Best Way To Fill In Sparse Brows

I don't know why makeup artist Pat McGrath hasn't legally changed her name to Pat McGenius. Surely, if there were a Makeup Mensa, she would be a member. I mean, consider her advice for filling in sparse eyebrows:

"Use two sharpened brow pencils, one slightly lighter than your own brow color and one that matches. Start with the darker pencil, drawing a few delicate strokes in the direction the brows grow to create the illusion of individual hairs. Repeat with the lighter pencil. This mimics the color variation found in natural brows so you don't get that drawn-in look. Comb the brows to finish. You can use the same technique with powder shadow, though it can appear heavy if you apply too much. Use an angled brow brush to fill in sparse areas with a powder that matches your brows, and follow with a brow comb to distribute the color and soften any hard edges."

Brilliant, no?

Source: February 2009 issue of Allure

First Look: Dolce & Gabbana's New Makeup Line

Dolce & Gabbana will launch it's first color cosmetics line early next month. And as you can see, the duo tapped Scarlett Johansson to be the face of the collection.

The collection, which hits stores early next month, includes powder foundation, eyeliner, eyeshadow duos, mascara with a peppery fragrance, blush, bronzer, lip liner, gloss, rose-scented lipstick, and nail polish. Products will cost between $20 and $59.

“We see makeup as another thing for women, like a dress. We worked on the makeup line like we work on a clothing collection — you can change makeup like you can change your clothes, depending on your mood,” Stefano Gabbana told Women's Wear Daily. "For me, lipstick is one of the most important things. When I see a woman made-up, I look straight to the lips," he added.

Dolce & Gabbana's new line was created with a helping hand from Pat McGrath. And the designers hint that if the cosmetics collection is successful, a skincare range could be on the horizon.

Resurrecting A Classic

In 1939, Constance Frances Marie Ockelman made her motion picture debut in a film called Sorority House. Director, John Farrow, noticed how the unknown actress’ hair always covered her right eye, creating an air of mystery about her and enhancing her natural beauty. Ockelman was later introduced to Paramount producer Arthur Hornblow Jr., who renamed her Veronica Lake - “Lake” being inspired by the blueness of her eyes, and according to Hornblow, the name Veronica suggesting a classic beauty.

For fall 2007, everything old is new again. On runways and red carpets, old Hollywood reigns supreme with billowy waves and crimson lips reminiscent of Lake.

"Female icons of the '40s were strong and independent yet always flawless," says Pat McGrath, who channeled the decade behind the scenes at Gucci and Valentino.

To replicate this femme-fatale look, consider the following tips.

Lake-like Locks in Six Steps

Step 1: Protect ends, which receive the most exposure to high heat, with serum or a thermal styler. Step 2: Set the entire head in rollers. Step 3: Use a blow-dryer on the highest possible setting, to lock in the curls with heat, and follow with a blast of cold air. Step 4: Undo the rollers, flip your head over, and shake out the curls. Step 5: Define the curls with a large round brush and blow-dryer, paying special attention to the hair around the face. Step 6: Set with hairspray. Try Coiff Bouffant Lifting and Texturizing Spray Gel by Frederic Fekkai.

Cat Eyes Simplified

Look in the mirror, with your face turned at an angle. Pull your lid taut at the corner with your free hand. Then, starting a quarter of the way in, draw a thin line all the way out to your outer corner. Keep the line as close to your lashes as possible. Don’t panic if it’s a little crooked - you’ll be able to fix that later. When you get to the outer corner of your eye, draw the liner out and up to create a little wing, then go back and thicken up the line to correct any mistakes. Follow with two coats of volumizing mascara. Dramatically lined eyes are simple to achieve with CoverGirl Line Exact Liquid Liner Pen in Very Black (it's smudgeproof, easy to hold, and it has a precise tip) and Diorshow Mascara.

Screen Siren Smooches…Made Easy

To keep lipstick from bleeding, coat lips in red liner beforehand," says Lancôme Artistic Director Gucci Westman, who applied a chocolaty red at Peter Som. Get the look with Nars Lipstick in Fire Down Below and Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Cruella.

Miracle Worker

I love makeup. It can work wonders. But it can't work miracles. Behold the power of Photoshop. Let's face it...Ms. Spears has been looking pretty to' up for some time now. And although I'll admit that she had some bad-ass makeup artists and photogs working on her September 2007 Allure cover shoot, even the love child of Kevyn Aucoin and Pat McGrath couldn't perform this kind of transformation.

Hopefully Britney will tack the Allure pictures up on her fridge and use them as motivation to put down the Cheetos, pick up her babies (and not drop them), and climb out of her downward shame spiral.