makeup artist Ivan Castro shows us the tools of his trade.
Watch Giorgio Armani’s National Face Designer Francisco Zacarias explain the label’s Summer 2011 beauty look. Zacarias says the Armani summer face is all about nude lips and bold eyes, and for those scorching summer days he introduces us to two newly launched beauty innovations that beat the heat and avoid make-up meltdowns.
