Scott Barnes’s Blog: Be Your Own Supermodel and Get ’90s Glam at Home

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10/26/2012 at 06:00 PM ET

Tullio M. Puglia/Getty

Thanks for welcoming Scott Barnes to PEOPLE StyleWatch! The celebrity makeup artist has been hard at work lately, releasing his second book, Face to Face, and blogging for People.com. This week, he tells us how to get all dolled up — 1990s style:

There’s been a lot of talk in the last few years about “natural” makeup; how to make it appear like you’re wearing nothing at all. That’s a great look for every day, and one I wholeheartedly endorse. But that doesn’t mean you should never play around with super-obvious, over-the-top, all-out glam makeup — the special-occasion stuff.

For example, consider taking a cue from last month’s spring/summer 2013 runway shows. I am obsessed with the ’90s-era supermodel glam we saw at houses like Blumarine and DSquared2 (left), where the clothes were full-on rocker chick — teeny-tiny mini-shorts, leather corsets and bustiers, cropped T-shirts — and the makeup was appropriately fabulous. At DSquared2, we saw super-smoky eyes, nude lips, contoured cheekbones and oversized eyebrows — completely my style. For hair, everything was super-sleek and shiny. It was a great moment for fashion and beauty. Long live glam!

To me, the shows were also a clear example of how to use makeup like you might a fashion accessory. This can mean eye shadow that’s as bold as a neon purse, or maybe bright lips that replace a statement necklace. Or glittery lashes in place of glitzy chandelier earrings. In this way, makeup can fit your ever-changing mood, and reflect — just as your clothing and accessory choices do — what sort of evening you want to have. This is where the real fun happens.

At the same time, makeup is also a great, cost-effective way to be trendy and current without spending a fortune. Don’t have the cash for leather short-shorts? Who cares? You can achieve the same look with some fun makeup for a fraction of the cost. In my new book, Face to Face, I show you how makeup can turn anyone into a superstar. In addition to the smoky eye, which we talked about a few weeks back, here are a few ideas for at-home glam:

Courtesy Sephora

Nude Lips: At DSquared2, we saw how nude lips can make bold makeup stand out even more, so give that a try with some of my favorites: Clinique “High Impact Lip Color” in Nude Beach (left, $ 15); Chanel “Lèvres Scintillantes” lip gloss in Plaisir ($ 29.50); NARS lipstick in Belle du Jour ($ 24).

Courtesy Sephora

Neon Eyes: For neon, I always turn to Make Up For Ever, which offers a wide variety of boldly colored shadows. You can also use a bright blush on eyes, if you’re staying in the pink tones. For best results, keep the rest of the face nude. Some eye colors to try: Makeup For Ever HD Blush in Fuchsia (left, on eyes); Make Up For Ever aqua cream ($ 23) and aqua creamliner ($ 22, comes in an assortment of bright shades, so pick one based on your mood!); Make Up For Ever matte eye shadow in Neon Pink ($ 20).

Courtesy Urban Decay

Glitter: Glitter on the eyelids can be fun and festive. For a subtler look, dab your pinky finger into a pot of glitter — Make Up For Ever and Urban Decay make some great ones in a rainbow of colors — and press into the center of your lid. (Glittery shadows, like Urban Decay’s, $ 20, left, can work too.) For full sparkle, you can extend the glitter up to your brow bone, and toward the outer corners of your eyes. Or try using a brush to dust glitter over the apples of your cheeks.

Courtesy Minx

Minx nails: My great friend Tracey Sutter, who worked on all the nails in Face to Face, introduced me to Minx nails, and I’m a huge fan. They’re flexible polymers applied to nails, like a sticker, and set with heat. They’re mess-free, eco-friendly, long-lasting and come in hundreds of colors and patterns, like lime green, cheetah print (left, $ 19.95) or a mirror-effect. You can find them online.

Now go forth and get glam! And be sure to let me know how it goes.

–Scott Barnes 

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