Ever wonder how those runway models get their fabulous makeup looks?

MAX Factor is giving people a backstage pass to meet with world-renowned makeup artist Pat McGrath and get a first-hand look at the inspiration behind Fall ‘07’s hottest looks at the Oscar de la Renta show. The video gives an insider’s look at what really goes on behind-the-scenes at one of the world’s most anticipated fashion shows.

The word and the look is “glamorous”. Watch as Pat McGrath creates smouldering, sexy, fabulous faces.

Products used to create the runway looks include: MAX Factor MAXalicious Glitz and Glaze, MAX Factor MAXeye Shadow Exotics Collection, MAX Factor Volume Couture Mascara, MAX Factor MAXeye Liner and MAX Factor Pan-Stik

Check out the video:

Backstage at Oscar de la Renta’s NYC Fashion Show Feb ‘07

We’ve all seen the Hollywood stereotype of the female scientist with her hair in a tight bun and her tortoise-shell framed glasses who changes her studious look suddenly by whipping off her glasses and deftly letting her hair down by pulling at one central pin. Immediately, her male colleague who thought of her only as a fellow scientist is enraptured by the vision before him, exclaiming “My word. Dr. Smith, you’re beautiful!”.

While switching from glasses to contact lenses may not elicit such instantaneous attention from the male of the species, many women find contact lenses to be a freeing and fun experience. Glasses may do in some situations and circumstances, but can be less convenient in others. And if you have spent a lot of time on the creating the perfect makeup look for your eyes, it’s nice to have people be able to see it.

Contact lenses are available for almost all prescriptions and vision problems, including astigmatism and bifocal needs. Contacts also come in disposable versions that are worn for specific lengths of time and then replaced with a fresh, clean lens, which reduces the incidence of infections and irritations from the build-up of protein, calcium and lipids - all found naturally in your tears.

There are also colored lenses that can change or enhance your eye color while you wear them. They are available without vision correction for those whose eyesight is within normal limits. Colored contacts are clear in the center, allowing clear vision. At times, blinking may cause the lens to slip a bit bringing the colored portion over the pupil and at night your pupils may dilate with diminished light, making them larger than the clear center.

I wear both glasses and contacts. Finding a fun frame for your glasses makes them perfect for certain occasions or just casual wear. Since switching to disposable contacts, I find my eyes are more comfortable than they were with daily lenses. I haven’t tried colored contacts yet but would love to. If any of you have tried colored contacts, let me know about your experiences with them.

Colored eyeliner is back in style and when you choose the right color for yourself it can be very effective. Light pastels and metallics are fine for evening when you want a dramatic look, but other colors can be employed for a subtle daytime look.

Choose rich, muted colors. If you have brown or hazel eyes, green is a wonderful choice but go for an olive shade. If your eyes are blue or grey, try navy rather than a bright blue. A dazzling cobalt blue may draw your attention but will drab out your eyecolor instead of enhancing it. Purple comes in several deep, muted shades - just avoid anything too pinky.

They key to color is subtlety. Use a soft pencil and smudge slightly, choose a color that brings out your eye color. Add to your color collection as you find the right shades and free yourself from the basic black and brown.

There’s an article today on Fox News about the declining sales of pantyhose over the last few years. With fashion trends changing and more employers adopting casual business dress, fewer women are wearing traditional pantyhose and when they do wear dresses and skirts, they are opting for bare legs rather than hosiery.

But change is the only certainty in fashion and all trends recycle. Skirts and dresses are making their way back into everyday style choices and so is the need for some type of hosiery to go under them, especially in the colder, winter months.

Stockings are not what they used to be. Patterned and colored tights, thigh-highs and fishnets, footless leggings and opaque hose are showing up on fashion show runways more and more.

Where to get these trendy and fabulous legwear looks? I found this site, Stockingirl.com, that has an amazing array of all the new styles in hosiery. You can find everyday hose that is suitable for office wear as well as some very sexy styles for those special occasions. Whether it’s thigh-high glitter stockings or printed tights, it’s not your mother’s pantyhose!