Crush with Eyeliner: Painted Ladies

by Beth Hammarlund

Yes, I am also, like, totally bummed that summer’s ending. But I will take cold comfort in the arrival of fall, the best of all fashion seasons. (I’m hopeful that Minnesota will have another amazing autumn, like the one we had last year. But more likely we’ll be buried in snow by October and Halloween will be cancelled. Sigh.) And with the new season come the new trends in beauty. There are some fairly predictable trends for fall, many of which tie into some of the fashion trends I mentioned in this week’s edition of String Theory. Think metallics, deep rubies, goth eyeliner, and ornate appliqués on eyes and nails. But my two favorite trends of the season are pleasant surprises that I did not see coming: the ombré lip and the trompe l’oeil lash.

Vampy lips often make a strong showing for fall, and this year they made delicious appearances at Viktor & Rolf, Bottega Veneta and Rochas. But the truly enchanting experimentations were on display at Gucci, Nina Ricci, and best of all, Basso & Brooke. All three included an ombré effect, which transitioned from rich reds to dramatic wines. Gucci’s interpretation featured a satiny burgundy lip with deep ruby highlighting the cupid’s bow and the center of the lower lip. Nina Ricci’s rendition played with a reverse effect, with lips lined in a heavily pigmented cherry, blending into a vampiric berry. An excellent option for anyone who’s still really into True Blood. (I’m more of a Vampire Diaries girl, myself.)

But my favorite incarnation by far was the hyper-matte mouths at Basso & Brooke. Starting with a deep eggplant at the lip line, they dramatically transitioned to a bright vermillion at the center. The finish was velvety soft with zero shine.

As for the eyes, I’m a sucker for anything with a trompe l’oeil effect, so the painted-on lashes at Jean Paul Gaultier immediately caught my attention. Part creepy baby doll and part Alex from A Clockwork Orange, the effect is both daring and whimsical. Instead of being drawn on with liquid liner or fine pencil, the way that painted eyelashes often are, Gaultier’s version featured a smoky eye that eschewed the the typical gradient of color to the browbone in favor of feathered spikes of black shadow that extended up almost to the eyebrows. The lower lid was also smudged with a messy application of black shadow. Not for the faint of heart, but perfect for anyone who’s come to the conclusion that their typical layers of black eyeliner just aren’t goth enough.

If you’d like to try a less over-the-top version, take your inspiration from the Derek Lam show. Subtle flicks of brown shadow extended along the lower lash line, lending some retro sass to the show’s ’60s librarian vibe. It was an excellent alternative to the typical liquid cat eyes that tend to dominate shows with any retro references.

As much as I love both of these trends, I would not necessarily recommend wearing both of them at the same time. Unless you’re goal is to look like a broke-down Twi-hard doll, in which case, this is your jam.