Focusing on only one dramatic statement at a time, minimalism is the theme of the season.

HEAVY METAL
A bit of a throwback to the ‘80s, metallic shadows get more futuristic and less Working Girl, with crisp strokes of chromes and slates. As seen on Derek Lam (shown) and Chanel runways, metallics are the boldest statement this season, although it might be more of an evening look.
Editor’s pick: Estee Lauder Pure Color Eye Shadow Duo in Modern Mercury, $34 at The Bay and Holt Renfrew.

BOLD BROW
Step away from the tweezers and let those brows grow. The heavy ‘80s Brooke Shields-like arches are all the rage this season. Take note from Jean Paul Gaultier and exaggerate them further by filling in the gaps.
Editor’s pick: Benefit Instant Brow Pencil, $25 at Sephora and Holt Renfrew.

LINER NOTES
Nothing beats a perfectly lined eye. This season the line is thicker than ever with an homage to ‘60s French ingénues Catherine Deneuve and Brigitte Bardot. From Jil Sander and D&G (shown) to Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton, the flawless liquid line dominated the runways.
Editor’s pick: Geisha Ink, $30 at Beautymark.

SPIDER LASHES
It’s a look most try to avoid, but when coupled with dewy skin and a rosy pout, as seen at Lanvin (shown), it’s très chic. Think Twiggy and other doe-eyed models from that era. Avoid falsies, leave the magic to your mascara and follow Cover Girl makeup artist Pat McGrath’s tip: “You just keep going and going… and going.”
Editor’s pick: Cover Girl LashBlast, $8.99 at Shoppers Drug Mart. 

PRETTY IN PINK
Besides the usual winter reds, matte pink pastels are the shades that will be beautifying our lips this fall, the most striking of which is the matte salmon pink seen on Nina Ricci’s (shown) runway. Besides, once the rainy days begin, a touch of pink is sure to brighten up the day.
Editor’s pick: NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Bolero, $30 at The Bay and Holt Renfrew.
—Anya Georgijevic

All images courtesy of www.style.com

Some cosmetics trends are easier to follow than others. We avoided the Prada silver lids for spring summer (not so practical on the beach) but are loving the navy blue trend for fall.

Gosh has a simple eye shadow duo called Blue Moon ($12 at Shoppers Drug Mart) but for a more complete palette go for Dior’s Blue Tie ($70 at The Bay) which has four shadows including silver and dark grey to complement the navy.

If you fancy yourself a bit of a makeup ‘artiste’, then try M.A.C’s Paint Pot in Imaginary ($21 at The Bay), which is a blackened navy. If you aren’t feeling particularly adventurous, simply swap your black eyeliner for NARS’ dark blue Rue Saint Honore Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner ($25 at Sephora)

For your nails, OPI has a great selection of dark blues. The glossy Road House Blues ($12 at Pure Nail Bar) is the perfect addition to your fall look, because after all, navy is the new black. —Alexandra Suhner Isenberg

Although we’ve always liked Tokyo Milk perfume's sweet girlie sensibilities, its recently launched Tokyo Milk Dark collection has us completely spellbound.

Our palettes have been opened to darker, more exotic elements like absinthe, vanilla salt, fennel smoked tea, ebony and cedar wood. These unusual mixtures come as Parfums ($42), Handcremes ($28) and Lip Elixirs ($8). Our favourite scent is the slightly morbid La Vie La Mort No. 2. Don’t let the deadly name fool you: its magical blend of tuberose, cardamom, hibiscus leaf and jasmine is nothing short of lovely.

Welcome to the dark side.  —Anya Georgijevic

Lola Home & Apparel, 510 Beatty St., Vancouver, 604-633-5017, www.lolahomeandapparel.com

It is incredibly glamourous to leave the West Coast and move to the Grasse region of France to study perfumery.

That’s exactly what Jessica September Buchanan did, who is now the founder and the nose behind 1000 Flowers, an independent artisan perfume house. Her signature scent is Réglisse Noire (Black Licorice), made from organic, botanical raw ingredients like star anise and licorice with notes of white pepper, ginger, vanilla and musk.

Personally, I don’t like black licorice. But as a perfume, it suddenly has a whole new appeal. —Alexandra Suhner Isenberg

Réglisse Noise, 15ml splash flacon, $45. At Lark online, and 2315 Main St., Vancouver, 604-879-5275.

As editors testing out a new nail polish is a perfectly acceptable way to spend our work hours.

With Loose Button, a new subscription service that delivers a monthly Luxe Box filled with three to five of the latest samples, you too can sample like an editor. We were ecstatic when July’s beautiful box arrived at our door complete with a pretty ribbon. Inside: a full-sized bottle of Essie Nail Polish ($8), a full-size Trucco Pro Lip Liner ($20) that can double as a lip colour, as well as sample sizes of Proclaim Argan Hair Oil Treatment ($7) and Stella McCartney’s “Stella in Two Peony” fragrance ($56).

Ah, sampling the sweet life.  —Anya Georgijevic

Membership options: $12/ for1 month, $36/3 months, $120/12 months, www.loosebutton.com

“It’s okay if sometimes her friends are flaky, but a lady’s legs should never be.”

Ah, another snappy quote with the perfect balance of kitsch, cute and clever from UK-based skin care line, Soap & Glory (go on, click the link, their website’s just as sassy). Originally inspired by bad British tabloid headlines, S&G are our new favourite skin care dealer of quality body creams, soaps and exfoliators on the cheap. Amidst the overwhelming lotion and cleanser aisle at Shoppers Drug Mart, these pink bottles with black and white photos from the ‘50s are too pretty to resist.

Try The Righteous Butter ($9.99) for starters, and don’t miss their famous plumping Sexy Mother Pucker Lip Gloss ($9.99) in plum, peach, nude or clear.

With wit, these Brit’s prove that pretty packaging always sells. And you can quote us on that. —Caroline Gault

Available in Canada exclusively at Shoppers Drug Mart, www.soapandglory.com

We admit that some of us have had fantasies of trapeze artistry after reading Water For Elephants, but thankfully, we just discovered a happy medium with anti-gravity yoga.

With the help of a hanging hammock, we can escape the tired old yoga mat and literally hover above it. You'd be surprised what kind of things our bodies can do when not bound to the ground. While we still get to keep our favourite yoga positions, like the re-imagined Downward Dog, we are also introduced to some new gems like the Cocoon, with the complete bliss of floating in the breeze, nothing but you and your hammock.

Why stand when you can float? —Anya Georgijevic

$240 for 6 weeks at Steve Nash Fitness World, 610 Granville St., Vancouver, 604-682-5213, www.stevenashfitnessclubs.com

Summer calls for a healthy, rosy glow, nothing too overdone. Since powders can get fussy under the hot sun and turn our frown upside down, Happy Face is here to save the day.

No sticky icky. —AG

$21 at Shoppers Drug Mart and Lise Watier.

They say "Change your life, not your hair," and with this summer's styles, there's no need to submit to scissors to change up your look. Taking inspiration from the S/S 2011 runways, here are five styles you can achieve in a jiff.

Braids: Lacoste
Always sporty and minimal, Lacoste is all about no fuss hair. A little side French braid leading in to a long ponytail is as appropriate for a game of tennis as it is for a night out on the town.

Low bun: Nina Ricci
The classic low bun has been taking a backseat to a hipster-loving topknot lately, but its sophisticated beauty can’t be denied. Grace Kelly would agree.

Side swoop: Rodarte
Not just your regular old side swoop: we are taking this to an extreme. Taking a cue from Rodarte, keep it all together with a little pin à la Margot Tenenbaum.

Big curls: Marc Jacobs
And we mean big! Channel your inner '70s disco goddess with the mightiest, curliest mane you can possibly sport before tipping over.

Beachy wave: Peter Som
The ultimate beach babe look requires a centre part and a little bit of wave. And it’s perhaps the easiest to achieve. May we suggest braiding your hair and sleeping on it? Blond hair not required.

—AG

Our Team Building Retreat ’04 t-shirt is no longer cutting it so we’ve tracked down some of the best new running gear. That way, even when our faces are flushed and our hair is dripping with sweat, we’ll look great. From the neck down at least.

Sugoi Versa Jacket

Is it a jacket or a vest? It’s both! Snap off the bolero-like sleeves and you’ve got a sleek running vest. $130, www.sugoi.com

Lululemon Mind Over Matter SL Tech Tank Top
Want to know a dirty little secret? This bright, frilly tank is woven with a stink-resistant silver fibre so you can re-wear it before washing (we won’t tell a soul). $52, www.lululemon.com

Forma ¾ Tights
These made-in-Canada leggings are that elegant three-quarter length that’s perfect for this three-quarter spring we seem to be having. $89.99, www.formaathletics.com

Nike Free Run 2+ Runners $125
No pedicure? No problem. These runners let you find your barefoot-like stride without actually having to run the seawall sans shoes. $125, www.nike.com

—KD