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August
Now that we're in the thick of the summer heat, lighten up on your foundation. Apply only where you need it - usually a dot on and around the nose and mouth and blend outward. I like to use a sheer bronzer, applied with a fan brush, instead of darker foundation, to give summer color to the face - it looks more dimensional and natural. Stick with your usual foundation, assuming you're not too tan, and after powdering, fan the bronzer lightly over the high planes of the face. Follow with a pop of sheer pink on the apples of the cheeks; add bright, sheer lip gloss and you're good to go. Have a great summer, my pretties!

September
Fall is around the corner, and the stores and fashion magazines are full of new clothes made with sumptuous fabrics in rich, deeply saturated colors. But it's still warm out, and you might be stretching your summer wardrobe until you feel that fall chill in the air. What to do about your face during this awkward in-between time? Stick with your current make-up wardrobe, but now that you're laying aside the self-tanner or the tanning salon (please tell me you're not tanning), your bronzer will be handier than ever as you extend your summer glow. A beautifully burnished face matched with your mid-weight clothes will remind everyone that you've just had a fabulous summer. As you round out your fall/winter wardrobe, your personal color palette will take shape. I'll talk about how to pull it all together with make-up next month. Enjoy these last warm, sunny moments, and stay beautiful!

October
Fall is here, and purple is hot! What's more, there are shades of purple for everyone. For you brown, hazel and green-eyed, dark-haired girls, there's no limit to the range of shades you can try. The purple will make your eyes sparkle and bring out the green. My favorite product in this color family (right now, at least) is the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in "Rockstar." If you're blue-eyed and fair-haired, you have to be careful with purple tones - you could end up looking like you've had a bad night. For the young and adventurous, you can go for true vibrant purples, but if you are...ahem...fully bloomed, stick with a touch of violet smudged into your brown or black eyeliner. Pale shades can be used on the lid as well, in moderation. Finally, please don't match your make-up with this season's purple clothes - that would be very naughty. When wearing vibrant colors, go with complimentary neutral eye-make-up and keep the lips in the same temperature family as your clothes, that is, warm or cool.

November
Here we are in late fall, and the trees look half dressed. Speaking of which, how does your make-up look after a long day? Has it migrated, smudged, faded or disappeared altogether? Make-up does need maintenance throughout the day to stay fresh-looking. I recommend that you have a sheer pressed powder, a blush and lip color in your bag. To be fully-armed, carry a few Q-tips for cleaning up around the eyes, and if you're very oily, blotting paper is also handy. Boscia makes delicious botanical-scented papers.

There are strategies for helping make-up last longer. Prime your lids before applying eye shadow, either with foundation followed by a dusting of powder, or by enlisting one of the hot new eye shadow primers. I am obsessed with Too Face Shadow Insurance at the moment, and Urban Decay Primer Potion is a cult favorite. Foundation primer, as well, does a handy job of helping foundation go on evenly by putting a layer of smoothness between the skin and the foundation. I use MAC Prep and Prime Face on my clients. Powder lightly during the day as needed and don't forget to re-apply lip color. With a tiny bit of effort, you'll be polished and fresh-faced all day! Happy fall, my beauties...