As a makeup artist, a striking lip or a bold brow look will always catch my eye. The best spots for beauty trendspotting? Los Angeles and New York City -- without a doubt. With a home in both cities, I'm always interested to spot different beauty statements and how they vary from coast to coast. South Cali girls can pull off bright hues and rock bronzed skin year round, while New Yorkers tend to be seasonally appropriate, with statement skin that relies on a regime that can adapt to all that wildly different weather. I'm not going to get caught up in the fight for which coast is best (that's like arguing over Blackberry vs. iPhone) but instead let's look at some particular style signatures spotted on the streets of each great city. To which beauty tribe do you belong?
IN THE CITY OF ANGELS
The Studio Exec Tribe: Powerful and ever chic, her beauty essentials are an earth-toned eye palette with a hint of shimmer, a soft, flattering blush and a sheer red lipstick. For a post-work dinner, she'll add some impact with a silver eye shadow up from her lash line to the crease of her eye lid.
The Up-And-Coming Actress/Model Tribe: Before she fronts up to an audition or casting, she ensures that her foundation base is flawless with some careful contouring with her favorite bronzing palette -- she always needs to be camera ready. She also believes in the power of an eyelash curler. Depending on the casting, she'll either keep her look super simple or vamp it up. For a premiere, she loves her palette of bright eye shadows like electric violets and silvers.
The Party Hopping Socialite Tribe: LBD? Check. Black eyeliner? Check. She's got all her makeup basics crammed in her Miu Miu clutch for well-timed touch-ups. When she wants to really stand out she'll add a glittering eye shadow. A black liquid eyeliner is her secret weapon, and she prides herself on acing the finest line without a mirror.
IN THE BIG APPLE
The PR Powerhouse Tribe: It's all about a lightweight tinted moisturizer and mascara. Nothing overly tricky. Her beauty priority is her skin -- she would never go to bed without removing her makeup and slathering on her Chantecaille face cream -- and she occasionally scores a complimentary facial from a client. For a night out, she'll smudge a little kohl liner into her top lash line and to the outer corner of her lower lash line. And she always swipes on a bright lip gloss.
The Magazine Editor Tribe: She's got endless supplies of only the best fashion and beauty goodies. She's all about the edit; she's seen enough to know what she likes and what suits her best but she's not completely set in her ways. She does need to work the occasional trend of course. She has a weakness for a bright lip or a light wash of colorful shadow. At heart, she's a minimalist that loves her black eye liner pencil.
The Finance Guru Tribe: A highlighting concealer is her best friend given all the fluorescent lighting in her office. She'll apply it right under her cheekbones and to the bridge of her nose as a sculpting trick. A long-wear, scarlet red lipstick -- she has little time for touch ups -- tends to be her strongest statement and she's all for a flattering, metallic bronze eye shadow that can take her from day to night.