The clothes at the Doo.Ri show last night were mostly gray, accented with a couple blue and peach pieces. The makeup matched, though in a rather unexpected way. Makeup artist Tom Pecheux made the models’ lips blue. Check it out!

Designer Catherine Malandrino’s spring 2010 collection was inspired by four locales: the Sudan, the Sahara, Peru, and Polynesia. The makeup, designed by Tom Pecheux for MAC, reflected these far-flung places. “The look is very ethnic, quite tribal,” Pecheux told us. “There’s a desert flavor, and the makeup is a bit rough. Brushes aren’t allowed. We’re only using fingers.” While the inspiration wasn’t the least bit rock ‘n’ roll, the makeup would be totally fitting for the lead singer of a band.

It was eyeliner hysteria last night on the MTV VMAs red carpet—I want to say 98 percent of the starlets that showed up (Cassie, Nicky Hilton, Pink, J.Lo, etc.), had some version of a heavily lined and super defined eye. Tres chic, sure—but only one pretty lady got the look really right: Lauren Conrad. Check her out above—could her eyes be anymore gorgeous, huge and perfect? There’s one big reason why her version of lined eyes really stood out from the pack, and it’s something you don’t need to hire a makeup artist to pull off yourself. Get the trick we all could use—and check out the one VMA attendee that should have heeded our advice…after the jump!

Members-only sample sale sites like Gilt Groupe are growing in number. But even as getting designer duds at deep discounts becomes easier, deals on makeup are almost non-existent. Or were almost non-existent, anyway. Enter The Fairest, an online makeup sale site, launched yesterday with offerings from Stila (at 50 percent off) to Jurlique (almost 70 percent below retail).

The site only deals in the big name brands and sales last 24 to 48 hours, with the good stuff moving quickly. But members—and all you have to do to be a member is sign up—get weekly email reminders of what’s to come during the week. We’re seeing our makeup bags growing bulkier already… [Style.com]

As someone with an uneven skin tone, I have a hard time applying foundation (which I wear everyday). I generally use a brush, but end up taking my fingers to my face to even out the streaky lines it makes. With a sponge it’s also hard to get an even application because each time you re-dab it into a pool of foundation and then apply to the skin, you have to spread around the excess.

For people (like moi) who are obsessed with flawless skin, the Temptu AIRpod system will be a miracle worker.

I’d never heard of lip primer before I saw Trish McEvoy’s sleek black tube of the stuff. Face primer? Yes. Eyelid primer? Of course. But never lip primer. Naturally, we assumed it had to be some sort of miraculous well-kept secret and became rather inquisitive. Curious enough, in fact, to waste $22 on what turned out to be essentially glorified chapstick in a good-looking vessel.

If you spend enough time in Sephora, you’ll see some disconcerting things, like booger-y children sticking their fingers in tubs of lip gloss, or gross grownups abusing their communal lipstick-testing privileges. But a few days ago while strolling around the makeup store, I witnessed a sight I’ve never seen: a woman (I assume she was the mom) swiping blue eye shadow on a young girl who must have been about four years old. I’ve seen lots of kids with painted nails out and about, but never little girls wearing adult makeup. 

Not to sound like an old grump complaining about “the kids these days,” but eye shadow on a four-year-old? Really? Isn’t that a bit young? Playing with makeup never appealed to me when I was a little girl myself, though, so perhaps I just don’t understand.

We’re not math whizzes, but we do know that having seven nail polish bottles in our bathroom means we can paint our nails seven different colors. Soon, however, nail polish arithmetic will get a whole lot more complicated thanks to CND’s upcoming Colour & Effects line. With 50 Colours available—from Brilliant White to Blackjack, and everything in between—along with 15 Effects (variations on pearly, shimmery, and glittery) to layer underneath or on top, there aren’t endless possibilities, but there are hundreds more than we can count on our uniquely manicured hands. [$9 - $11, CND]

We’re giving five readers a bottle of Oil Slick and a bottle of Sapphire Sparkle from CND’s Colour & Effects line (which doesn’t even hit salons until later this fall!), but you have to work if you want your nails to look good. The five best commenters for this coming week—from today, Friday, Aug. 28 through Thursday, Sept. 3—will be awarded with a set. So, be as clever, smart, and original as you can! Click HERE to read the official rules.

Generally speaking, I’m happy with my mascara. Fiberwig and I have been through a lot together and it’s remained pretty true, never smudging and leaving me raccoon-eyed when I’m going for smoky-eyed. But every once in a while, you’ve just got to try something new. When I received a bag of Dior goodies to road-test the other day, I knew the time had come to betray the mascara that’s seen me through everything from first dates to weddings. (Other people’s weddings, that is…)

I felt a little dirty at first, as I swiped on the Diorshow Iconic mascara, wand clenched in my sweaty, guilty hand. Then something amazing happened.

Any Topshop news is good news in our book. The London import will be prettying up its wares with a new cosmetics line, due out next year, as it continues to become more of a department store/one-stop shop. No word yet on what the collection will be like, but British Elle says: “We’re guessing they could be tapping an international make-up artist to work with on the project.” We’d also expect some uber-cute packaging and, hopefully, very affordable price points. Should Sephora feel threatened? [Elle UK]

Earlier this month we reported on Ray-Ban’s new virtual mirror, a program that allows you to see how sunglasses will actually look on you before you order them online. Now The Daily Makeover has announced a revolutionary antidote to being attacked by rabid perfume sprayers at your local department store: virtual makeup application. But will it replace the real-life makeup counter once and for all? [Tech Crunch]

We’re loving Guerlain’s fall/winter makeup line for its beautiful packaging and and soft pink and purple hues. Called “beauté slave,” the compacts feature prints inspired by fabrics worn by Russian princesses (um, we’re guessing “slave” is a play on “Slavic”). It’s a unique turn for the French makeup company, which is usually more traditional, and starring Russian beauty Natalia Vodianova as their cover girl is apt, considering she’s kind of a real-life rags-to-riches “princess.” We’ll be watching to see if sugar plum hues catch on for winter. We hope so—they kinda work, no? [StyleFrizz.com]

No matter how many cosmetics ads you rip from your magazines or grainy tutorial videos you try to study on YouTube, replicating the exact makeup look you see done by the pros is not often an easy feat. Not everyone has the skill, time, or coordination required to be as creative and as beauty-dexterous as the trained makeup artists of the world, and even if you’re pretty gifted with an eyeshadow quad and brush, chances are there are loads of makeup tricks you just can’t seem to master on your own. Luckily, more and more our favorite big-name beauty brands are making their collections more novice-friendly with product intro kits and how-to instructional sets that are sure to make Hollywood-worthy glamour accessible to even the most easily intimidated. Have a huge array of shadows but don’t know how to apply them to achieve the perfect smokey eye? Maybelline can tell you where on your lid each shade belongs! Got the eyes down pat but need a little help with the brows? Anastasia’s at-home brow kit even provides the stencils! Take a look at the slideshow for a few of my favorite instructional products and sets!

Here’s a little insider secret: Celeb makeup artists rely heavily on peach makeup tones to make their clients look glowy and fresh on the red carpet. Take Rachel McAdams, who went monochromatic for “The Time Traveler’s Wife” premiere last night with peach blush, browny-coral shadow and an apricot lip color. It’s nice and light, looks good on lots of different skin tones, and is a great alternative to Pepto-Bismol pinks. Wondering what products to pick up? Well, it so happens we have a few peachy faves ...

Why, oh why is makeup so pricey? Yes we love our YSL and Benefit, but considering the circumstances, maybe schlepping to the drugstore beauty counter aisle isn’t so bad anymore. We’ve rounded up a face full of daytime-friendly makeup for a mere $20.

One of the things I love to do is walk into a Sephora—the bright lights and subtle fragrances remind me of beauty heaven, if there ever were such a place. But I often find that I’m overwhelmed by all the makeup, skin care, and perfume choices. That’s why I’ve been shopping at MAC shops lately for makeup with bold colors that are visible on my skin. Now, however, I don’t have to decide between atmosphere and fun makeup because Illamasqua, which has been dubbed Britain’s version of MAC, has arrived in Sephora stores. Hello, vibrant pigments and unexpected textures! Now all I need to do is find time for one of their free lessons to take my makeup to the next level. [Beauty & the Blog]

We love theBalm makeup collection’s Hot Mama—it’s the perfect compact for emergency beauty touch-up sessions when you’re out and about. The best part? It’s a blush, eyeshadow, and highlighter all in one, leaving lots more room for accidental purchases in your bag. The idea behind Hot Mama is that you can look good with minimal effort just like the hot mamas already out there, multitasking their busy lives with their beauty routines. [$12.99, Urban Outfitters]

We just got an email from J.Crew alerting us to the fact that “New Fall Arrivals Are In” and immediately stopped working to drool over the retailer’s genius ribbon-front top, wool schoolboy blazer, and ...nail polish? Yes, J.Crew appears to be selling nail polish from our favorite maker, Essie! (We always knew the people at J.Crew were totally on the same page as us.) The two special colors are called One of A Kind, a bright orangey red (which just happens to be this writer’s favorite shade for her short nails), and Eternal Optimist, a subdued baby pink.

Trying a new polish color can be a gamble, because what it looks like in the bottle isn’t necessary how it appears on your hands. But since we adore just about everything J.Crew produces, we’re guessing these shades, with their J.Crew stamp of approval, are pretty fab. [J.Crew]

During the recent couture week in Paris, designer Elie Saab showed an entirely white collection, which included matte ivory eyeshadow surrounding the models’ eyes. Sure, they looked a little like aliens or the White Witch from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, but I tried out some of the stuff, and without any coaxing, my friends started complimenting me on how fresh and awake I looked.

If you’d prefer more of a fairy goddess look than extreme runway style, follow Lily Allen’s lead and use a shimmering white. Whether you want to surround your eyes like she did or just apply a smidge on your lid is your call.

Head to the make-up counter. The Wall Street Journal is reporting on one woman’s against the tide career change: As a teacher at a Montessori School (aka a fancy, alternative education-based school) in an Los Angeles suburb, Desiree Tordecilla, wasn’t exactly bringing home the bacon. When her husband decided to quit his job and go get his MBA, she needed to really get hustling on the income front (not to mention the health insurance situation, the family was without any form of medical backup). So when a cousin, who managed their local Nordstom Chanel makeup counter, mentioned there was an opening at the Dior counter across the aisle, Desiree applied. She interviewed and was hired not long after. Four years later she jumped to MAC and became an account manager which had her managing all the retail managers. Quite the steady climb—and all this while still teaching. Finally, long story short, she landed at Stila and has since become the vice president of global sales, artistry and international marketing. Oh and the MBA-seeking husband who left the family in a lurch? Long gone. She’s happily going it alone.

Next time you’re sprinting through the gauntlet of fragrance spritzers in your local department store, give the ladies a second thought. Just saying. [WSJ]