April 2007

When it comes to updos, stars are really taking sides these days.

"It's a flattering look because you see some hair in the front-which softens the face," says Cate Blanchett's stylist, Mark Townsend.

The antithesis of a tight, fussy chignon, this loose, asymmetrical style strikes the perfect balance between up and down.

"You get the look of wearing your hair down, but it's still away from your face," says Townsend.

If you didn't know better, you'd thinkInspector Gadget was designing makeup these days. Click a button on Stila's new Smoky Eye palette and a voice explains how to create a smoky eye.

And for those still fumbling with clumsy compacts and multiple lipsticks, YSL offers Lip Twins, a compact cylinder with secret compartments sheltering a lip brush, lipstick, gloss and mirror. The best part? Neither of these special gadgets self-destructs after one use.