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Valerie Monore - Jonathan Skow, O magazine

Truth In Beauty: Val Monroe On Retinoids

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O magazine beauty editor Val Monroe reveals how she stays looking fresh.

Valerie Monore - Jonathan Skow, O magazineSAVING FACE | Look at that fabulous face. Can you believe that Val  Monroe, the beauty editor at O: The Oprah Magazine, just turned 60? Last month, when Monroe revealed to readers that she was becoming a sexagenarian, jaws dropped everywhere. I’d assumed that Monroe was in her late 40s. “She’s got to have had work done,” my girlfriend remarked when I showed her Monroe’s photo. “Either that or her picture was heavily photoshopped.”

“I can’t believe she’d do either of those things without telling readers,” I said. “Obviously, she’s had a great makeup job, but otherwise I think we’re looking at the real deal.” Read more

Lanvin for H&M

Lanvin For H&M: See The New Collection Right Now

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The fashion world is aflutter—Alber Elbaz of the House of Lanvin has introduced his exclusive collection for the House of H&M.

Lanvin for H&MCHEAP + CHIC | The most frequent criticism you hear about low-end couture, my term for the guest collaborations between haute couturiers and budget emporiums such as Target and H&M—is that it is never as creative as the designers’ “real” collections. Honestly, I don’t know why anyone would expect it to be. At the very least these retail lines—Alexander McQueen for Target, Sonia Rykiel for H&M, Jil Sander for Uniqlo—are more interesting and imaginative than a lot of ready to wear and almost always decently made. After that, any extra bit of originality is a bonus. Read more

Jessica Biel - Just Bitten Lipstain

Lip Stains: The Best Ones At Every Price Point

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Glamorous berry-stained lips are the fashion this fall. Allison Emery picks the top products that deliver the look.

Jessica Biel - Just Bitten LipstainThis fall the trend is smoky, metallic eyes and velvety smooth berry-stained lips. The look is very retro, yet classically cool. One of the great things about this look is that you don’t even need the dramatic eyes to pull off the sexy, colourful lips. In fact, with a very glamorous lip colour, it’s better to keep the eyes soft and simple—neutral shadow, lightly smudged liner and mascara are perfect complements. Smoky eyes can be challenging, but trying a new lip colour is easy—all you need is the right product in a suitable shade. The easiest (and surprisingly affordable) option is lip stain. Read more

Reese and the blush/lipstick ratio

Blush Buyers Guide + Our Top Product Picks

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What you need to know about buying and wearing blush, plus Allison Emery’s top blush picks.

Reese and the blush/lipstick ratioBlush is an essential part of a balanced make-up. In fact, the more make-up you wear, the more important it becomes, though blush also completes the colour story of even the simplest looks. It can be neutral, natural or glamorous. It gives life and health to any complexion, making us look well-rested and ready for the day ahead. Read more

Brighten Up: Our Fave Under-Eye Concealers

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“Help! What can I use to hide these dark circles under my eyes?”

Smashbox faceThis is by far the most frequently asked question I have encountered in my career in cosmetics. Dark under-eye circles can surface for a number of reasons —lack of sleep, stress, poor diet/nutrition—and for some of us they are hereditary. There are many treatments we can use to keep the darkness at bay such as eye creams and serums, as well as facial massage and even the classic cool cucumber slices.

Lucky for us, there are some excellent concealing products on the market, so regardless of our budget, we can look fresh and ready for whatever life brings. For best results, I highly recommend using eye treatments in conjunction with make-up solutions. Bright, well-rested eyes are always in style. Read more

Get Gorgeous With Sun-Kissed Tanners

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Our top three self-tanning products give your body a beautiful, healthy glow.

When we are tanned, we feel more attractive. Why? We are full of the sun’s radiance, making us feel happier, healthier and sexier. A tan can help minimize the appearance of spider and varicose veins, balance uneven skin tone and even help to camouflage cellulite and stretch marks. Unfortunately, prolonged exposure to the sun and UV radiation can cause wrinkles, brown spots, blotchiness, leathery older-looking skin and, in the worst cases, melanoma.  Lucky for us, we live in a world where we can achieve a tan in the comfort of our own homes, sans prolonged sun exposure. Read more

Mother’s Little (Hair Colour) Helper

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Virtually undetectable, hair crayons buy you time between trips to the colourist.

CHEAP TRICK | Dark roots with blonde tresses may be in vogue right now with glamorous evangelists like Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow flaunting them, but I am here to tell you that grey roots, as a deliberate style choice, will never be in fashion. Not now, not ever.

So what do you do with the grey in your hair? You could go all Patti Smith and let it show (an idea that does seem to have legs right now, if you read The New York Times beauty pages last Sunday)—or cover it up completely. For those choosing the latter and dealing with the unremitting tide of grow-out, there are two excellent and inexpensive stop-gap products to buy you extra time between dates with the colourist. Read more

Mineral Makeup Is Magic

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Who couldn’t use affordable, flattering, virtually undetectable foundation?

Mineral-MakeupEvery day people ask me, “What’s so great about mineral powders?”

Mineral makeup has an amazing affinity with the skin—it looks like bare skin but better. It is non-comedogenic (will not block pores) so even the oiliest, acne-prone skin can use it. There are no talcs, filters, chemicals or dyes in the product, and there is virtually no risk of allergy so even the most sensitive skin can use it. In fact, mineral powders contain zinc oxide, an anti-inflammatory, which soothes and helps to reduce skin sensitivity. Mineral powders tend to wear extremely well and are quite water-resistant so won’t run. Depending on the type, concentration, and quality of the minerals used, mineral powder can also act as a physical sunscreen. Read more