Hillary's Picks: Spring 09 Beauty

Patience is not exactly my strongest virtue. I’ve been a quick-tempered toe-tapper from the time I was tiny. Simply put: I hate to wait. Obviously, these impetuous tendencies are sorely tested on a regular basis, as I’m forced to keep the new beauty trends to myself until the appropriate moment arrives. Thankfully, today marks the end of my dutiful silence, as it’s finally time to talk about all the season’s best hair and makeup trends. Read on for a few of my favorite spring styles and the top products for getting these looks—hopefully you’ll adore them as much as I do!

Blood Orange Lips
There’s something so festive and saucy about a bright orange-red lip, so I was ecstatic to see this look at the spring shows. My favorite example of the zingy shade showed up on Proenza Schouler’s runway; I love the juxtaposition of the perfect, bold lipstick with modern, slightly messy hair. It seems that Chloe Sevigny is also a fan of the vivid hue. Seen above at the premiere of Big Love, Sevigny’s makeup artist—the peerless Lisa Storey—painted her lips with MAC Lipstick in Lady Danger ($14) and left the rest of her face relatively bare, save a few coats of black mascara.

Product-wise, I’ve got lots of favorites for your consideration, including: Sephora Brand’s Lip Attitude-Chic Lipstick in Chic Ruby ($12), Make Up For Ever’s Lipstick in Orange Red 204 ($19), and Chanel’s Rouge Allure Lip Colour in Dazzling ($30), which was used to create January Jones’ stunning look at the SAG awards. All of that said, in my opinion, the must-buy product for perfect blood-orange lip is Max Factor’s new Vivid Impact Lipcolor in Ms. Right ($8.97). Created by makeup guru Pat McGrath, the lipstick has an exceptionally true and bold color, which is key for this look!

Swingy Straight Hair
I don’t foresee the end of beachy waves or perfect pin curls anytime soon, but this spring, it’s all about swingy straight hair for me! Unlike the flat-ironed hair of seasons’ past, this look is full of movement, relatively natural, and doesn’t call for perfectly pressed hair. It’s sleek, but imperfect: just look to the Chloe, Balmain, and Givenchy runways for reference. My other hair-oine for this swingy straight style is Claudia Schiffer. Her ultra-healthy, lustrous hair always impresses me and she embodies this beauty trend in a dazzling way.

If you don’t naturally have Schiffer-like locks or supermodel-style straight hair (and really, who does?), I found a few tools that will help you approximate the look. First of all, I highly recommend picking up Redken’s Satinwear 02 Ultimate Blow-Dry Lotion ($15). While I’m not usually so keen on prep products, this heat-styling lotion always makes my hair feel extra silky and smooth. Also, I’ve found that using a paddle brush to dry my hair (instead of a round brush) gives me a great bounce-to-smooth ratio. If you don’t already own this style, The Body Shop’s Paddle Brush ($16), which is made from Forest Stewardship Council certified beech wood, and Sephora’s Paddle Brush ($32) are both excellent options.

Violet Accents
There were lots of totally natural faces on the spring ruways, but frankly, I’m not really into beige or nude makeup. Instead, I prefer to play with something a little edgier, like the boldly futuristic beauty look shown at Zac Posen. While it’s not for shrinking violets, I love the metallic purple lip that makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury gave the models. She used MAC cosmetics to create this notable style, starting with the brand’s Lip Pencil ($13) in Magenta as a base, followed by a layer of Lipstick ($14) in Cyber and a coat of MAC Pro Lipstick in Violetta to finish.

Of course, not everyone’s ready for an amethyst mouth—which is totally fine—but don’t let that stop you from attempting a version of this look. Take a tip from Rihanna and try a violet-indigo eyeliner, like Revlon’s Matte Luxurious Color Kohl Eyeliner ($6.99) in Very Violet. If that’s still too much, I’d like to suggest my two favorite new nail polishes: Chanel’s Le Vernis Nail Polish in Vendetta ($23) and Lippmann Collection Nail Lacquer in Purple Rain ($15). Vendetta is a seriously rich dark violet, while Purple Rain is the exact shimmery lilac used in Posen’s runway show. They’re the perfect way to dip your toe—or finger—into the trend.

Boho Updos
As much as I enjoy having long hair, there are many days I want it off my neck and out of my face. Such moments call for buns or twists, but I loathe anything that looks too dainty or mature. Happily I found loads of inspiration on the spring runways, as the models at Armani, Issa, and Max Azria all showed fabulously unfussy pinned-up hair. I’m particularly infatuated with the hippie-chic style shown at Trovata: a casual knot at the nape of the neck, embellished with two tiny twists. I also plan on trying my own version of the bohemian-glam hairstyle Nicole Richie wore to The Art of Elysium’s Heaven Gala last month. Her pinned-up baby braids remind me a bit of the boho braid, albeit a much more fashion-forward version!

Part of the reason I adore this look so much is because it’s completely casual and open to interpretation, not to mention the fact that it’s seriously easy to do! That said, I think it helps to have a little texture in your hair when you’re creating a boho updo. Try a spritz of ghd’s Sea Spray For Matte Waves ($24) on damp hair to add body and encourage waves. (On a side note: the spray was used backstage at Proenza Schouler to create the Jerry Hall-homage hair seen at the spring show!) Another way to add a little texture is with my other new obsession—Big Sexy Hair’s Volumizing Dry Shampoo ($16.95). The formula is derived from some magical combination of clay and minerals—not talc, like most dry shampoos—so the spray is complete invisible. It’s seriously amazing!

Runway images, First View. Photos of Chloe Sevigny and Rihanna, Getty Images. Photo of Nicole Richie, Pacific Coast News. Photo of Claudia Schiffer, Bauer Griffin.