Beauty Board: Celebrity Picks

As rule-breaking, ridiculously temperamental, totally manipulative teenagers, we had the tendency to say whatever was necessary to achieve our desired results. Would we make curfew? Absolutely. Drive with the music turned to non-earsplitting levels? Definitely. Not change into midriff-baring tops, super low-rise pants, or scandalously short dresses the second we got to our friends' houses? Of course not! Naturally, our folks caught on to our shenanigans quite quickly and we soon learned that actions speak louder than words. Much time has passed since those crazy days, but strangely, that old chestnut is still super relevant and applicable to more than adolescent behavior. In fact, you can apply the "actions" idiom to a number of things—relationships, philanthropy, politics—as well as one of our favorite topics: celebrity beauty.



Much like our fixation on street style, we're completely curious about the hair-and-makeup products favored by these famous faces. We're not talking about red carpet beauty looks—that's a completely separate discussion—rather, the dependable lipstick shades and styling crèmes that they reach for on a day-to-day basis. Interest piqued, we reached out to four fabulous women we regularly cover, asked them to open up their cosmetic kits, and reveal a few of their go-to beauty weapons. After a little pleading, pestering, and praying, we're happy to report that we gathered insider tips and tricks from Erin Wasson, Leighton Meester, Mary-Kate Olsen, and Nicole Richie!

Erin Wasson: John Frieda Frizz-Ease Take Charge Take Charge Mousse ($6)

Effortlessly undone waves are a total conundrum for most women: it's easy to end up with hair that either looks overly styled or a little too rumpled. According to Erin Wasson, the secret to casually cool kink requires two things: John Frieda's Take Charge Mousse and hair guru Harry Josh. Wasson swears by Josh's subtle ministrations for color ("I wouldn't go to anyone else, he makes it look natural.") and her favorite drugstore styling aide for unfussy waves.

Leighton Meester: MAC PRO Longwear Lustre Lipcolor ($21) in Boss Brown, MAC Lustreglass ($14) in Love Nectar, Lancome Color Fever Gloss ($25) in Hotness

The lovely Leighton Meester is a girl after our own hearts: she likes to mix and match her lip glosses to create the perfect custom colors. We approve of this experimental side, especially since she's hit upon such perfect results. When she's not made-up for the cameras, Meester slicks on a combo of Lancome's Star Gloss in Siren with MAC Pro's Longwear Lipcolor, using Boss Brown as a base, with Slave to Pink as a glaze on top. Unfortunately for us (and Meester too!), most of her selections are technically out of stock, but don't worry, we've got the perfect substitutes. First of all, you'll want to pick up Lancome's Color Fever Gloss ($25) in Hotness. Then feel free to adulterate it with the classic MAC Pro Longwear Lustre Lipcolor ($21) in Boss Brown (which used to be paired with Slave To Pink in a limited edition combo) and MAC Lustreglass ($14) in Love Nectar.

Mary-Kate Olsen: Dior 5-Colour Iridescent Eyeshadow ($56) in Goldfever

Mary-Kate Olsen's has a number of highly covetable beauty signatures—flawless skin, voluptuous brows, coolly carefree hair—but we've always wondered about her eye makeup. Olsen often wears shadows in beautifully burnished golden hues and we've long wanted to procure said products for ourselves. Her metallic makeup of choice is Dior's 5-Colour Iridescent Eyeshadow in the limited edition Goldfever palette, which she uses to highlight her cheekbones and the inner corners of her eyes. When we learned that this exact item is no longer produced, we immediately rang the beauty office at Dior, begging them for a suitable substitute. Happily, they suggested a superb swap in the form of Sunset Café and we've been golden girls ever since. You can also try Sephora's Colorful Eye Shadow Palette ($24) in Kiss From to get a similar look at a slightly lower price.

Nicole Richie: MAC Liquid Liner ($16.50) in Boot Black, MAC Eye Shadow ($14.50) in Carbon, MAC 266 Small Angle Brush ($19.50), shu uemura Mini Eyelash Curler ($17), Maybelline Great Lash Mascara ($5) in Very Black

We'll close today's Celebrity Picks story with a liner lesson from the queen of cat-eyes herself: the one and only Nicole Richie. When it comes to artfully executed eyeliner, Richie's simply the best, and, as you'd expect from an expert, she has a detailed list of products and a step-by-step process, which she kindly disclosed for our readers' edification. She starts by applying MAC Liquid Eye Liner ($16.50) in Boot Black along her lash line. Then, after the liner dries, she then emphasizes her handiwork, using a small slanted brush and black eye shadow, specifically MAC's 266 Small Angle Brush ($19.50) and Eye Shadow ($14.50) in Carbon. Next, Richie curls her lashes with shu uemura's Mini Eyelash Curler ($17). She recommends heating the tool with a quick shot of hot air from a hair dryer first, as this will ensure your lashes stay curled. The final touch is a few coats of Maybelline Great Lash Mascara ($5) in Very Black and voila! Perfection, the Richie way.

Photos of Leighton Meester and Nicole Richie, from Getty Images; Photo of Mary-Kate Olsen, from Splash.