Many of the runways and beauty collections for fall take us on a trip back to the 1970s, and if the thought of heavy streaks of blush on your cheeks make you shudder, you can breathe a sigh of relief.

The look this season is a modern update of the original. “It’s more understated–the complexion is more natural, with a lot less emphasis on the cheeks and contouring compared to the 1970s,” says Lora Spiga, Lancome official makeup artist. “Lashes are realistic, the eyes are nude and the lips make more of the statement.”

Here’s how to get the look: Pulling off a bold, dark lip colour. “The darker lip tone would work on all skin tones. When selecting a darker lip colour, you should try more to respect the lip shape and size,” says Spiga. Avoid very darker lip colours if your lips are thin as it’ll make them look smaller, she says. She suggests starting by applying a gloss and tapping a darker shade over top lightly. Slowly apply more saturation as you become more comfortable with the intensity. (Alternatively, try a dark lipstick as a stain and blot the excess colour for a more transparent effect).

ElleCanada.com’s picks: Lancôme L’Absolue Rouge in Cherrywood Luxe; Yves Saint Laurent in Rouge Volupte in Forbidden Burgundy; CoverGirl Lip Perfection in Enamor.

Keep the rest of your face fairly neutral. You’ll want the complexion to look unified, so even though it looks like the foundation is light, this look requires a fuller coverage foundation to ensure uniformity, says Spiga. Blush this season, she says is sheer (or you can omit applying any altogether). If you’re afraid of looking too washed out, she suggests trying a bronzer to add warmth without all of the colour. “Apply it along the outside of the face so that the centre of the face looks lighter and more luminous,” she says.

Play up the eyes subtly. Eyes are given some oomph with mascara, and lined discreetly. For eyeshadow, you’ll want to follow the shape of your eye in a delicate colour.(At Gucci, the look was acheived with a warm, apricot-like shade). Spiga suggests trying Lancôme Kitten Heel Colour Design Mono with Le Crayon Kohl Liner in Black Coffee and Hypnose Doll Lashes Mascara.

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