Using eye liner is a simple way to add color that doesn’t require adding a whole lot of time or skill to your routine.  There are many varieties and formulas that you can use to spiff up your color collection.  There is, of course, the all too popular pencil.  Aside from that we now have creams, liquids, cakes and gels.  And who’s to say that you have to stop there.  Benefit used to make a deep magenta/red lip liner that I used to keep in my eye liner drawer.  I used it almost everyday and received so many compliments when I wore it.  I even turned a few friends onto that little trick.  Some companies even make a liquid transformer so that you can turn any eye shadow into an eye liner.  That one way to keep your liner uniquely you…

 Sometimes applying a thicker top line can make the eye appear too big or too small depending on the shape and lid space.  When you apply the top liner I recommend really trying to get it into the top lash line and keeping it as thin as possible.  Keeping the color in the lashline shouldn’t effect the size and shape too much.  So once you get it in there you can build the width and transform the eye from there if wanted or needed.

Unless you are applying a smoky eye I wouldn’t recommend being too heavy handed.  I prefer using pencil.  Another option is to color a little space on the back of your hand and use a smudge brush to wiggle that color into the bristles and then wiggle into the lash line for a natural finish…even with the most vibrant colors.  This technique can be used with gel and cream liners as well.  And keep in mind that applying a dark color on the inner rim may make eye apper smaller.  For a bigger and brighter eye use a white/very very light bluish white color on inner rim.

These are some of my favorite finds…

Urban Decay 24/7  Glide-On Eye Pencils

Laura Mercier Eye Liner

Smashbox Cream Eye Liner

Too Faced Starry Eyed Liquid Liner

Chanel Le Crayon Yeux Precision Eye Definer

Holiday gift sets are a fun and practical way to spoil your friends and family without breaking the bank.  If you utilize the holiday sales for self-gratification then you are still going to get much more ‘bang for your buck’ and you can just gift out what you know you wont use.   

Sephora Brand Flashy Liner Waterproof Gift Set are a high-value set of seven creamy, metallic, waterproof eye pencils that will make the perfect stocking stuffer.  It includes the best-selling shades of bold, radiant color that beam through any circumstances-rain, shine, and dance floors included.  This set contains 7 Flashy Waterproof Liners in Silver, Mauve, Copper, Brown, Blue, Green, Deep Black.  Each long-wearing, vivid shade glides on easily, so there’s less tugging on the delicate skin of the eye.  I have to say that these are among my favorite products in my makeup kit.  Use them to spruce up a colorful eye shadow or simply glide over a nude eye for a color-pop.

Holiday Stila Lipgloss collection is a collection of eight mini Lip Glazes that  give you non-stop shimmer and shine!  The collection features EIGHT shades four bestsellers and four brand new. Find the flavor to match your every look and mood in this must-have set that delivers lips with unprecedented high-wattage color and shine.  You get 8 for less than the price of 2.  What a deal!   

Smashbox Master’s Class GlamourEyes is a kit featuring shadows that complement your eye color and a step-by-step guide on how to achieve various eye looks.  This kit features an arsenal of eye-conic products that specifically cater to your eye color. An illustrated Get-The-Look guide walks you through the application process and breaks down intimidating eye looks. With the blendable shades and step-by-step lessons, even a makeup novice can shade it out like the pros.  There are kits for brown, blue and green eyes that include all of the nessecities for a polished eye. 

Sephora Favorites LashStash Mascara Deluxe features Sephora’s most “wanded” mascaras for the lash results you desire.  There is no need to wish upon a star this holiday now that Sephora is making all of your beauty-full dreams come true.  They have 5 gift sets with ten their favorite and best-selling products in each one.  This one comes with all some on my favorite and recommended mascaras.  Personally, I’m keeping this one for my pro kit.  It’s good to have on hand to get the natural lash or the ‘fly-trapper’ lash, water-proof lash or the colored lash. 

Sculpting the face is a technique that can chizzle cheek bones, narrow the nose and contour the overall shape of your facial structure.  When doing this you want to place a highlight on the parts of the face that protrude.  This would include your brow bones, forehead, top of the cheekbones and the bridge of your nose.  Then you’d want to define depth with a semi-matte/matte bronzer.  Place the bronzer just under cheek bones. (Place a finger beside your ear to feel your bone placement.)  Begin brushing the bronzer underneath and slightly onto the bone with a tapered fluffy brush.  Try not to pull it too far onto the apples of your cheeks.  Slenderize a round face by pulling the bronzer around your face to just above your temples.  Use a fantail brush to place bronzer to the sides of your nose to narrow your nostrils.  Using the same brush, try shading your jawbone to create sharper angles.  Be careful not to be heavy-handed otherwise you might create ‘muddy’ patches.  And be careful not to use bronzers with very much shimmer.  Doing so isn’t as glamorous as it may seem.  Use the shimmer bronzers as an accessory.  They work best when dusted over a finished makeup application. 

Mix and match these highlights and semi-matte/matte bronzers…

Smashbox Bronze Lights is a powder that adds sunkissed color to your complexion and enhances and protects your skin while creating a beautiful warm, matte glow. It’s packed with antioxidants and peptides (such as moringa seed extract) to boost the skin’s radiance. The silky matte brush-on formula ensures a natural looking color.

Fresh Satin Luster Face Palette is a pallette of weightless, creamy shimmers that instantly illuminate the skin. Enriched with rejuvenating evening seed oil and nourishing meadowfoam seed oil, these satin lusters create a soft iridescence that makes the skin look like it’s glowing from within.

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Soft Shimmer Bronzer is a luxurious powder bronzer with a unique oil-control complex that mattifies the skin and and warms the complection.

 Moon Beam by Benefit is an iridescent complexion enhancer.   It’s like a 40-watt light bulb for your face!  Searching for a highlighter that doesn’t turn ashy on darker skin tones can be quite a challenge.  Sisters…Seek no more! Swirl this beautiful creamy highlighter alone into skin or mix into your foundation for a glowing finishing touch. 

CARGO blu_ray(TM) Bronzer is matte bronzer created specifically for high-definition filming. It is a universally flattering shade of matte bronzer with a formula that can be easily layered for chiseled cheekbones and picture-perfect results. This bronzer is formulated with optical blurring pigments and photochromatic pigments that adjust with ambient lighting providing a natural finish day or night. The irregular particle size of the powder helps to scatter and diffuse the light, creating an optical blurring that gives the look of a softer, more refined skin texture.

Laura Mercier Mineral Illuminating Powder  contains pure pearl powder and a rich gemstone complex of diamonds, emeralds and other precious & semi-precious stones.  This highlighter reflects light and is the perfect complement to eyes, cheeks or face.  It’s discreet pigment infuses complexion with a warm radiance and has a weightless texture that enhances skin tone for a brighter, luminous look.

• Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion is a nude eye base in a cute little genie bottle that works like magic.  It’s the ultimate eye prep for smoother, more vibrant shadow and all-day wear, with absolutely no creasing. 
• Too Faced  Shadow Insurance is a different because it can be used as a matte or dewy finish.  Dab a little on the back of your hand and dip your brush in it before applying color to your brush.  It won’t ruin your makeup and it has a vivid finish when  used this way.  For a basic application with matte finish just pat on lid and place color afterward.  
• Laura Mercier Eye Basics has skin friendly ingredients that enhance the delicate skin on the eye lids, botanicals to soothe distressed lids, Vitamins A, E & C that provide anti-oxidant protection and Eye Bright the newest addition to the Eye Basics family offers anti-inflammatory and healing benefits.  This sheer, creamy texture blends easily and smoothly leaving a long-lasting semi-matte finish.  Use as a primer or alone to add a little color to your eyes.  Choose a shade that matches your skin tone.  
• Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer is made in one universal shade and increases longevity.  Create the perfect nude eye by applying over the lid for an even tone.  The exclusive formula contains Phytomoist, a plant-based hyaluronic acid for ultimate moisturization and amino acids for skin-smoothing benefits. Soft focus pearls help diminish the appearance of fine lines on the lids while the patented Qusome(R) delivery system ensures all ingredients penetrate the skin to deliver effective results. 
• Bare Escentuals Prime Time  has a gentle formula that goes on sheer and lightweight yet provides heavy-duty staying power for the most vibrant and lasting color.  The sheer, neutral tint doesn’t interfere with your favorite colors, while the bareMinerals-infused smoothing base keeps excess oil from affecting wear.  This formula is free of Parabens, Sulfates, Synthetic Fragrances, Synthetic Dyes, Phthalates.  Prime Time Eyelid Primer is allergy-tested by dermatologists. 

www.gialane.com

downgialane@gmail.com

www.modelmayhem.com/gialane

New York City is overrun with hot new designers. With prestigious schools like Parsons and FIT, it’s really no surprise.

Every year New York City gives thousands of talented young people the chance to make it big in the Fashion Industry.

But after graduating with honors, how does an up & coming young designer go about getting the exposure and publicity that they so desperately need in order to make that important break into the mainstream? (Other than hang out with Madonna of course!)

Much like the all important first step for a model is to become represented by a good agency, a young designer must find themselves a strong and energetic Showroom.

The Showroom serves several purposes:

1) They house the Designer’s “Collection”
2) They help to generate publicity for the Designer by lending the collection to various magazines and tv productions for shoots etc.
3) They help the Designer cast and come up with the general idea for their biannual fashion shows.
4) They solicit and entertain the buyers of top retail establishments.

Having worked with many showrooms over the years, I will admit to having my personal favourites. With their professional yet approachable attitude as well as their unique eye for spotting and representing fresh new talent, Showroom 30 is by far my first choice when I need to dress to impress!

Recently, I caught up with Ron Smith, head of Showroom 30, in order to ask him a few questions on what makes his showroom a cut above the rest…..

C: When did Showroom 30 open it’s doors and why?

Ron Smith: Showroom 30 opened in 2001. We wanted to provide young, emerging designers with the invaluable exposure and opportunities to showcase their designs to key industry persons which would otherwise be impossible if you were a start up label with no resources and no financing.

C: Well with having dressed such names as Paris Hilton, Brittney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Tyra Banks, and Faith Evans to name a few, you’re certainly doing that! Tell me, what criteria are adhered to when choosing to represent a new designer? Is there a particular style or feel?

Ron Smith: Showroom 30 seeks out talented designers, of course. But being that Fashion is a Business, Showroom 30 has learned that it is more important to seek out designers with a key sense of business and drive to succeed.

C: What can we expect from your designers this Fashion Week?

Ron Smith: This Spring 05, we’re representing 5 very hot and sought after designers! (Ms. Cheesecake, SYD, INDASHIO, Anat Ishai and Jedda Kahn) For this season, our designers have concentrated on Color! Lots of pink! And of course, the New Color, Yellow! Swimsuits are a big thing for us this season as well!

C: I can’t wait! Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about Showroom 30 and your designers?

Ron Smith: Our designers have obtained great recognition as well as a strong celebrity following quite rapidly. Although they may currently appear small compared to Donna, Calvin, and Ralph, I feel secure that they have the potential to be terrific leaders in the near future!

by Christie Heinrich
www.christiesbook.com

Showroom 30 is located in the heart of the Garment District at 566 Fashion Avenue (7th Ave.), Suite 706, New York, NY 10018.
They are able to be contacted via e-mail or telephone at 212 398-0899 / Showroom30@aol.com
HTTP://WWW.SHOWROOM30.COM

You can love ‘em or you can hate ‘em but you sure can’t ignore ‘em! Ugg Boots are a global rage this winter and while some swear by the style, others simply go “Ugh!” These sheepskin boots from Australia are the warmest and the coolest things ever. They come in four different styles- Classic Tall, Classic Short, Minis and Weave. The boots come with a rounded front and flat bases which is why they are an ultimate choice in comfort and luxury. The downy interior of the boots keeps feet warm and cozy while keeping foot-odor at bay and the premium leather allows for healthy ventilation and flexibility.

The Ugg boots have found loyal fans in celebs like Kate Moss, Pamela Anderson, Oprah Winfrey, Eva Longoria and Jennifer Aniston. Though the makers of the boots claim them to be equally suitable for summers, we do have some reservations about trotting around in fur-lined boots when the sun shineth bright. Though as comfortable and cozy as they are, it is extremely easy to go all wrong with the Uggs. Team them appropriately or you will end up looking like an Eskimo! Take a look at the celebs for some Ugg style tips.

There is nothing better than a pair of cozy Uggs to keep your feet warm this winter.

The term “Boyfriend Jeans” has become the talk of the town ever since Katie Holmes walked out in a baggy pair. As the new trend is slowly making its way to the runways, replacing the row-rise skinnies enroute, big-butted women from all across the globe are heaving a sigh of relief and keeping their fingers crossed. On the other hand, the floppy, oversized look has invited brickbats from the “propah” fashion brigade with designers like Tim Gunn mouthing his disapproval for this untrendy trend.

Fashion gurus from the world over whether a commoner can carry off this look with panache. I mean, Katie Holmes is Katie Holmes but how about an average woman walking around in a pair that ACTUALLY belongs to her boyfriend/husband? “Faux Pas”, you might scream. Contrary to the notion and the name, a “boyfriend jean” does not have to literally belong to a boyfriend. These pairs are specially designed keeping the female form in mind and are fitted at the hip but relaxed along the leg. Boot-cuts and flares do not work well with this look as the jean needs to be folded at the bottom to give out the “oversized” message along with a little glimpse of the ankle. Boyfriend Jeans can be paired with tomboyish vests, tees and feminine tops. The idea is to choose a clingy or fitted top so that you don’t go overboard with the “baggy” thing.

Several brands and stores have already come up with their own versions of the Boyfriend Jeans. These jeans are high on comfort, fun and style – a combination that you rarely come across. Grab one while the trend lasts!