If crimson is your calling card, just one red lipstick won't do. Here, a cadre of cool girls share the secrets of their identity-defining looks—from the platinum dye-job maintenance kit to step-by-step nail art.
Platinum Strands
"I felt invisible until I went platinum," Marie Robinson says. Although Robinson tints the strands of A-list celebs at her namesake NYC salon, she struggled to find her perfect shade until she tried the near-white hue. "My own dark brown didn't give pop to my skin or eyes," she says. "Now I'm addicted to my color." NYC-based fashion stylist (and natural brunette) Kate Young has been fair-haired for 10 years—a look that was originally inspired by Madonna's "True Blue" era. "It's a part of my identity," Young says. "It brightens my whole face." To keep their drastically dyed hair from breaking, both avoid heat-styling, abiding by dry-and-go routines with weekly deep-conditioning masks. They also swear by the resolutely old-school Clairol Shimmer Lights shampoo, a purple-tinted formula that keeps cool, ashy tones vibrant.—J.J.O
Platinum Strands
"Grandma knows best!" says ELLE's own platinum style director, Kate Lanphear, of the shampoo also beloved by the Betty White set. Maja Ivarsson, lead singer of Swedish band the Sounds, modeled her signature look on Debbie Harry's mop. "I've bleached my hair since high school. I wouldn't feel like myself if I weren't platinum," she says. Ivarsson leaves her dye job to the pros. "I tried to go back to my natural, darker color once but freaked out and changed it right back," she says. "The result was orange. Never again!"—J.J.O
The platinum-obsessed alternate their daily shampoo with Clairol Shimmer Lights to prevent fading and brassiness; Young uses Kérastase Masquintense to condition and follows with Rodin by Recine Olio Lusso hair oil post-shower to avoid fried ends; Ivarsson stocks her tour bus with Sebastian Color Ignite Single Tone Shampoo—"On tour you don't know when you'll shower next," she says, "so this keeps my hair looking really good."
Nail Art
"I've been fanatical about nail art for a few years," says NYC-based DJ Harley Viera-Newton, who became "obsessed" with nail designs while perusing Japanese beauty blogs. "My makeup and clothes are pretty tame, so I go nuts with my nails," she says. Viera-Newton frequents the "incredibly skilled" technicians at NYC's Marie Nails in SoHo once a month, opting for a long-lasting gel manicure that can survive nightly scratching sessions. "I've done everything," she says. "Nautical with sequin anchors, cats, fruit...The sky is the limit."—J.J.O.
Nail Art
Jane Marie, of The Hairpin blog, prefers the DIY approach. Nightly she slathers her hands in cream to keep her skin and cuticles conditioned, then once a week she follows her painting ritual: a layer of OPI Nail Envy ("It fixes peeling or breaking") followed by a Seche Vite base coat. Then she gets creative. "I'll just think of anything—for example, a karate black belt, then imagine the color scheme that goes with it," she says. Marie favors drugstore-brand polish Milani and "cheapo glitter and jewels," which she seals with a final layer of Seche Vite top coat. Fellow DIYer makeup artist Julie Pope doesn't limit her tools to traditional items: She uses forks and bottle caps to carve textures and designs into her polish. "As a makeup artist, my hands are often in view," Pope says. "Why not make them fun to look at?"—J.J.O.
Nail Art
" Milani glitter polishes don't dry out," Marie says (shown: Red Sparkle, Blue Flash, and Purple Gleam); OPI Nail Envy contains protein and calcium to strengthen brittle nails: "I use it when my nails seem weak," she says.
Black Liner
Hairstylist Mika Fowler feels "completely naked" without kohl eyeliner. "It definitely gives me a feeling of power and confidence—black liner allows you to be sexy but strong," she says. Artist and illustrator Jane Kirby adds dimension to her heavily carbon-lined lids with a golden or pearlescent shadow base, such as M.A.C Eyeshadow in Dazzlelight. "I like when my makeup has worn a bit and naturally smudges—I want my eyes to look like the girls' smoky eyes in Peter Lindbergh photos," says Kirby, who advises first applying a line along lashes with a light brown eye shadow or liner for precision, then tracing with darker black shades for an intensified effect (try a disposable shadow applicator to smear lines with control).—A.F.
Black Liner
After lining, Kirby lightly spritzes her lids with Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray for staying power, but she still relishes some imperfections. Fowler, too, favors a worn-in look. "I prefer a softened effect, so I blend a matching M.A.C shadow over the liner," she says. Since proper removal is key—"I've ruined some of my favorite white Pratesi pillowcases by not getting all my makeup off"—Kirby carefully wipes away her liner then applies Dr. Perricone HP Eye Lift before bed to brighten.—A.F.
Black Liner
Fowler is "addicted" to the creamy finish and built-in smudging sponge included with Valerie Beverly Hills Eyeliner in Midnight; M.A.C Fluidline in Blacktrack is the obsessed's favorite gel formula; Kirby stocks up on drugstore makeup removers, such as L'Oréal Clean Artiste.
Red Lip
Classy, sexy, and timeless describe red lipstick and the women who won't leave home without it. Makeup artist Poppy King, who perfected the form with her own Lipstick Queen collection of crimsons, compares the shade to "a superhero cape—you feel able to take on anything in your red lipstick." King streamlines her routine by forgoing lipliner, an easy approach for newbies: "Dab lipstick on your index finger and apply for a stained, been-eating-berries look," she says. NYC-based photo agent and girl-about-town Jen Brill also loves the ease and surprising versatility of crimson. "Red lips go with everything at any time," she says. Rouge aficionados all agree lip prep is key. Makeup artist Ana Marie—"Without my red lips, I just feel tired," she says—uses Fresh Exfoliator Lip Polish and Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment before bed every night, the perfect prep for her A.M. application of Nars Lipstick in Red Lizard. "Never use a lip gloss over red lipstick," Marie warns. "It will change the color and bleed."—A.F.
Red Lip
Michelle Harper, NYC socialite and avant-garde trendsetter, has a four-step regimen for a perfect tangerine-red: Exfoliate lips with a soft-bristle baby toothbrush, swipe on moisturizing In Fiore Veloutée Balm, apply Make Up For Ever Aqua Lip Waterproof Lipliner Pencil in Bright Orange, and finish with M.A.C Lipstick in Lady Danger. "I like to mix different products for various looks," Harper says. "Makeup is theater. It's important to play."—A.F.
Red Lip
Marie seals her application of Nars Semi-matte Lipstick in Red Lizard with an ice cube to "prevent bleeding and feathering"; in a pinch, Harper uses M.A.C lip pencil in Cherry "in place of lipstick over a priming balm"; Brill rotates an application of Chanel Rouge Coco Hydrating Crème Lip Colour in Paris; when wearing a bright red such as M.A.C Lipstick in Ruby Woo, King advises "mascara and a little eyeliner, to look fresh rather than overdone."
Curly Hair
"I never got compliments on my hair until I wore it curly," says former music publicist Adesina Dowers. She spent her adolescence dependent on chemical relaxers, but during a stint abroad she let her natural texture grow. "It fits my personality." NYC hairstylist Jessie James has a similar story. "I fought my curls every step of the way," she says, "but now I love their character." Makeup artist Alice Lane agrees. "I've made many hair mistakes—I even shaved my head," she says. "At 23, I realized that natural is the only way to go." Curl fanatics all have one thing in common: a very specific cut and cocktail of products. "A great cut is the most important rule for curly hair," James says.—J.J.O.
Curly Hair
Some employ layers to reduce bulk; others, such as Lane, embrace their natural fullness. "I like it all one length so it looks like a big, fluffy triangle," says Lane. James follows a careful post-shampoo ritual. "I immediately wrap a towel around to absorb the moisture. And I never comb my curls when wet, or they'll separate." She follows with cream scrunched into strands, and a low-set diffuser. Lane prefers a little oil for shine, then she lets her hair air-dry, while Dowers relies on a homemade mix of Palmer's coconut hair milk, Weleda rosemary hair oil, and a dab of leave-in conditioner. "It's really moisturizing but light," she says. "There's nothing worse than crunchy curls."—J.J.O.
Curly Hair
James applies Aveda Be Curly "throughout my hair in large sections, scrunching lightly"; Lane swears by sulfate-free Deva Curl No-Poo shampoo; Hair Rules Quench Ultra Rich Conditioner doubles as Dower's moisturizing treatment and styling secret—"My hair looks the best when I don't rinse all the conditioner out," she says; a few drops of Shu Uemura Essence Absolue on wet hair leaves Lane's curls "nice and shiny."
Blunt Bangs
Fringed fashion designer Erin Fetherston says the Louise Brooks–inspired bob she recently adopted "works well with bangs that fall just above my eyebrows"—and she's not afraid to take up the scissors to ensure they stay just so; Fetherston carefully trims her bangs at home once a week. NYC-based designer Wendy Nichol is also unrecognizable without her bangs, which enhance her long-length blunt cut. "I think the combination is a pulled-together balance of feminine and cool," Nichol says. She follows each shampoo (favoring Philip B Russian Amber) with a shot of icy water for shine and then a blast from the blow-dryer while smoothing with a brush for bangs with a sleek finish. "I keep the rest of my hair a little wild and just scrunch the ends with a tiny drop of Moroccanoil," she says.—A.F.
Blunt Bangs
Makeup artist Kristin Gallegos (a rising star who has trained under Dick Page and Lisa Butler) also contrasts rounded bangs with long hair—but opts for beachy waves. "The piecey texture of my long hair goes well with my severe, straight bangs," she says. Gallegos washes just her bangs daily, skipping a few days for the rest to build texture. Meanwhile, M.A.C makeup artist Keri B.'s variation is thoroughly rock 'n' roll: raven-black color and a razor-edged cut. "I have a large forehead; wearing bangs longer gives the illusion that my face is more balanced," says Keri B., who urges anyone considering bangs to be "ready for the commitment."—A.F.
Blunt Bangs
Kérastase Double Force Hairspray has a fine mist that lines up Fetherston's bangs for a precise trim; Keri B. applies Rahua Finishing Treatment to damp hair—"It has a delicious smell and gives soft shine"; shea butter and orange-extract-infused Liz Earle Botanical Shine Shampoo is delicate enough for daily use; to tame her thick strands, Nichol blow-dries with the all-smoothing Mason Pearson Boar Bristle Brush.
