iD has 12 different Chinese themed covers this month. These 4 are my favourite. The fabulous Terry Barber is the makeup artist behind the looks that commemorate the year of the dragon.

Every Boxing Day MAC brings out a new colour collection. The idea is to give their customers something new while most other lines are selling marked down gift sets. Not a bad idea really. The collaboration with artist and couture collector Guinness, is comprised of cool mauves, plums, and greys. Hyperion nail lacquer is a stand out for me, I love a blue/grey cream texture polish.

Available now in store and online at www.maccosmetics.com

Theatrical Brit designer Gareth Pugh, has collaborated with MAC Cosmetics on a limited edition collection. One of the best things about special edition collections is the packaging, and this one is particularly good! The shiny black cases with X’s, especially on the pigment pots looks very strong and dramatic.

The colour palette theme seems to be eggplant, navy, and champagne. I’m quite interested in the iridescent nail lacquers because those might be quite good for layering on top of opaque colours. The lashes are insane and look fabulous in the image. I’m currently shopping for a new makeup bag and this one might just do the trick.

The collection is available in North America November 23  and internationally in December.

As an advocate of major mascara, the spider lash makeup trend is one of my runway faves this season. The look is all about loading on mascara for extreme thickness, the clumpier the better.

For best results you obviously need a volumizing mascara preferably in jet black. A used mascara is going to get you the effect quicker than a brand new one, since there’s more air in a mascara you’ve been using for a couple of weeks. If you’ve just bought a new tube, try leaving the top off while you do the rest of your makeup to get a bit of air in the tube. Prep your lashes first with a lash primer to give extra length, and thickness.

Lastly your application technique is important too. For the first couple of coats work from the root of the lash and pull the brush through as normal. Then try using the wand perpendicular to really pile on the mascara from the tip of the wand.

1. Estee Lauder Sumptuous Extreme  2. Dior Show Maximizer 3. MAC Opulash Optimum Black

Images from style.com

The new bronzing sticks at MAC are this seasons solution to a fabulous sunless tan. There are 3 shades to choose from, one with shimmer called gilty bronze, and 2 without–tan-tint, and billionaire bronze. In typical MAC style the pigment content is very high. If you have fair skin I would avoid swiping the product across your cheeks, they’re way too dark to do that. The texture is creamy and blends out nicely with a brush. Air on the side of caution and put the product on the brush, and then apply to the face. Alternatively dab it on the face from the tube, and blend out.

The obvious comparison to the MAC Bronzer Stick is NARS’ Multiple. The MAC version as I mentioned is more pigmented and the texture is slightly tacky compared to the NARS one. If you’re looking for a bronzy look then the Skinsheen Bronzer definitely does the trick.

Last week we finally surpassed our goal of 500 Twitter followers. Thanks to everyone on Twitter for your numerous retweets. As promised we did our random giveaway, and the lucky winner of over $500 worth of product, and brushes is @koko_gonzalez!!!

Since we had so much support, and we love giving free stuff away our next giveaway will be in the new year. Look for upcoming details @smudgestyle.com.

I recently heard of Lloyd Simmonds while at a MAC Master Class on Spring runway trend. Simmonds created the look for the Blumarine SS10 show in Milan. Tanned, sculpted faces with gold highlights and dark black eye pencil smudged around the entire eye. Lips were a tan coloured gloss. Since this is one of my signature looks, and I enjoy Blumarine having worked on that show myself in the past, my interest was piqued! Apart from runway shows Simmonds has created beautiful work for magazines such as Vogue Nippon, i-D, Numéro, Mixte, and Flair.

Images from models.com & l’exposure.net

It used to be my tradition that on each beach vacation I took, I would get some sort of temporary tattoo. There was always a tourist trap by the beach in Waikiki or Barcelona where an old woman would carefully apply some sort of henna or black ink design to my leg. When I saw the tattoos at Rodarte, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Chanel I thought these are a major upgrade from my seaside tats! James Kaliardos and MAC Senior Artist Chantel Miller were the master minds behind the Rodarte designs. Inspired by East LA gangs and tribal art, the models wore full sleeved hand drawn tattoos. Along a similar gangster theme at JPG the models had their own names stencilled on them in gothic script. Chanel went a softer route using flowers, pearls, the “C” logo, and birds to adorn the girls bodies.

You can purchase the Chanel tattoos here: Chanel “les Trompe l’oeil” Tattoos

Images from Style.com

It is virtually impossible to recreate some of the looks we have shown on our blog without the right tools. I love brushes and as a make-up artist I own hundreds, but for most people a starter set of five will do quite nicely. One thing I will say about brushes is that they are worth the investment. While you can often get away with spending less on a lipstick or eyeshadow a cheap brush will not perform, or last as long as one you spend more money on.

Brushes can be natural or synthetic or a blend of both. The important thing is the shape and texture, soft brushes pick up and apply less product and are good for blending. Stiff brush pick up and apply more product these are good for powder and cream products.

From left to right:

1. Powder or Blush-a medium size dome shaped brush made of goat hair is the perfect size to double for powder or blush.

2. Tapered Eyeshadow-a soft haired paint brush shape is ideal for blending eyeshadow through the crease of the eye. Or dusting eyeshadow all over the eye for a subtle blended look. It’s also very good for blending away hard lines so your eyeshadow looks more diffused.

3. Flat Shader-This type of brush is good for powder or cream products. Most companies carry a small or large version, choose according to the size of your eyes. It can be used on the eyes to create intensity because of the shape and density of the hairs. For example to achieve strong colour on the eyes you would pick up the colour on the flat side and press it against the eyelid.

4. Angled Brush-This brush is a definite must have. It can be used with powder, cream, or liquid products to define eyebrows or for eyeliner. Make sure you examine the angle on the brush before buying. The hairs should be tight together along the angle and not too wide.

5. Foundation Brush-This flat brush is for applying liquid or cream foundation. Because it is quite dense it will pick up alot of product, if you are heavy handed use with caution. You can achieve a very flawless finish with this type of brush, and unlike a sponge it will not soak up the foundation.

For tips on how to care for your brushes go to September 9th post on How Often Should I Wash My Brushes?

Red lips are everywhere! It seems like every beauty ad, tv show and award show are featuring women wearing red lipstick. With all of the 80′s trends that are so hot right now, the red lips make total sense. I don’t know if it’s because red is on my radar, but Blake Lively’s gorgeous red gown and Philip’s Lim’s Spring Summer 2010 collection — just to mention a few — make it seem like we’re going to be seeing a lot more red in the upcoming seasons. My 2 favourite red lipsticks this season so far are: Nars lipstick in Red Lizzard and MAC’s lipstick in Lady Danger. For a longer lasting red lip make sure you line your lips with a long wearing or waterproof liner like Givenchy’s lip liner in #07 Blackberry or MAC Cremestick liner in Red Enriched.

Images from style.com and justjared.com

Sleeping in your makeup is never a good idea no matter how tired you are. The quickest way to get a fresh face is with a makeup wipe, not to be confused with a baby wipe. The best wipes are alcohol free, and are made of soft yet durable fabric that can gently remove any trace of eye and face makeup. There are lots available and we especially like the ones by MAC and Boots NO.7 brand. For those of you who prefer a cleanser/make up remover, Shu Uemura High Performance Balancing Cleansing Oil Advanced Formula is fantastic. The benefits of using an oil based cleanser is that it will very quickly break down even the most tenacious water proof or long wearing make up — leaving behind makeup free, incredibly soft skin. A common misconception is that an oil based cleanser is not good for oily skin, but oil removes oil leaving a shine free complexion.

Leave it to Natalie Portman to look stunning as always with her perfectly pouted stand-out lips. I especially love how she paired the lips with just the right amount of flush on her cheeks and a more understated smokey grey eye. The whole look is well coordinated with her Lanvin dress at the screening of her new movie Love and Other Possible Pursuits at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival. To get the perfect shade of berry lips try the YSL Rouge Volupte in #22 Exquisite Plum with the MAC lip pencil in Vino.

Images from justjared.com

M.A.C. Cosmetics has collaborated with Jin Soon Choi, a New York based celebrity and editorial manicurist to create 6 new stunning colours for fall. Product has just hit the stores so make sure you get in there before they run out. Top Row: Cool Reserve, Dance All Night and Dry Martini. Bottom row: For Fun, Rich Dark Delicious and Beyond Jealous.

Now that we are well into Summer most of us are looking for a little refreshment.  MAC Fix+  is an amazing hydrating mist that is the perfect antidote for sweltering Summer days.  Packed with spring water to refresh, cucumber and chamomile to soothe, Fix+ can be spritzed onto the face before or after make up.  This is one of those products that you try once and it’s instant love!

Expert Tip: Spray directly onto the face before moisturizer for extra hydration.

It comes around every season. Can be seen on runways in all four of the fashion capitals. It’s the smoky eye. This seasons adaptation is imprecise, melted, and pillow smudged. Always dark, sooty with a lived in look. At Cavalli the melted look was achieved by applying Nars Cream Eyeshadow in Zardoz over the top of a pencil. Waxy kohl liners are perfect for recreating a slightly imperfect look. Backstage at Temperley London we used MAC Smolder Eye Kohl, and cream based shadows to give the girls an edgy yet glam look. Finish the look with flawless skin and a beige nude lip as seen on Mary Kate Olsen. This is your recipe for a hot summer look!

Images from style.com