This season, makeup artists are shading the lips rather than slapping an even coat on the entire mouth. For example, at Proenza Schouler makeup artist Diane Kendal blended MAC lipstick in Charred Red with MAC eye shadow in Carbon. Then she dabbed the color on lips with her fingertips, applying with more intensity at the center of the lip. Check out this backstage shot of the makeup look.

Whether the inspiration for these bloody shades comes from America’s obsession with vampires or some other trend that will inevitably come and go, the fact is, cosmetic companies have churned out some fabulous dark lipsticks that are far from goth. Here are my lipstick picks that make this season’s bold lip ultra wearable and chic.

From left to right, Nars lipstick in Rouge Basque, Bobbi Brown Lip Color in Black Raspberry, Estee Lauder Pure Color Gloss Stick in Midnight Bloom, Guerlain Rouge G Lipstick in Gwen (69).

P.S. If you’re thirsting for a new red, head to Sephora. From now until September 15th, $1 of every qualifying red lip purchase, up to $25,000, will be donated in support of The Beauty Bus Foundation. It’s a Los Angeles-based non-profit that enhances the lives of homebound, terminally or chronically ill people and their primary caregivers by treating them to a day of beauty.

Hairstyle Personality Test

Consider this the Myers-Briggs test for hair and discover what your hairstyle says about you

This is a TotalBeauty.com hairstyles article

Wanna know what your ‘do says about you? Find out by taking this quiz — then see which hairstyling products you should use.

Take quiz

The lucky ladies who will be receiving a tube of Clarins anti-aging eye cream with SPF are: Tami, Duffi and Henley.

And the winners of $80 worth of anti frizz hair products from Phtyo are…Julie, Kathy, Jennifer and Joanna.

Congrats and Happy Labor Day!

Hence, I was so excited to introduce you to a celebrity best-kept secret and one of my favorite summer finds, Prtty Peaushun. Due to the overwhelming response to my post back in May, I couldn’t help but make this skin enhancer today’s FREEBIE! Can you feel the rush?

I’m giving 3 of you the chance to win your own body glow in your desired shade. Choose from light, medium, dark and deep dark. Just picture it: You’ll be shimmering as stunningly as the stars on the red carpet.

To enter to win this giveaway, comment on the post, follow me on twitter (twitter.com/NPTheBeautyGirl) and RT this message. Don’t forget to tell me which shade you want!

MAKEUP HOW T0

Nars cosmetics seemed to have a monopoly on the star makeup looks. Lea Michele, Keri Russell, Joan Allen and Julie Benz are just some of the celebs who entrusted their faces to Nars makeup artists.

To achieve Keri Russell’s soft, vintage makeup, Nars makeup artist Tina Turnbow said, “We wanted to give her look a classic feel to coincide with the vintage dress she’s wearing. Her warm skin tone and the coolness of the dress was the perfect combination for reflecting the same tones through her makeup: warm eyes, and a cool peachy matte lip. It’s flirty with a bit of sass.”

Here’s what Tina used on Kerri’s face:
PRO-PRIME Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base and Skin Smoothing Face Prep
Tzarine Duo Eyeshadow (NEW for Fall 2010)
Nuits Blanches Eyeliner Stylo, Douceur Blush (NEW for Fall 2010) topped with Desire Blush for a pop of color
Tashkent Pure Matte Lipstick (NEW for Fall 2010).

“Glee’s” Lea Michele was the belle of the bell, stunning from head to toe in her Oscar de La Renta gown. Nars makeup artist Melanie Inglessis used many of the same products that Keri wore to create Lea’s retro makeup look (the new Tzarine Duo Eyeshadow and Tashkent Pure Matte Lipstick are two of my fall must-haves).

“My inspiration was the era of the 60’s. I thought of Raquel Welch and Bridget Bardot: the winged eye, the nude lip. The dress is so classic, so we wanted to be adventurous with her eyes– giving a dash of color – and kept the lip nude,” said Inglessis.

Here’s what it takes to copy Lea’s Look:
PRO-PRIME Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base & Skin Smoothing Face Prep
Douceur Blush (NEW for Fall 2010)
Tzarine Duo Eyeshadow (NEW for Fall 2010)
Palladium Soft Touch Shadow Pencil (NEW for Fall 2010)
Tashkent Pure Matte Lipstick (NEW for Fall 2010)

HAIR — HOW TO GET A SEXY DOWN ‘DO

You can’t talk about hair and celebrity without mentioning one of the biggest celeb hairstylists in the biz Mark Townsend. He was the man behind Reece Witherspoon’s banging red carpet appearance at the Golden Globes. At last night’s Emmys, he put the spotlight on sexy, flowy hair, working his magic on leading ladies Lea Michele and January Jones.

Lea Michele hit a high note with her hairstyle, which is great for a night on the town. “She wanted it to look touchable and super modern, and full hair with lots of volume and a bit of roughness was perfect against her flawless gown” said Townsend.

1. “The end-of-Summer timing of the Emmys is a perfect opportunity to play with color. Lea is still shooting episodes of “Glee” and we couldn’t do anything permanent, so I added in a few custom pieces of hair to add dimension and giver her removable highlights for the evening. The result was a golden/coppery effect throughout the ends of her hair.”

2. To give hair movement and lift, Mark used Dove Body & Lift Volumizing Mousse throughout damp hair and blow dried with a round brush.

3. Spritz in a heat protective spray. Then use a 2-inch curling iron to give a subtle bend or ‘S’ curl, rather than a perfect curl. Curl from the ends all the way up, and set each section with a barrel clip for 5 to 7 minutes or until cool.

4. Scrunch hair with mist to add moisture and blow dry briefly without a diffuser to look a bit undone. Then, warm a pea-sized amount of Dove Frizz Control Therapy Taming Cream between the palms of hands and rake fingers through hair to distribute product evenly for shiny, modern texture. TIP: To evoke Brigitte Bardot inspiration, tease hair at the crown for extra volume and lift.

5. “To finish Lea’s look, I sprayed extra hold hairspray liberally on a small, natural bristle eyebrow brush (the kind that looks like a wooden toothbrush) and ran it through her bangs to hold a middle part. The parted bangs gave a modern update to the 60’s vibe of her hair.

BG TIP: For middle-of-the-night touchups, don’t brush the hair. To retain the texture and separation in Lea’s hair, Mark gave the star a mini bottle of hairspray and a natural bristle eyebrow brush to keep in her purse.

From left: Missoni Ruffle Knit Scarf, Essie’s new fall polish, Merino Cool, is greige with a hint of lavender, Alice + Olivia Party Dress.

Last winter, the fashion set was starved for jeggings. This season, expect to have an appetite for “greige.” The grey/beige hybrid is the newest term to be added to the fashion lexicon, and it’s not just for the Lady Gagas of the world. Neutral to the bone, the color fares well on all skin tones and goes with everything from neons to nudes and ranges from putty to muddy. Whether worn on nails (as shown below at the Marc Jacobs runway show), lids or limbs, greige is the latest fashion grrrrreat!

With the memory of my incredible visit still fresh on my mind, this week’s giveaway honors the power of fragrance. Tocca is a brand that masters scent like no other, so I’m offering four people the chance to win their favorite candle from Tocca’s new fall Candela collection. The new aromas are elegant, romantic and unique.

Brigitte: Inspired by sexy screen siren Brigitte Bardot, the candle has the spiciness of ginger combined with the sweetness of rhubarb and papaya.

Giulietta: A soft, warming scent of fully bloomed pink tulips and sweet green apple create.

Bianca: With notes of green tea, lemon and a dash of sugar, the candle releases the aroma of an Italian seaside.

Colette: Notes of warm incense, musky vanilla and amber create a sultry mood.

To enter to win this giveaway, tell me which candle you fancy most by commenting on the post, follow me on twitter (twitter.com/NPTheBeautyGirl) and RT this message.