This week saw the release of New Moon, the second film in the Twilight Saga series, and to coincide with the premiere, Nordstrom is exclusively launching the Luna Twilight cosmetics collection. Whether you side with “Team Edward” or “Team Jacob”, these products will seduce to every Twilight fan. Included in the collection:

Luna Twilight Mortal Glow Blushing Cream – $20

This breakthrough blend of mousse and cream blush glides on effortlessly for a satin finish that perfectly emulates a vampire’s ethereal glow.

Luna Twilight First Light Body Glow – $34

Highlight collarbones, arms and legs with a light-weight, hydrating body illuminator that leaves skin dazzling.

Luna Twilight DuWup Lip Venom – $16

Apply this Venom-laced lip conditioner for a crimson stained pout with an intensely potent bite.

Luna Twilight Moonshadows Eyeshadow- $20

Smudge on this duel shimmer and cream shadow for a mysterious smokey eye effect.

What do you think? Does Twilight-inspired makeup speak to you?

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To get the look:

Eyes
“Nikki has gorgeous dark eyes that I really wanted to play up. I started by smudging mark Eyemarker Color On Line in Java along her upper lash line, followed by two coats of mark Scanda-Lash Hook Up Mascara on the top lashes. For her bottom lashes, I took the tip of the mascara wand and carefully coated each lash for definition, then brushed it out with the wand for separation. I finished by applying mark I-mark Custom Pick Eyeshadow in Nomadic to her lids and Fairy Dust in her crease.”

Face
“I applied mark Face Xpert Flawless Touch Makeup in Natural to create a smooth canvas followed by mark Get Bright Hook Up Highlighter under her eyes to hide any signs of dark circles. I finished by applying a combination of mark Good Glowing Custom Pick Powder Blush in Cameo Glo to the apples of her cheeks, and mark Glow Xpert Face Shimmer in Champagne to the top portion to really bring out the contours of her cheekbones. To create an overall matte finish, I used mark Cheat Sheet Shine Blotters.”

Lips
“To finish off her look, I used mark Dew Drenched Moisturlicious Lip Color in Toffee on her lips, with a layer of mark Pro Gloss Hook Up Plumping Lip Shine in Spice for added shine.”

What do you think of actress Nikki Reed’s premiere look?

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NARS introduces two 15th Anniversary Palettes ($75 each) to celebrate 15 years of color innovation.

First up is Everlasting Love contains intense eye hues to create the perfect smoky eye while Wild at Heart featuring bold lip shades for a deeply pigmented pout.

The Plein ete Mini Multiple Set ($45) is n exclusive set of mini Multiples boasting three best-selling shades.

The Drop Dead Gorgeous Mini Nail Kit ($30) is a dreamy stocking stuffer; the mini collection includes four festive shades: Arabesque, Chinatown, Candy Darling and Saratoga.

Last but not least is the D. Lovely Lip Gloss Duo Set ($45, above), which includes four smaller versions of the successful Duo Lip Gloss in a variety of mix and match shades: Misbehave/All Night Long, Pillow Talk/Sandpiper, Orgasm/Chihuahua, and Greek Holiday/Stolen Kisses.

The Holiday 2009 gift sets and palettes are available at www.narscosmetics.com though the Plein Etè Mini Multiple Set is a Sephora exclusive.

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To get the look, try snagging a vintage dress from your closet or the closet of your mom or grandmother. Accessorize it conservatively with classic pearls, diamond studs, matching mid-height heels and a chic clutch.

For the makeup, start with a powder foundation (I like the one from Michael Marcus Cosmetics ($40) as it creates a close – to – flawless complexion.)

Next, apply a thin line of cake eyeliner and add a soft, neutral beige eye shadow from the lash line up to the crease.

For the lips, go with a classic, matte red! If you don’t already have a red in your makeup arsenal, try MAC Russian Red ($14) or Michael Marcus Debbie ($24). For a camera-ready pucker, make sure that lips are exfoliated and moisturized before applying a matte lipstick. Bobbi Brown recommends using a warm washcloth to exfoliate!

Voila, you’ve got Mad Men style!

Happy almost-Halloween!

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On the runway, each model donned a bold red lip created using Dolce&Gabbana The Make Up.

“This season our inspiration stemmed from the passionate Latin woman melded with our Sicilian upbringing,” said Domenico Dolce. Stefano Gabbana added, “The cultures are very similar and we wanted the beauty look to be reflective of this passion and sensuality.”

Backstage, makeup artist Pat McGrath prepped skin with the foundation, to create a flawlessly natural canvas. Next, McGrath sculpted cheeks using the blush, in Warm.

For the eyes, McGrath blended a taupe shadow from the eyeshadow quad in Elegance along the crease and lower lids. Using a damp brush, McGrath then applied the white shimmer shadow from the eyeshadow duo in Rose along the upper lips close to lashes. To complete the eye look, multiple coats of the mascara, in Black were brushed through top lashes.

For the lips, McGrath aimed to create, “a rich, velvet, red shade,” so she painted lips with a mix of the classic lipstick in Devil, Dahlia, and Ultra.

What do you think of the Dolce & Gabbana look for Spring?

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MM: How did you get your start as a makeup artist?

MQ: After high school, I decided to go to makeup school. Once I finished makeup school, I got a job working at MAC and stayed there for about 3 years. On my days off, I worked as an assistant to other makeup artists on music videos, commercials and photo shoots. After assisting for a few months, I became consistently busy, so I left MAC. I assisted many makeup artists for about 4 years until I was able to get my own jobs and eventually signed with an agency.

MM: What do you love most about the job?

MQ: One of my favorite things about my job is that I get to meet and see the coolest people & places. Because I work for various shoots and projects, I’m always doing makeup somewhere different and on different people. I love it!

MM: Any challenges?

MQ: Sometimes, it’s hard for me to keep doctor/dentist appointments because if an amazing job comes up, most likely I’ll have to re-schedule the appointment. Also, as fun as my job is, it also has an unpredictable schedule. Some days I’ll have to be at work at 5am or 5pm, so it’s definitely challenging to make and keep plans.

MM: Tell us a little more about working with mark. What do you love most about the line?

MQ: I love working with mark because they’re so inventive and they are always coming out with new products and packaging. The color ranges for all the products is very diverse, which makes it easy to find an entire palette for anyone – that makes my job a lot easier!

MM: If you had to choose 2-3 mark must haves, what would they be?

MQ: My must haves would definitely be the mark Flip for It in Urban Neutrals, mark Hook Up Brushes and the Britt Bardo for mark Only Need Me Tee.

Visit www.meetmark.com to shop for the products that Mai mentions above – and keep reading Makeup Minute for more scoop on her celeb clients!

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mark celebrity makeup artist Mai Quynh was gracious enough to share how she created Naomi’s gorgeous red carpet look. Check out the step by step below and leave a comment to share your thoughts on Naomi’s look!

Face

“I started by applying mark Face Expert Flawless Touch Makeup in Natural with a foundation brush to her skin. I then blended mark Get Bright Hook Up Highlighter in Light under her eyes and mark Good Riddance Hook Up Concealer in Fair/Light around her nose. Then I applied mark Just Pinched Instant Blush Tint in Nude to her cheeks using a foundation brush. Once the foundation and creams were applied, I set everything by dusting mark Powder Buff Natural Skin Foundation in Natural with a powder brush. And finally, to give her a warm glow, I swept mark Good Glowing Mosaic Blush in Sandy to the apples of her cheeks.”

Eyes

“For her eyes, I mixed mark I-Mark Custom Pick Eyeshadow in Biscotti and Tiki and applied it from the lash line to the crease, fading the colors upward using an angled contour eyeshadow brush. I also smudged Biscotti and Tiki underneath her lower lash line, using an eyeliner brush. I then added mark Eyemarker in Jet to the top of her lashes and blended so that the line would be faint. To finish the eyes, I curled her lashes and added two coats of mark Lash Splash Hook Up Waterproof Mascara in Black.”

Lips

“I completed Naomi’s look by applying mark Dew Drenched Moistulicious Lip Color in Rain to her lips.”

Don’t forget that Naomi’s look can be created using similar products in your own collection, I’d never advocate running out and buying all new makeup. Always work with what you’ve got!

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Backstage, models’ complexions were evened out with Stila’s Sheer Color Moisturizer SPF 15, while Pomegranate Crush Lip Stain was used as blush.  On the eyes, Camelia Convertible Color, the Fandango duo shadow and the Cobalt Smudge Pot left a gorgeous wash of color.

The finishing touches were Camelia Convertible Color on the lips and a few coats of Stila Major Major Lash Mascara (which I am now dying to try!)

Check out this video of Sarah Lucero chatting makeup backstage – she even gives her secret to great lashes off the runway!

Image via Stylelist, Photo Credit: Laura Kenney.

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Siriano was the first Project Runway designer to really hit it big – since winning, he’s dressed countless celebs (including fashion icon Victoria Beckham), shown in the tents at New York Fashion Week and created a line of footwear for Payless. So, what’s next for this pint-sized powerhouse?

That’s right – makeup!  Siriano has collaborated with Victoria’s Secret to create a beautiful line of color cosmetics, which is available now.

Packaged in chic pyramid gold compacts, the collection includes Lip Gloss, Eye Shadow and more but the real star of the show is DEFINITELY this lovely ruffled makeup bag, which retails for just $12!

It’s my favorite because a) I love a good ruffle! and b) Ruffles are a design signature for Siriano, so if you can’t splurge on one of his gowns (I definitely cannot), this is a nice way to get just a small taste of his style.

Shop the full collection at Victoria’s Secret!

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Despite my beauty blogging ‘career’, there are loads of products that I just never lay a hand on.  Lipliner falls into that category, as does liquid liner.  Foundation primer, I must admit, is also iffy.

While it’s difficult to think about adding that extra layer between my skin and foundation in the heat and humidity in summer, a great primer (Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer, pictured left, has wonderful reviews on Sephora.com, for the record!) can help fill in lines, meaning that foundation applies more smoothly.

Primers also add staying power, especially in warmer weather (despite my concerns above.)

What do you think? Do you use a primer or are you too busy for that added step in the morning?  We’d love to hear your thoughts, along with any product recommendations!

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