Are you ready for this? A recent poll by UK retailer Superdrug showed that the average woman spends approximately $15,000 on makeup in her lifetime. Now I love lipstick more than your average chick, but $15,000? That's like an apartment deposit. Or enough money to have the same luggage set as Beyoncé (Louis Vuitton, dahling.)
The stats:
The results show that a woman spends about 20 minutes doing her makeup each day. (That's 330 days out of her lifetime.)
According to the study, from the ages of 16 to 65, a woman shops for cosmetics about five times a year. Each time she'll spend roughly $43, equalling about $216 a year.
To break it down further, that's about $2,750 on eyeshadow, $1,780 on lipstick and $3,770 on mascara in total.
I have heart palpitations that I may spend nearly $4,000 on mascara. That's a LOT. Does it sound any less crazy to you? How much do you reckon you drop on cosmetics over the course of a year—let alone your lifetime?
The major trends to emerge out of Fashion Week are centring on picture-perfect skin and eye-catching shadow. Now, for someone who avoids full-lid shadow like the plague (Fab and I remain convinced that our eyelids are too big to cope with it) and opts instead to line my eyes, taking shadow right up to the brow bone à la Valentino A/W 2010 is a little daunting. I'm fine if it's a cream-based highlighter, but brown eyeshadow? I don't think I could do it, could you?
I keep staring at these photos of Gwyneth Paltrow at the 2010 Laureus World Sports Awards in Abu Dhabi last night thinking hmmmmm. She's looking more fresh-faced (read: bare-faced) than usual with only a few false lashes, a hint of kohl and some clear lip gloss. With her hair loose, save for two thin braids, it's a far cry from the red carpet hottie that we've come to know and love. On one hand, I feel like "Go Gwyneth," who says you have to be dressed to the nines at all times, but on the other I think, this was an awards show (just because it's sports, it still counts), step a little harder on the glamour gas, no? What do you think?
As I said yesterday, statement shadow has been the look of the season at Paris Fashion Week. Miu Miu served up this fun and funky take on the trend earlier this week and I, for one, happen to love it. You'll need a truckload of orange shadow beneath your lower lash line; try MAC Eye Shadow in Orange ($32); and then a violet pencil to line the top of your eye socket. Clarins Waterproof Eye Pencil in Violet ($34) is a good colour match. To keep all the focus on the eyes, hair was slicked back and secured in a high pony. Now I know you might be thinking that the look is more runway than reality, but try breaking it up a bit—do just the orange shadow or the violet liner. Trust me, you'll look hot. Do you love it like me? Or not so much?
Models loved the sexy, loose tousled hair they wore for Chloé Spring 2010 so it was a tough act for head stylist Guido Palau to follow this season. But the “gorgeous, bouncy hair” that he sent down the runways certainly left me coveting. It screamed luxurious, almost-unobtainable glamour, ensuring that it'll top the list of lusted-after FW looks. The don't-touch-what-you-can't-afford hair needed two rounds of blow-drying for that movement, according to WWD. The style needed a “very finished” makeup look, according to head artist Charlotte Tilbury, which consisted of slate-grey eyes and an apricot-hued lip. I love the rich-girl look; what do you think?
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That's the question I've been asking myself recently. Because, in your eyes, Kristen Stewart’s the best thing since sliced bread.
I get it. I mean, Twilight, right. I've seen the movie. I've wanted to be Bella. (The other one.) But is her overwhelming popularity simply a by-product of us struggling to separate Miss Swan from Miss Stewart? Or is it a whole lot more?
On paper she's a young, attractive actress who has the world at her feet. She's part of the biggest franchise since Harry Potter; she's dating the world's most-lusted after man; designers are vying to dress her; makeup gurus are on-hand to primp her; yet still she's kept herself to herself, seemingly awkward with the spotlight shining so brightly on her.
Here you have a girl who wears Cons to an awards show, who has no issue with sporting a mullet, who has become the poster girl for pale. So is that it? Is it her refusal to bow down to Hollywood pressure, to be like everyone else, to be predictable; is this what makes us love her? You tell me, what is it about Kristen Stewart...
Tricky. There’s a general sense that you want to go home and do a Bridget Jones style overhaul but time is of the essence. If you’re stuck at work and have seven minutes before you absolutely-need-to-hop-in-a-cab for fear of being The Girl Who Stood Him Up, then you’re in the right place. Here’s what to do to your face . . .
Grab a face wipe; we’re going to start again. You don’t need to with Revlon PhotoReady Makeup ($36.95), it’s good enough to stay on all day, but this will just make you feel fresher. Now, you needn’t worry about looking cakey, this foundation features photochromatic pigments and a light diffusing formula which to you and me means ace, yet invisible coverage. He’ll be none the wiser.
Keep reading . . .
I really don't know how Karl Lagerfeld does it. As well as being Creative Director for both Chanel and Fendi, he has his own label and he's a photographer. Not to mention an A-list bestie. Lindsay Lohan, Alexa Chung, Vanessa Paradis and Beth Ditto showed up to his Paris shows. The Karl Lagerfeld collection, which debuted first, featured giant, teased up 'dos, crafted in the style of Brigitte Bardot (again?), pvc-style headbands and Fab's favourite lip shade, MAC Lady Danger, which was given a glossy finish with Clear Lipglass. Chanel A/W '10 also featured high-drama hair, but it was styled into a mushroom shape. Against the glacial backdrop, the models' dark eyes captured your attention. The Chanel smoky eye featured smudged, almost haphazard application of black/grey shadows that were extended up and out towards the brow bone and temple and liner in adjacent angles of the eye. It certainly looked eerily stunning. Which look do you prefer: Karl Lagereld or Chanel?
Hot on the heels of Christian Dior's gorgeous orange and pink eyes, YSL and Givenchy cemented the statement eyeshadow trend that is sweeping Paris Fashion Week. YSL sent models down the runway with pink extended up to the brow bone, while over at Givenchy, makeup extraordinaire Pat McGrath matched the eyes to the red lip. The no-brow brow look was back, leaving all the attention on the coral-red eye. Which means ladies, that it's time to bust out your red, orange and pinks and create a little eye-catching attention of your own, no?
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The ebony wigs that graced the A/W '10 Lanvin catwalks reminded me of Selma Blair's hair from back in the day. I guess they're also like Cleopatra-meets-Leigh-Lezark-meets-Mr-Shine. I like them. Which is bad. I'm meant to be embracing my Alexa/Kate Beckinsale hair, not coveting my long-lost fringe. Luckily I don't have nearly as much desire to turn myself into a "mannequin," the term that Pat McGrath used to describe the makeup look. Personally I'd say goth smoky eye summed it up better. Do you like it? How about the wigs? Do tell . . .
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