Lauren Conrad in NYC: 5 Days, 6 Looks, 1 Signature Style

I just returned from a week of fashion shows and concerts in New York with Lauren, who unfortunately was pretty under the weather and battling the flu. But with the aid of our favorite mark. products and her fighting spirit, no one could tell! (Thank heaven for mark.!!)

We wanted to create looks that were her (now-famous) signature style: winged-out black liquid liner, glowy & bronzed apricot cheeks and nude lips, but add a few variations to mix it up. The look above was for VH1's Diva's concert so I added extra diva-drama with a thick & extended black line on her lower lash line (I used mark Get In Line in Painted Black that is her staple go-to product for her cat eyes, but this time used it on the bottom as well.) A trick to liquid liner is to steady your elbow on your vanity so the only pivot action comes from your wrist. Start with a thin line in the inner corners then press down a little harder as you extend the line outward (making the line thicker), ending a couple millimeters passed the eye.

For the 3.1 Phillip Lim show, I accented the inside corners of her eyes with i-Mark Custom Eye Shadow in Nomadic. Using a small eye shadow brush, dip it in the powder, press it gently in the inside corner of your eye in a circular motion then drag it 1/4 outward along your lower lash line:




For the Nanette Lepore show, I used Eyemarker Color On Line in Jet along her lower lash line. Draw a line like a marker starting at the outside corner of your lower lash line and end 3/4's inward:




For the Rebecca Minkoff show, I used Metalliner Eye Glam in Blue Chrome along her lower lash line. Again, sweep it like a pen in the method described above:




For the MTV VMA's, she wanted an all-nude matte face illuminated with hints of shimmer so I used Bronze Pro Bronzing Powder in Pro Glow and Dew Drenched Moisturlicious in Skinny Dip:





We also worked on an amazing photo campaign for mark. cosmetics featuring a few new products that you're going to DIE for (stay tuned!). Here's a shot from the m.Powerment campaign where I used Glow Baby Glow lip glosses in m.Powerment Peach and m.Powerment Gold (that Lauren and I helped develop with mark. and turned out to be soooo gorgeous!). 100% of the net proceeds go to the m.Powerment philanthropic initiative to break the cycle of dating abuse and partner violence:




Here are the mark. must-have products for Lauren's signature red carpet look that I have used on her religiously for two years:
Speedway in Honey all over the face, Glow Xpert in Candle Glo as a highlighter above her cheekbones, Get Bright Highlighter in Natural under her eyes and accenting the brow bone, Bronze Pro in Pro Golden to support her cheekbones, on her temples, along her hairline and under her jawline, a combination of Good Glowing Mosaic blush in both Love Rush and Hush Baby on the apples of her cheeks, Winkstick in Demure all over her eyelid, Get in Line Waterproof Liquid Liner in Painted Black along her upper lash line, winged up and out, a couple coats of Make It Big lash plumping mascara in Raven, Mini Mark-It Stick for Lips in Goldie Pearl all over her lips followed by a coat of Juice Gems in Juicy Fig.



Remember that make-up is temporary and if you mess up (applying liquid liner), merely wipe it off and try again! I promise if you practice you can definitely master it. Lauren applies mark. Get in Line liquid liner by herself 7 days a week! If you think it might take you a few tries, use mark. On The Edge liquid liner in Cleo because it isn't waterproof like Get In Line and easier to wipe off until you get it perfect. I had a blast on this trip with Lauren and I hope you have fun re-creating her looks.

All photos courtesy of WireImage and mark. Cosmetics.

Bright Red Lips

Last night Jacinda Barrett and I paid homage to old Hollywood allure at the premiere of Whiteout with a bright red lip color and I love how it turned out! Anyone can add instant glamour with a coat of red lipstick, as long as you keep everything else understated (I used a simple champagne powder on her lid, a nude blush and a few individual lashes). Jacinda is wearing Estee Lauder Double Wear Lipstick in Stay Scarlet. I feel confident sending my clients down the red carpet wearing it because it has 12-hour staying power and won't fade. If you're not comfortable wearing a true red, stop by a make-up counter and work with a specialist to decide if you need a blue-red (for cool undertones) or an orange-red (for warm undertones). Or next time you're at your friend's house, play with her reds... force yourself to get up the nerve to wear it out just once and I swear you'll be hooked. Just promise me you won't pair it with a smoky eye... ;-)





All photos courtesy of WireImage and Estee Lauder.