Fifties retro red lips

The Fifties
Strong Lips

This season's dramatic mouth is less Lady Gaga (electric color, vinyl shine) than Grace Kelly (rich color, velvety finish). To keep the effect perfectly polished, fill in the lips completely with a pencil that matches your lipstick shade, then use a brush to apply the lipstick.



"The wax in the pencil will stop the lipstick from bleeding around the edges," says Markey.



Remember: When the focus is on a deeply pigmented mouth, the rest of the face plays a supporting role. Even out any blemishes or shadows with concealer, and define your brows with a pencil that's about two shades lighter than their natural color. Keep eye makeup simple, with a neutral shadow (try light gray or beige) and black mascara.



Dress, Talbots. Earrings, Roxanne Assoulin for Lee Angel.
Sixties boldmod eyes

The Sixties
Dramatic Eyes

Beauty icons of the '60s had one thing in common: bold eye makeup. (Exhibits A through E: Twiggy, Jean Shrimpton, Sophia Loren, Edie Sedgwick, and Brigitte Bardot.) This fall's lush liquid and cream liners and volumizing mascaras are ideal for re-creating the look.



After brushing a taupe shadow over the lids, trace a black liner along the upper lashline, from the inner to the outer corner. With a flat liner brush, edge the lower lashes with a dark brown shadow to balance the look of the heavy liner on top. The final, key component: major lashes. Layer on up to three coats of black mascara, or apply a full fake fringe.



The rest of the face should stay neutral, with a pale pink blush and peachy-beige lip gloss.



Top, Marni.
Seventies shimmer

The Seventies
Allover Shimmer

What can the disco era possibly bring to your current beauty routine? A hint of extra shine! The finely milled shimmers in this season's powders, glosses, and creams leave a subtle sheen, not flecks of glitter, on your cheeks, lips, and lids.



Yellow golds are most flattering on dark skin; silvers and gunmetals illuminate fair complexions. Dust glimmery shadows over your lids and just under the brows (but avoid the corners of the eyes, where gleam can draw attention to lines). On your face, blend a shimmery cream or powder along the cheekbones.



Whether pigmented (like the plum shade on our model) or only slightly tinted, a shiny lip gloss also brightens the complexion and can make lips appear fuller.



Dress, Halston Heritage. Earrings, Fantasy Jewelry Box. Necklace, Cathy Waterman. Bracelet, Marco Bicego. Ring, Alexis Bittar.
Eighties bold cheeks

The Eighties
Bold Blush

Shoulder pads, shocking neons, stratospheric hair— subtlety was never an '80s hallmark. But the decade's racing-stripe blush is one trend that can be easily modified with the latest bright blushes for a less harsh, more sophisticated effect.



Concentrate color on the apples of the cheeks (smile and you'll see them), then blend it up just underneath the cheekbones, to the temples. "For a sheer application, use a brush and don't dip back into the powder," says Markey.



On her lids, our model wears a deep lilac shadow, but for her lips, Markey used only a beigy pink gloss: "Bright cheeks and bright lips can look clownish."



Dress, Jovani. Earrings, Fallon.
Nineties clear skin

The Nineties
Perfect Skin

As '80s excess gave way to '90s minimalism, makeup put the focus on the skin, not color. Markey's technique for a flawless complexion: Use concealer to hide discoloration or redness under the eyes, on the lids, and around the nose.



Even out the whole complexion with a thin layer of foundation (the best new ones have a sheer, dewy finish), then set everything (including the concealer on the lids) with a translucent loose powder. To bring out the eyes, blend a taupe shadow on the lids and then line the lower lashes with the same shadow, using an eyeliner brush; apply one coat of black mascara.



You want your brows to be strong but not harsh—a brow powder about two shades lighter than your natural brow color will softly fill them out. A peachy blush stays true to the neutral palette but ensures you won't look washed out; a beigy pink lip pencil applied over a waxy balm leaves lips silky and subtly defined.



Shirt, Marc Jacobs. Jeans, Helmut Lang.



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