The new makeup trends: Nude and natural with a touch of glamour

THE EXPERT

Susie Lee, 31, a former art teacher– turned–makeup artist who works with Ford Chicago

 

FACE  

For the season’s visage, the look is sheer and matte; time to put away the Technicolor brights of spring. Lee starts by thoroughly hydrating the skin with moisturizer and by applying an SPF. Then she moves on to a primer, like the one made by Smashbox. “Primer is a new step well worth taking. It will help fill fine lines and pores and gives makeup a smooth, flawless finish.”

For foundation, Lee has been working with bareMinerals—a mineral-based powder foundation. “Yes, it’s the one from the infomercial,” Lee says, “but I love it for shoots and myself, and yes, it really works!”

THE PRODUCTS Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer in Clear ($36) and i.d. bareMinerals SPF 15 Foundation ($25) at Sephora, 845 N. Michigan Ave. and other locations; sephora.com.
LIPS  

For day, simple and nude. “This looks best with the drama of a smoldering, smoky eye,” Lee says. And while many runways showed nude lipstick for fall, the result can often look overly matte—and flat. Lee remedies this with a pale nude gloss. “One with a little shimmer makes this feel new,” she says. 

For evening, try a true red lip, with a touch of gloss on top. Says our expert: “Remember, you have to check in on red every few hours to be sure it isn’t in the creases or on your teeth. It looks best when it is fresh, full, and tidy.”

THE PRODUCTS Nars Lip Lacquer in Diablo ($23), Nars Lipstick in (1) Promiscuous ($23) and Flamenco ($23) at Barneys New York, 25 E. Oak St. and other locations; 312-587-1700. C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Shine #1136 in Neutral ($7.50) at C.O. Bigelow Apothecary, 845 N. Michigan Ave.; 312-642-0551. (2) Bobbi Brown Shimmer Lip Gloss in Stonewashed Mauve ($19) at Bloomingdale’s, 900 N. Michigan Ave.; 312-440-4460.
CHEEKS  

Sunny tan and warm beige. “If you need a little lift in the pale of winter, you could go brown with a hint of peach or pink,” Lee says. “It is hard to create a whole new routine, so think about what makes you most comfortable and feel pretty, and go with it.”

THE PRODUCTS 
(3) Kevyn Aucoin Blush in Natura ($37) at Endoexo, 2034 N. Halsted St.; 773-525-0500, endoexo.com. Smashbox Blush in Aperature ($24) at Bloomingdale’s.
EYES  

Gray—and smoky. Lee recommends using three colors—a black, a charcoal, and a taupe brown—or choosing a palette with a sweeping range. The final touch? A little 1980s-inspired shimmer.

Lee starts by applying the gray from the lash to the crease. “Use the taupe color with a fluffy round brush and blend it in the crease a bit so there is no hard edge to the gray,” she says, “so it softens it just a bit.” Use a dark charcoal or black shade to line the eyes: with a flat brush, create a soft line on both top and bottom.

To highlight the brow bone, Lee uses an off-white or pale beige with a bit of shimmer. (She recommends keeping brows fuller and natural, not overplucking them.) With eyes starring as the focal point of the season, go the extra step with a lash curler. Finish with a healthy coat of black mascara.

THE PRODUCTS
(4) Bobbi Brown Stonewashed Nudes Palette ($50) at Bloomingdale’s. (5) Nars Duo Eyeshadow in Underworld ($31) and Nars Single Eyeshadow in Voyage ($21) at Barneys New York. Christian Dior Diorshow Mascara in Black ($23) at Sephora. Rubis tweezers ($29.95) at Beauty.com.

Expert Opinion

We peeked inside Susie Lee’s trusty makeup case, and found a few great products for fall—and a few for forever.

(1) BareMinerals Foundation

(2) “I really like the Nars Lip Lacquer [pictured in Diablo]. It is not super sheer; feels glam.  It is a great way to try red.”

(3) C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Shine

(4) Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer

(5) Diorshow Mascara in Black. “It is dense and helps thicken and lengthen lashes and is truly black. I believe everyone should wear black!”

(6) “I love the Rubis tweezer. It is one of my secret weapons.”