Fall Makeup Color Trend: Purple Haze

There's no denying it: Arresting shades of bright orchid, mauve, plum and eggplant are delivering purple power to fall 2010 makeup trends, presenting obsession-worthy color to eyes, lips, and nails. We definitely glimpsed a "violet hour" this spring and summer, but it's become a full-forced fall makeup movement, making the complete purple spectrum utterly irresistible. From delicate, ethereal lavender eyes and cheeks at Preen, lush plum lips and eyes at Dior, to the deep, sultry pouts at Peter Som, we're powerless to purple's charm. It's definitely a bold, get-you-noticed look, but it's also a super-fresh take on the requisite browns and berries we see eeeeevery autumn. So, if there's one fall trend on its way to luring you in, this is it!

Eyes: Whether you go with shimmery lavender effect or a dramatic pigmented plum, try any of these tools for casting a purple gaze.



Above, from left: Carolina Herrera fall 2010 backstage beauty photos via Carolina Herrera; L'Oreal Paris Studio Secrets Professional Metallic Shadow Duo in Electrified, $8, available at L'Oréal Paris; Tarte EmphasEYES Aqua-Gel eyeliner in Plum, $18, available at Ultra.




Above, from left: Brian Reyes fall 2010 backstage beauty via Bobbi Brown; YSL Eyeshadow Duo in Purple Amethyst, $41, available at YSL Beauty; Guerlain Ecrin 6 Colour Eyeshadow in Champs-Elysee, $84, available at Sephora; Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Palette in #7, $59, available at Nordstrom and Giorgio Armani Beauty.

Above, from left: Maybelline Eye Studio Color Pearls Marbleized Eyeshadow in Lawless Lavender, $6.99, available at Walgreens and Maybelline; Preen fall 2010 backstage beauty photo via M.A.C. Cosmetics; NARS Eyeshadow in Daphne, $23, available at Lord & Taylor; Miu Miu fall 2010 backstage beauty photo via CoverGirl/Pat McGrath.


Lips: The potent purple pout at Dior might be too tough to pull of, but we suggest softening it up with a swipe of sheer gloss. Mwah!



Above, from left: Dior fall 2010 runway photo via Dior; Dior fall 2010 backstage beauty photo via CoverGirl/Pat McGrath; M.A.C. Palace Pedigree lipstick in Cunning, $14, available August 26 at M.A.C.; YSL Rogue Volupté Perle in Mesmerizing Purple, $34, available at YSL Beauty; Dior Serum de Rouge in Plum Serum, $32, available at Saks Fifth Avenue.




Above, from left: Estee Lauder Pure Color Gloss in Mauve Mirage, $18.50, available at Dillard's; Make Up Forever Rouge Intense Artist lipstick in #15, $19, available at Sephora; Peter Som fall 2010 backstage beauty photo via M.A.C.


Nails: From lilac to the deepest, darkest plum, any of these purple polishes will do your nails right this fall.



Above, from left: M.A.C. nail polish in Concubine, $12, available August 26 at M.A.C.; OPI Nail Polish in The Color To Watch, $8.50, available at Ultra; Orly Plastix Nail Polish in Purple Pleather, $7.50, available at Orly Beauty.