Flirty, Fun, and Fabulous
By Emily Kopec

No-rehab-required Cat eye

No, no, no you don’t want to go to rehab but you do want to try a scaled-down Amy Winehouse cat eye? Fair enough. It’s got a cool retro feel, and it instantly makes you look glamorous and awake. Pulling it off is easier than you may think and it’s being rocked by all kinds of women, so don’t knock it if you haven’t tried it! Use a liquid liner or a felt tip-style liner. Keep your hand steady ~ if that’s difficult, rest your elbow on a surface ~ and remember you can use a bunch of shorter strokes if you can’t draw one steady long line. The key is to make the line gradually thicker toward outer corner of the eye and wing it up at the end. You can pull this look off for daytime if you leave the underneath of your eyes liner-free.

Shiny peach lips

The overplayed red lip and the predictable nude lip take a back seat this summer to yummy peach gloss. Peach is the best of both worlds ~ not too light, not too dark…and not overdone. Be patient when searching for your perfect shade of peach because there are many variations and it can be tricky. You’ll know you’ve found your peach when it gives your whole face a really nice glow. Go online to find shades you like from high-end brands, then march right up to a cosmetics counter to try it on and ~ no shame ~ get some professional help in determining what’s most flattering. Once you find your perfect shade, you’ll want to wear it 24/7.

White-hot nails

After seeing everyone and their mother wearing OPI’s coveted Lincoln Park After Dark for what seemed like countless seasons, brace yourselves. The new black is … white! It’s a totally opposite take, and I for one think it’s a refreshing and pretty look ~ not to mention how eye-catchingly cool white nails look against tanned skin. If you’re apprehensive, you don’t have to go bright “white-out” white when trying out this trend for the first time. Baby step: start by painting on a sheer, creamy shade or an off-white pearl hue. After sporting that look for a few days, you may find you’re ready to go all the way. That’s right, I said all the way. Just use protection. I’m talking using about a clear coat, silly!

Messy bun

Imagine a meticulous ballerina bun…Now imagine taking a rattail comb and teasing the hell out of that sucker. Now you’ve got the mental picture of this season’s hottest hairstyle. The messiness gives it a modern, sexy edge. Secure all your hair back either loosely or tightly (whatever works for you) at the nape of your neck. Thin hair can be bobby pinned into a neither here-nor-there bun, and random pieces can be pulled out and then twisted and teased back in. Then mist it all with hair spray. Thick or coarse hair will need some elastic action to get it all back there. Some major teasing and a heavier mist of hair spray will finish off the look. To really make a statement, wear your boldest earrings.

Let’s bang

The lure of long bangs is mighty tempting. Key word here: long. If bangs are cut even a little too short, you majorly risk looking like a soccer mom. Eek! Longer bangs are way more flattering and bring out the eyes in a smoldering, mysterious way. They should hit, at minimum, below the eyebrows. We’re now seeing a lot of heavy, blunt bangs. If you’re looking for something less bold and with less commitment, have them cut a bit longer and at an angle so they can be side-swept, almost like face-framing layers. By all means, bring at least one magazine picture of the kind of bangs you’re after to your stylist. Make sure the woman in the picture has similar hair texture to yours so the look is achievable ~ although she/he seems to be at times, your stylist is not a magician! Need inspiration? Recently banged celebs include Ashanti, Heidi Klum, Kate Hudson and Elle Macpherson.

Salty beach waves

It’s recognizable in an instant: the loose, carefree waves and fabulous roughed-up texture you get from ~ what else? ~ beaching it all day. The sun, salt air, and ocean water combo naturally and effortlessly make the magic happen. Since it’s not quite beach season yet, you can create this look on land with minimal styling: apply surf spray to damp hair. Scrunch, twist and twirl random sections with your fingers, then let hair fall and leave it alone (over-handling will frizz it out). You can use a diffuser for faster drying and added body. If you want to cheat, use a curling iron on a few small front sections. I won’t tell.