Weinberg freshman Cassie Arney in front of Benefit Cosmetics. Photo by the author.

Have you stocked up on your fall make-up?

You may be thinking: “This is college! I have 16 classes today. Who has time for make-up?” You do! Make-up application doesn’t have to be a 30-minute process involving a cornucopia of liners, brushes and blushes. In fact, it can be as easy as just sitting down.

Fall make-up evokes all the senses of fall: warm, rich and utterly classic. To get an expert’s opinion, Weinberg freshman Cassie Arney (a friend and Allison hallmate) and I stopped in at the Benefit boutique in downtown Evanston for a makeover guided by fall’s new trends. According to Christian Van Brimmer, Benefit’s Boutique Proprietor and senior make-up artist, this year’s fall look can be broken down into five major trends: gorgeous neutral-toned skin, winged eyeliner, defined brows, classic red lips and gold accents.

Gorgeous neutral-toned skin

“Fall make-up is all about good, even skin,” Van Brimmer said. Use a primer that will smooth over blemishes and imperfections without clogging your pores.
• Try: Benefit “that gal” brightening face primer, $27.
• Tip: Apply primer with a foundation brush. It will go on more evenly and will not absorb the make-up the way your fingers or a sponge would, which means there’s more of it for you to use and less that goes to waste.

Winged eyeliner

The trick with this classic ’50s look is to keep it classy without overdoing it. For daytime, do a thin sweep of liquid liner with an eyeliner brush, dragging the line out just past the corner of the eye. Feel free to play it up on nights out and on the weekend, but be careful not to go too overboard — no matter how convinced you are that you’re the real life Rizzo from Grease.
• Try: Benefit “babe cake” duo eyeliner, $22.
• Tip: When using water-activated liners, go easy on the water. Perfect the texture on the back of your hand before applying to the eyelid. Even if the liner comes with an applicator, be sure to use a liner brush in order to get a smooth and precise line that doesn’t smudge or crease.

Defined brows

From Donna Karan to YSL, full exaggerated eyebrows are everywhere on the runway. Fortunately, for those of us who weren’t blessed with big bushy brows, there are products on the market to fill in those sparse spots and give your face some more definition.
• Try: Benefit “brow zings” eyebrow kit, $30.
• Tip: Instead of using the product across your entire brow, use it where you need it. Faking a full brow only requires filling in the empty areas; otherwise, you’ll just look like you painted the entire thing on.

Classic Red Lips

Don’t get intimidated here. Red doesn’t necessarily mean the dramatic, full-on ‘40s matte lip. You can stick with a gloss, or a lip stain that will give your lips some color throughout the day without smearing all over coffee lids, food utensils, boys and, most importantly, your face.
• Try: Benefit “benetint” lip and cheek stain, $28.
• Tip: Choose a color that matches your skin tone. If you have pale skin, go for a brighter color. If you have olive or tan skin, try darker reds, wines and shades of burgundy.

Gold Accents

• The icing on the cake of this season’s make-up trends, a little gold shimmer can highlight your life! Or your face, anyway. Applied high on the eyelids under the brow or even at the corners of your mouth, gold accents add the extra glam you need to brighten up the bleak days ahead.
• Try: Benefit “miss popularity” precision highlighter for eyes and face, $24.
• Tip: Gold highlighter can actually slim the appearance of your nose and give it some definition. Using a brush, take it down the center of your nose and carefully blend it in.

Whether you’re ready to reinvent yourself with a new look or just looking for some tips to look great on the weekend, this fall’s make up trends are fun, classy and best of all, totally accessible. Who knew keeping up with couture could be so simple?

The Benefit Boutique is located at 1625 Sherman Ave. and can be reached by phone at (847) 332-2340.