Top 5 Beauty Tips for 2006

Shedding last year's skin can be a slightly arduous winter pastime, but, remember, the season is all about preparing for spring's rebirth. So open your closets and drawers and allow this sage advice from our beauty experts to guide you.

Overall, 2006 will be the year that glamour makes a comeback. It won't be the heavy, stylized looks of silent movie stars, but people will be paying more attention to details and striving for some classic touches among their otherwise casual getups. And our experts think curvy shapes will be all the rage in 2006 -- good news for just about all of us.

Their first bit of advice? Hold on to that kohl eyeliner, but ditch the smoky black eye shadow.

Tip 1: Colorful smoky eyes are in. Plain black smoky eyes are out.
We almost hesitate to say this, because a smoky eye is always in style, but for this year you're going to see an 'evolved' smoky look. Look for more color, less monochrome dark. You can still rim your eyes with black liner, but instead of using black shadow or rubbed kohl around the eyes, our experts suggest trying some color -- navy, dark auburn, even pink. Sounds a bit much, but they say you'll love the results. Go ahead and try it -- you'll be surprised at how good a smoked-out eye in pink, with some kohl eye liner, can look. You can make it less heavy or more shocking depending on your mood or the occasion. I think the 'evolved' smoky look with color will be big in 2006.

Tip 2: Lush, but natural-looking lashes are in. Visibly false lashes are out.
Lose the spidery look that comes from using clumped false eyelashes. For 2006, our beauty experts say an Asian trend will sweep the runways and the nation: lashes that are enhanced but don't look fake. The look includes thick, lustrous and very au naturel lashes, which are supplemented with individual sprigs of lash glued right at the base of your lash line. If you want a thicker look, place lashes in the middle of your eye to create a natural fan that creates a rounder shape. Most beauty experts use that technique on their models right now.

Tip 3: Naturally matted skin is in. Dewy, shiny, cakey and overly powdered skin is out.
So what complexion should everyone strive for in 2006? Still glowing, of course, but slightly more "finished," or matte. The product technology today is so good that you can look very natural while wearing makeup. Go for a natural-looking skin that also appears done. For this look, use a tinted moisturizer or foundation very lightly only as needed. The distinction between barely there natural and "done" natural is preparation. Always moisturize before applying foundation on your skin, particularly your T-zone or problem areas. Our beauty experts suggest investing in a high-end silicon primer and applying it under the foundation. It will keep makeup from settling into fine lines.

Tip 4: Bronzer is in. Blush is out.
After achieving a smooth finish on your skin with light moisturizer and foundation where needed, our experts suggest bringing out the dimensions of your face with bronzer. Bronzer is literally the most underrated and underused product. Women don't know how to apply it usually. But if you use it strategically, you'll see a huge difference. To make your look radiant and natural, our experts say to apply bronzer very lightly around your hairline and then down your cheekbones with a large fluffy blush brush. To complete the makeup package, should you toss all your nude and peachy lip glosses? Alas, no, says our experts.

Tip 5: Nude shades and shimmery glosses are in. Matte pink, rubies and browns are out.
Our experts think the nude and neutral shades of J.Lo-inspired lip glosses are going to stick around for a while. When buying a gloss, avoid pearl-finished lip products if you have thin lips. The gloss reflects light and highlights the ridge of your lip, accentuating lip thinness. If you're looking to plump up (without injections), use a matte product -- and go for a lighter color to avoid looking out of style.