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As I always say, makeup is an art; a form of expression. You definitely don’t have to wear it, or follow trends. I believe in being individual, and doing what makes you happy and comfortable.

I definitely want to acknowledge the bravery Alicia Keys showed in going makeup-free to the VMA’s. It was truly refreshing to see a woman do something that seems so taboo, to uncover her flaws so publicly, and show that it doesn’t make her less of a person. It’s quite empowering and beautiful, so kudos to her, for hopefully inspiring women all over the globe to love themselves in their natural form! All that being said, lets discuss some trends that appear to be popular around this time.

Natural Skin Appropriately enough, natural skin is in! So if you want to go makeup free, go ahead and embrace the movement! If you do however, choose to wear a bit of makeup, the trending skin _ nish is neither matte, nor dewy. It’s a just that; a natural finish that isn’t overly powdered, highlighted, blushed, bronzed or contoured.

Think of how quick your routine can become, if you skip all these steps!

Copper Eyeshadow Copper is such a beautiful hue. It contrasts blue and green eyes, making them pop. Brown eyes will also sparkle with copper tones, in a more subtle, tonal way. Try sweeping the shade all over your eyelids and blend any harsh lines away with a fluffy brush.

Peachy Tones Peach is such a soft, romantic shade. It usually screams Spring, and is typically not a shade you’d ever associate with Autumn/Winter. So seeing it on the runway was quite refreshing. Try it on your eyes, lips or cheeks! A matte peach eyeshadow can be quite brightening. Likewise, it can really perk up the complexion when used as a blush, or create a soft, natural flush when used on the lips.

Glitter on the Eyes I know that glitter probably makes you think of children’s makeup or Carnival, but there is a wearable, grown up way to do this trend. Using a fine, cosmetic grade glitter and a glitter primer, apply a small amount to the centre of your eyelid. Not too much, but just enough to draw attention to the eyes with its subtle sparkle. My favourite glitter for this technique is Makeup Geek’s Sparklers.

Black Liner We saw quite a bit of black eyeliner, either in the form of graphic shapes, classic wings or really inky, smudged liner. For an easy, but edgy approach, rim both your top and lower waterline with the darkest, black eyeliner you have, and blend it with a cotton bud or a pencil brush to create a rocker-chic, smoky effect. I like Marc Jacobs’ Highliner Gel Crayon in the shade “Blacquer”. If you have steady hands, a cat eye will create the most piercing gaze, especially for a night out.

Red Pout Red lips never go out of style. We saw a lot of stained, red lips on the runway this season. It was effortless, kind of imperfect; it looked as if it could have been thrown on after a gym workout.

The overall look was bare faced, and just bitten, red lips. Try dabbing your favourite colour on with a clean finger, as opposed to using a brush.

The warmth from your finger will help the lipstick to melt and blend easily onto your lips. You can then blot off any excess moisture with a tissue, creating a long-lasting stain.

Almost Black Lips Think of deep, saturated colours, bordering black; rich eggplant, black cherry, deep plum.

It’s a modern take on gothic, and is quite vampy, edgy and not for the faint of heart! My pick is Nars’ Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in the shade Train Bleu.